The National Audit Office is seeking a Corporate Finance Specialist to join their Private & Third Sector Delivery team. The specialist will be responsible for value for money assurance work related to the government's management of taxpayer-owned shareholdings in banks and companies. Key responsibilities will include setting strategic objectives for the team, delivering a programme of work on infrastructure and asset disposals, and developing the team's expertise in third party delivery of public services. The position requires in-depth experience in corporate finance, banking, or infrastructure project finance, as well as skills in relationship building, communication, and programme management. The contract is for two years with potential for extension and includes a competitive salary and benefits package.

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Corporate Finance Specialist
Background
The work of the National Audit Office is central to the debate about public service delivery and
value for the taxpayer. We tackle the big issues facing Government as it addresses the challenge
of meeting greater demand for public services with less resource, as it invests in infrastructure
to boost growth and as it innovates through transfer to digital and variegated supply chains for
public services. Our work covers all central government spending including the NHS, the BBC
and the regulators such as OFCOM and the financial services regulators. It has a high political
profile and attracts significant parliamentary and media interest.
Our principal role is to provide assurance to Parliament about public spending, though financial
audit of government and through major investigations into the value for money of government
programmes and projects. But as we undertake our work we have a very clear focus on driving
improvement, applying our expertise and our cross government perspective to draw out what
good looks like and working with government to deliver better performance.
Our remit is expanding, notably into the local government sector, so that we can take an end to
end perspective as public services are increasingly delivered locally and through a much
broader range of suppliers. We have a very clear strategy: to achieve a step change increase in
the contribution our work makes to improving public services. To succeed in this challenge, we
need to supplement our existing skills base with specialist expertise in selected areas.
The role
Main purpose of the job
The post holder will work on the Private & Third Sector Delivery team (PTSD). The team’s
objective is to apply the unique perspective of audit to improve the public sector's use and
commissioning of delivery from third parties in the private and not-for-profit sectors.
The main audit clients for the post holder will be HM Treasury and the Shareholder Executive in
the Department for Business Innovation and Skills. The post holder will be responsible for value
for money assurance work in relation to the government’s management of its shareholdings in

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banks and other companies wholly or partly taxpayer-owned. The postholder will also be
required to provide expert comment on infrastructure financing and contracts.
Responsibilities
The key responsibilities include the following:-
 Set clear strategic objectives for the team which reflect the current external
environment and NAO strategic direction;
 Maintain a high performing team with a professional and dynamic culture;
 Secure approval for and deliver a programme of work on taxpayer shareholdings, asset
disposals and infrastructure which fits with the team strategy and secures lasting
impact;
 Develop the team’s reputation internally and externally as a repository of expert
knowledge on the delivery of public services through third parties
 Manage team and cluster resources effectively and efficiently; and
 Contribute to wider corporative initiatives and the effective implementation of
corporate change programmes.
Relationships and accountability
Key internal relations include: Value for Money and Financial audit colleagues, in particular
those responsible for the following clients: HMT, BIS and Cabinet Office, and to a lesser extent
DECC, DfT, MOD, DfE and DH.
Key external relations will include: members of the Public Accounts Committee; senior officials
in HMT, in particular IUK, the Shareholder Executive; a wide range of external stakeholders
representing infrastructure investors and their advisors, and the Treasury Select Committee.
This post will be based at our London Office.

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Person specification
We are looking to recruit a corporate finance specialist with the depth and breadth of expertise
along with the credibility and impact to add real value to our work. The specific knowledge and
skills required are summarised below:
Skills & qualities required
 Ability to lead and inspire others.
 Personal presence and the ability to conceive of and deliver outputs that secure lasting
improvement in our client base.
 Excellent written and oral communication skills, and in particular an ability to
communicate complex technical matters clearly and logically, and in everyday language.
 Proven programme management skills to ensure high quality products are delivered to
time and budget.
 Able to build client relationships quickly and handle departments with mixed/shifting
agendas.
 Ability to work collaboratively with others.
 Highly credible and well-networked within the banking sector.
Knowledge required
 Deep sector experience in at least one sector relevant to this role, e.g. banking, or
infrastructure project finance.
 Excellent understanding of:-
o the links between strategy and commercial transactions;
o how financing decisions are made – from principal/sponsor perspective & third party
financing perspective;
o how deals are put together and the points where value for money may be lost; and
o how risk is analysed and then crystallised in commercial deals.

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Benefits
Our preference would be to provide a two year fixed term contract with the possibility of
further extension or conversion to a permanent contract. The option of a secondment may be
considered.
Annual Salary up to £110,000 (more might be available for an exceptional candidate)
Access to Civil Service Pension Scheme with generous employer contribution
27 days annual leave (plus 8 public holidays)
Interest free season ticket loan
Childcare voucher scheme
Access to well equipped on-site gym