The role is for a Head of Performance, Finance and Risk in the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills based in London. The successful candidate will lead a team ensuring efficient risk management, use of performance metrics to improve decision making, and communication of the department's objectives. Duties include understanding the department's business areas to broker solutions, analyzing and synthesizing information, overseeing strategic communication, and managing a high performing team. The ideal candidate will have experience collaborating across stakeholders, providing leadership, effective decision making, and delivering objectives.

1. Job title Head of Performance, Finance and Risk
Department Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Business Area Finance, Policy
Number of Vacancies 1
Location: City/Town London
Location: Building/Site 1 Victoria Street London
Grade Grade 6
Contract Permanent
BIS Grade 6 Head of Performance, Planning and Risk
Person Specification
BIS Finance is looking for a high-calibre candidate with the necessary experience, skills and personal qualities to lead
the Department’s performance, planning and risk function. This is a high profile and stretching role in the central
Financial Planning and Analysis team, which requires a self-starting individual who can gain credibility with senior
officials and Ministers in order to play an important and active part in the strategic direction of BIS.
As a critical friend to the business, the post holder will lead a high performing branch to work across the full breadth
of the Department’s policy and delivery responsibilities, to ensure efficient and effective risk management, drive the
use of performance metrics to improve decision making and communicate the Department’s objectives and
achievements externally. The post holder will partner and collaborate with a range of stakeholders across
Government and within the Department, to lead the Department’s critical corporate governance processes and
documents.
The role will sit within the Financial Planning and Analysis team. The Performance, Planning and Risk branch is a small,
highly regarded team focused on driving the delivery of Ministerial priorities, identifying and resolving blockages and
facilitating the highest standards of operational effectiveness. To do this the team has strong relationships with the
Permanent Secretary, the Board, Private Offices, and senior management across the wide range of BIS priorities. The
branch is also at the forefront of the Department’s engagement with Parliament, promoting how we use our
resources to deliver BIS’s objectives.
Key Duties
The key duties of the role will include:
• Build in-depth understanding across all of the Department’s business areas (science and research, higher
education, adult skills and apprenticeships, business interventions), systems and end-to-end delivery processes in
order to establish credibility and apply judgement to broker solutions on specific risk and performance issues.
• Transform information into analysis and insight to drive internal decision making, clearly and concisely
synthesising complex information in verbal and written outputs to maintain a high quality product for key
customers of the branch.
• Oversee the strategic communication of the Department’s objectives and performance externally, promoting
confident, creative and dynamic approaches, including through the Annual Report and Accounts, Mid-Year Report
and overarching Business Plan, and preparing Ministers and Senior Officials for Parliamentary scrutiny.
• Work collaboratively in an integrated and interdependent way across the broader finance community, Strategy
and ALB Sponsorship community, to integrate performance and risk management and improve the culture of
performance and risk management across the organisation.
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2. • Engage as an intelligent customer of the Department’s systems and processes, to proactively identify
opportunities to enhance the quality of management information, and promote innovative ways to use
performance information to improve delivery.
• Formally manage and set strategic direction for a high calibre and high potential team, including 2xG7 and an
HEO, to implement an efficient and proportionate risk management process for the department; and drive
improvements in delivery across the Department.
Key competencies
Seeing the Big Picture
• Able to work closely across BIS teams and wider cross-Government stakeholders (particularly HM Treasury,
No.10 and Cabinet Office) to communicate the department’s objectives and performance externally within the
context of the Government’s broader strategy.
• Ability to review information and evaluate evidence available at a strategic level, understanding the impact on
Ministerial priorities and the Department’s operating environment including that of its partner organisations.
Leading and Communicating
• Provide leadership across the centre of BIS, senior policy officials and with policy groups to drive the
communication of BIS’ achievements and influence improvements to BIS’ performance.
• Ability to set the direction of own work area, taking tough and sometimes unpopular decisions, seizing
opportunity to add value and implement change and supporting the development of the team.
• Confidence and clarity of communication to present regularly to the Department’s Executive Board,
Performance and Risk Committee (chaired by DG Finance, Commercial and Digital Transformation), and Audit and
Risk Committee.
Making Effective Decisions
• Working accurately with detail whilst maintaining a strategic overview is essential, particularly to provide
workable solutions to complex problems.
• An evidence based and objective approach to decision making
• Proactive approach to understanding latest policy developments and anticipating risks and challenges.
• Ability to review information at a strategic level, understanding the impact on priorities, translating these into
overall strategic direction of own work area.
Collaborating and Partnering
• The candidate must be a strong team player, demonstrating capability to build a network of colleagues,
contacts and organisational partners in order to achieve progress on objectives and shared interests.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to put complex issues into layman’s terms
for non-specialist audiences, including senior officials and Ministers.
• Ability to seek constructive outcomes in discussions, balance a firm stance with a willingness to compromise
when beneficial to progress
Delivering at Pace
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3. • Maintain effective performance in difficult and challenging circumstances, encouraging others to do the same
• Clarify who is responsible for delivering outcomes, monitor delivery and reward success
Qualifications and experience
This role does not require a professional qualification, though support will be available within the Finance Directorate
for anyone wishing to pursue formal study towards an accountancy qualification.
Selection process
The selection process will be through a competency based panel interview.
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