Senior Finance Officer
| Posting date: | 22 June 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £42,665 per year |
| Additional salary information: | The role attracts an accountancy allowance up to £3,107 National and up to £4,495 London in addition to the quoted salary. |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 16 July 2026 |
| Location: | Eastern England, UK |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | Government Recruitment |
| Job type: | Temporary |
| Job reference: | 460964 |
Summary
Along with supporting the implementation of the new ERP system, the postholder will widely support other areas of finance and the business with financial accounting advice, direction and knowledge. The role may require close working with senior stakeholders (within finance and business areas).
Defra are recruiting up to five SEO roles, which will all cover business as usual activities and all areas of the ERP system and/or cover the substantive post for those that work on the ERP system.
Key responsibilities will include but not be limited to:
ERP SYSTEM
Support the stages required to implement the new ERP system. In particular:
- Local design phase: refine the Common Design to meet their specific operational needs. This is the point where colleagues begin to see how the future processes will work for them in practice.
- Build phase: configuration starts, data preparation intensifies, and we move from design on paper to a working product. It is one of the most important conversion stages in the journey.
- System integration testing: test all processes end-to-end, checking that data flows correctly, that integrations operate seamlessly, and that the system behaves as expected.
- User acceptance testing: support real life users of the system. Identify and deliver training.
- Cutover phase: complete data migration cycles, readiness checks, and all the operational planning needed to ensure the transition from the old system to the new ERP is safe and controlled.
Provide information to process owners to support attendance at meetings with other departments to ensure Defra’s position is considered.
Working with other departments to align accounting policies and processes.
Co-ordinating responses from subject matter experts where required.
Learn and adapt Defra’s position from the issues encountered by other departments that have already gone through these phases.
Reviewing documentation and provide meaningful comments.
ACCOUNTING
Covering substantive technical financial accounting roles where required (e.g. review/preparation/approval of journals, preparation/review of reconciliations, preparing interim and year-end accounts, preparing technical accounting papers using International Financial Reporting Standards as adapted and interpreted by the HM Treasury Financial Reporting Manual, working with stakeholders (e.g. external auditors, other areas of finance, business areas), providing technical accounting advice to finance and non-finance colleagues, supporting the external audit etc. etc.).
Supporting the production of annual reports and accounts (interim and year-end) and working collaboratively with the group accounts team.
Supporting finance projects to ensure the Defra group ARA is laid pre-recess and without qualification.
Working with external auditors, business areas and other areas of finance and their teams, building relationships and providing a high level of customer service.
Providing high quality technical accounting advice and reviewing accounting papers, backed up by an in-depth knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards and HM Treasury guidance such as the ‘Financial Reporting Manual’ (FReM), ‘Consolidated Budgeting Guidance’ and ‘Managing Public Money’.
Providing technical accounting advice to Core Defra, to both finance and non-finance professionals.
Support the management of risks and issues in relation to the delivery of annual reports and accounts and its impact on the overall Defra group ARA.
Monitoring of key reconciliations.
Be a point of contact for technical accounting advice, queries and guidance, liaising with peers to determine the most appropriate accounting treatment, ensuring the approach is consistent across Defra Group.
OTHER
Line management of others.
Defra are recruiting up to five SEO roles, which will all cover business as usual activities and all areas of the ERP system and/or cover the substantive post for those that work on the ERP system.
Key responsibilities will include but not be limited to:
ERP SYSTEM
Support the stages required to implement the new ERP system. In particular:
- Local design phase: refine the Common Design to meet their specific operational needs. This is the point where colleagues begin to see how the future processes will work for them in practice.
- Build phase: configuration starts, data preparation intensifies, and we move from design on paper to a working product. It is one of the most important conversion stages in the journey.
- System integration testing: test all processes end-to-end, checking that data flows correctly, that integrations operate seamlessly, and that the system behaves as expected.
- User acceptance testing: support real life users of the system. Identify and deliver training.
- Cutover phase: complete data migration cycles, readiness checks, and all the operational planning needed to ensure the transition from the old system to the new ERP is safe and controlled.
Provide information to process owners to support attendance at meetings with other departments to ensure Defra’s position is considered.
Working with other departments to align accounting policies and processes.
Co-ordinating responses from subject matter experts where required.
Learn and adapt Defra’s position from the issues encountered by other departments that have already gone through these phases.
Reviewing documentation and provide meaningful comments.
ACCOUNTING
Covering substantive technical financial accounting roles where required (e.g. review/preparation/approval of journals, preparation/review of reconciliations, preparing interim and year-end accounts, preparing technical accounting papers using International Financial Reporting Standards as adapted and interpreted by the HM Treasury Financial Reporting Manual, working with stakeholders (e.g. external auditors, other areas of finance, business areas), providing technical accounting advice to finance and non-finance colleagues, supporting the external audit etc. etc.).
Supporting the production of annual reports and accounts (interim and year-end) and working collaboratively with the group accounts team.
Supporting finance projects to ensure the Defra group ARA is laid pre-recess and without qualification.
Working with external auditors, business areas and other areas of finance and their teams, building relationships and providing a high level of customer service.
Providing high quality technical accounting advice and reviewing accounting papers, backed up by an in-depth knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards and HM Treasury guidance such as the ‘Financial Reporting Manual’ (FReM), ‘Consolidated Budgeting Guidance’ and ‘Managing Public Money’.
Providing technical accounting advice to Core Defra, to both finance and non-finance professionals.
Support the management of risks and issues in relation to the delivery of annual reports and accounts and its impact on the overall Defra group ARA.
Monitoring of key reconciliations.
Be a point of contact for technical accounting advice, queries and guidance, liaising with peers to determine the most appropriate accounting treatment, ensuring the approach is consistent across Defra Group.
OTHER
Line management of others.