Finance Academy Update - September 2016

1. Finance Academy Update
September 2016

2. Finance Academy
August 2016
EVENT Finance Academy - Accounting Standards Update
BIS Finance are running a our annual Accounting Standards Update event for qualified and part-
qualified finance staff again this year (with places available on a first come, first served basis).
Topics covered will include:
• Overview of Government Reporting Issues
• International Financial Reporting Standards
-Refresher
-Updates – Overview of recent developments
-Updates – How standards are/will be changing
• Overview of the private sector in the UK and Ireland
Date: Monday 17th October in Swindon
Location: Polaris House, Swindon
Register: Please email BIS Finance 2020 with your name, grade and organisation.
Our Capability offer to you
We want to hear from you if you have any L&D which can be shared across the
finance function, or any areas of development missing from our offer.
If you have any questions, please contact the BISFinance2020 Mailbox
WEBINAR In discussion with: a Government Non-Executive Director
A conversation between John Whiting (Non Executive Director at HMRC & Chair of their Audit and
Risk Committee) and Björn Conway, Partner, Government Public Sector, EY.
More info on the last page.
Date: Monday 19th September 2016 5pm – 6pm
Register here
Find out more about these L&D
opportunities and more by joining our BIS
Finance LinkedIn page
E-LEARNING Data Visualisation 101
Introduces the field of data visualisation, and provides a step by step approach and
guidelines for defining the need, conducting your analysis and following best practices
Register here
Government Finance Academy/EY Technical Portal
This is the GFA’s technical accounting and auditing portal; provided to the
Government Finance Profession by EY. The GFA believe it’s important for you, as a
finance professional, to keep on top of accounting updates – to keep you in touch with
the wider industry and as you develop in your career.
BIS Finance now has a licence for you to access – please see below:
What is included?
• All financial reporting standards issued by IASB along with discussions and
guidance
• An online version of the EY GAAP book. This provides a lot of practical guidance
and worked examples to help you apply the standards
• IFRS news, publications and thought leadership
Find out more and access the portal:
Access the portal: Here
Username: Nicholas.Gordon@bis.gsi.gov.uk (not a point of contact)
Password: Finance2020
Info: Contact the GFA Mailbox
Adapting To Change
Given the current climate of change in the Civil Service, highlighted below are two useful learning
opportunities to help understand change and adapt to it, follow the links for further information and to
register on the course:
Change Agility
• Provides practical techniques to help you deal with change positively (90 minute workshop and
3 hours of independent learning)
Register here
Habits of Change
• Help identify the habits you use at work and importantly how to develop or change your habits
(90 minute workshop and three hours of independent learning)
Register here
Career Pathways / Career Planner Tool
The Government Finance Academy have designed two tools to help visualise
potential career paths and take a structured approach to career development.
The Career Pathways sets out all the different grades available in the different ‘job
families’ of the Government Finance Profession. It shows which skills, competencies
and training is usually required for each role and links to specific CSL
courses/external training related to roles (e.g. CIMA qualification).
After you’ve identified a suitable target role, the Career Planner Tool provides a
template to facilitate career conversations with your line manager and helps users
take a structured approach towards progression.
Access the tools here

3. Find out more about CPD opportunities and more by joining our BIS Finance LinkedIn
page
Understanding Financial Crime
The module on Understanding Financial Crime is taken from Preventing Financial
Crime by John Taylor. Take a look at what comprises financial crime, the different
types of crime that are committed as well as their potential warning signs. This course
also introduces some key issues: money laundering, bribery and corruption.
To find out more information about the full course, which is the equivalent of
4hrs CPD, Cick here.
Our Capability offer to you
We want to hear from you if you have any CPD which can be shared across the finance function, or any areas of development missing from our offer.
If you have any questions, please contact the BISFinance2020 Mailbox
EVENT Great British Business Show
The Great British Business Show is a free annual business exhibition offering a wealth
of opportunity, advice and information crucial for ongoing business growth within a
challenging economy. It attracts businesses from a cross-section of industries – i.e.
there are stands staffed by a wide variety of firms and sectors which could be of
interest to BIS staff. There is also a very wide range of seminars which could be
useful for information gathering, CPD purposes (where applicable) or simply for
personal development (e.g. the motivational sessions).
For more information and for tickets please visit: Great British Business Show
Finance Academy
Continuous Professional Development
EVENT Tax update: the impact of Brexit
This event will cover:
• The impact that Brexit may have on individuals and companies.
• The options the government have open to them.
• How the government’s decision will affect us all
Date: Wednesday, September 14, 2016
Location: London
Register: here
QUIZ IFRS Standards Quiz
How well do you know your IFRS Standards?
The IFRS Foundation is inviting people to test their knowledge of IFRS Standards and their use around
the world, today releasing an updated version of the popular online IFRS Quiz.
The quiz is based on the 2016 Pocket Guide to IFRS Standards: the global financial reporting language.
It provides students, educators and other interested parties with a free-of-charge resource to assess their
knowledge of IFRS Standards, the IFRS Foundation structure, and the standard-setting process.
The IFRS Quiz is available here.
EVENT The Financial Reporting Council Annual Conference
The Financial Reporting Council (a BEIS partner organisation) does a free annual conference.
Using a range of keynote addresses, panel sessions and high-level discussions, the conference will
explore the relationship between corporate culture, value creation and governance.
Some of the issues to be discussed include:
• Who is responsible for corporate culture?
• How important is ‘tone from the top’ for driving behaviour and culture?
• How can you embed values and behaviour across all levels of the organisation?
Date: Tuesday 20 September 2016
Location: Mansion House, London
Register: here
EVENT IBM GovernmentConnect 2016
Learn more about the new era of cognitive and the delivery of public services IBM's
client centre in London on 11th October.
Date: 11 October 2016
Location: IBM, London
Register: here
INSIGHT Professional Accountants – the future
A report identifying the main drivers for change that will have the most
impact on the profession, plus the technical, ethical and interpersonal skills and
competencies that will be required in the future.
Register here

4. Departmental Boards provide strategic leadership for each central government department, as well as advising on/challenging
how the department is performing. Each Board is normally chaired by the Secretary of State, and includes other ministers, the
permanent secretary, executive and non-executive board members.
Non-executives are appointed to government departments from the public, private and voluntary sectors. Their role is to provide
advice and bring an external perspective.
In this series of Webinars we invite some of the fascinating personalities who operate as our non-executive directors and quiz
them on a variety of topics including:
 Working with Finance teams in the public and private sectors: - what’s different, what can we learn and what can we
be proud of…?
 “Being Commercial” – what does this mean for finance professionals & how can we improve?
 Risk management - hints & tips from other sectors
 How best to influence at the Board table
What Does it Offer?
In discussion with:
a Government Non-Executive Director
Webinar - Monday 19th September 2016, 5pm – 6pm
A conversation between John Whiting (Non Executive Director at HMRC & Chair of their Audit
and Risk Committee) and Björn Conway, Partner, Government Public Sector, EY
Don’t miss out - register now (and let us know any specific questions):
Webinar Registration
A recorded version of the webinar will be available via
the GFA site on CSL shortly after