Programme Finance Officer

Description:

The role is based within the Operations team of the Culture, Creative Industries and 24 Hour London Unit (CCI24) at the GLA. The Unit delivers the Mayor’s Culture Strategy for London, aiming to provide Londoners with access to culture on their doorsteps.

We do this through a wide range of programmes that support the arts and creative industries to grow and be accessible to all, and the capital to become the number one destination for 24-hour culture and entertainment. Projects include the London Borough of Culture, the Creative Economy Growth Programme, Creative Enterprise Zones, the East Bank culture and education quarter, the Fourth Plinth contemporary art commission series, the Commission for Diversity in the Public Realm and Night Time Enterprise Zones.

This is an exciting time to join our welcoming and collaborative team, as we strengthen London’s cultural infrastructure, support creative professionals and businesses putting down roots and developing, provide cultural opportunities across the city and cement its status as the world’s creative capital.

The Unit is part of the Good Growth Directorate, responsible for delivering and implementing the Mayor’s environment, transport and economic strategies and for the effective implementation of the London Plan. The Directorate is also responsible for regeneration, enterprise, growth, capital projects and design work.

About the role

You will be part of an Operations team of eight staff providing finance, HR, governance and communications support. This is a key role working across the Unit, providing financial management and HR support, helping to deliver CCI24 projects. You will support budget holders on the delivery of financial monitoring information and procurement processes, and lead on HR from recruitment to induction and training to ensure successful delivery of the Mayor’s Culture Strategy.

We’re looking for someone who is very organised, has detailed knowledge of finance and HR processes, excellent communication and influencing skills and can work with a variety of stakeholders. You’ll need to be flexible and have a collaborative approach, as this role requires working on a range of initiatives simultaneously. In return, you’ll build on your existing skills and learn new ones, as you sit within a busy, multi-disciplinary team. We really welcome team members who can review and implement new and improved processes. If you have an interest in helping create programmes, processes and initiatives that help the CCI24 Unit deliver for London and Londoners, then this could be the role for you.

The role will require cross working at a senior level with project leads for our projects, senior managers and the Assistant Director of the Unit, alongside many other GLA teams, including finance, HR, Transport for London (who provide procurement services), legal, governance and IT.

What your day could look like

Day to day, your job will involve a wide range of duties, including but not limited to:

·Working collaboratively with the Senior Manager and Policy Officers to monitor and report on the Unit’s finances.

·Offering support to all line managers on a range of HR issues, from recruitment to induction.

·Ensuring the Unit are aware of all learning and development opportunities available.

·Liaising with Finance and HR business partners providing information and raising queries as required.

·Presenting to the team on updated processes, e.g. around year end or new procurement guidelines.

·Taking part in one of the Unit’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion working groups.

·Listening to a lunchtime session from one of the staff networks.

·Preparing briefings for the Assistant Director/Senior Manager for monthly or quarterly monitoring meetings.

·Managing the Business Support Officer and ensuring the Unit’s operational processes are reviewed and improved on a regular basis.

Skills, knowledge and experience

To be considered for the role, you must meet the following essential criteria:

·Well-developed finance and IT skills, extensive budget experience including monitoring and reporting. Experience of managing finances from a local government/public sector perspective and procurement processes.

·Good knowledge and experience of HR processes, including recruitment and selection, and induction.

·Experience of working effectively with a diverse range of people, sharing knowledge and skills to deliver shared goals.

·Excellent communication and influencing skills, able to present information and arguments clearly and convincingly.

·Excellent organisational skills: thinking ahead, managing time, priorities and risk, and developing structured and efficient approaches to deliver work on time and to a high standard.

·Ability to respond to pressure and change, being flexible and adapting positively, to sustain performance when the situation changes, workload increases, tensions rise or priorities shift.

·A good understanding of, or interest in, the cultural and creative industries context in London