Job detail for Head of Corporate Reporting

Job Title - Head of Corporate Reporting

Business Area/Directorate - The Corporate Reporting, Strategy and Control Branch

Location - VQ / AQ

Working Arrangement – Staff in roles compatible with hybrid working should aim to spend 40% of their contracted working time working in person at their contractual workplace. More information can be found within Hybrid Working Policy

Grade- C2

Advert type-Temporary promotion or level transfer

Duration- 12 months

Eligibility- Expressions of interest are invited from eligible colleagues in bands B-C for this vacancy.

**Sponsorship:**Skilled Worker sponsorship is not available for this role. As a result, we are unable to appoint candidates who require Skilled Worker sponsorship now or in the future. Applicants must have an existing and ongoing right to work in the UK.

Job description

The Head of Corporate Reporting leads the Scottish Government's Corporate Reporting function, providing strategic financial leadership, expert analysis and assurance across more than £60 billion of public expenditure. The role supports the effective stewardship of Scotland's public finances through robust financial reporting, oversight of the Scottish Government's funding position, and the provision of high-quality financial insights and advice to Ministers, the Executive Team, Directors General and the Permanent Secretary, while building strong relationships across government and the wider public sector to promote effective financial management.

Accountable for corporate financial reporting, oversight of the Scottish Government's funding envelope, and budget management and fiscal analysis, you will be responsible for providing expert advice and challenge to support informed decision making across government.

This includes a key role in monitoring financial performance, assessing emerging funding pressures and opportunities, and ensuring the organisation has a clear understanding of its financial position. You will also lead a range of high-profile corporate finance processes, including in year fiscal events, engagement with HM Treasury on complex funding and fiscal matters, development of financial strategy, and financial systems and reporting transformation.

**Key **

Corporate Reporting

• Lead the Scottish Government’s corporate financial reporting framework, ensuring high-quality financial reporting, analysis, forecasting and performance insight that provides assurance and supports decision-making at the most senior levels of government.
• Direct production of forward-looking and time critical financial analysis and corporate finance activity, identifying and communicating financial risks, pressures and opportunities, and directing complex analysis supporting spending controls, fiscal events, in-year management and Path to Balance.
• Oversee delivery of key corporate finance processes and activities, including in year Budget Revisions, budget monitoring, Provisional Outturn and Final Outturn, PQ/Freedom of Information and committee evidence, ensuring robust delivery and high-quality advice and briefing.
• Ensure robust, transparent financial data and advice, overseeing Ministerial briefings, Parliamentary Questions, Freedom of Information responses and Scottish Parliament reporting and evidence, including support to Ministers at Committee.
• Drive continuous improvement and collaboration to strengthen strategic financial advice to Ministers and senior officials including through reporting, data and analytics, and digital capabilities.

Funding Envelope and HM Treasury Engagement and Influencing

• Lead strategic oversight of the Scottish Government’s funding envelope, providing expert oversight and advice on resource, capital and financial transactions budgets, funding flexibilities and fiscal policy issues, borrowing, and the implications of funding decisions.
• Lead funding-related discussions with HM Treasury, providing expert advice on complex fiscal, funding and budget management issues, and monitor and provide Ministers and senior leaders with clear advice on the impact of UK fiscal events and funding settlements, including Spending Reviews, Barnett consequentials, reserve powers and other matters.
• Build and maintain strong relationships across HM Treasury, the Exchequer, Scottish Government directorates and wider public sector to support effective collaboration and influence, and delivery of shared objectives and advice.

Financial Systems and Data Leadership

• Provide strategic leadership for financial systems and data, acting as the senior business lead for Enterprise Performance Management (EPM) Finance and ensuring systems effectively support corporate and operational requirements.
• Drive improvements in financial reporting, forecasting and data capabilities, working with other Directorates to embed best practice, strengthen management information, and support organisation-wide adoption through stakeholder engagement, training and change management.

Leadership and Capability Building

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of c.10 finance professionals, fostering an inclusive culture focused on wellbeing, continuous improvement and innovation, providing strategic leadership to strengthen financial management capability and best practice across the organisation through guidance, challenge, collaboration and support.

Qualifications

The successful candidate must be a  qualified  CCAB or CIMA (or equivalent) accountant with up-to-date CPD.

Success Profile

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on, you should provide evidence of how you meet these in your statement.

Technical / Professional Skills:

1.    Budgeting, Forecasting and Costing - Expert

2.    Working with Data in Finance -  Expert

3.    Government Finance -   Expert

You can find out more about the skills required here: Finance Profession Capability Framework

Experience

Significant public sector finance experience, including expertise in Oracle EPM or equivalent systems, public sector budgeting frameworks and leadership of high-profile corporate financial exercises.

Behaviours:

1.    Communicating and Influencing - Level 4

2.    Changing and Improving – Level 4

3.    Delivering at pace – Level 4

4.    Making Effective Decisions – Level 4

You can find out more about Success Profiles on gov.scot.

Working pattern

This role is a temporary position with an expected commitment of 12 months.

This post is a full-time role, but we welcome applications from staff with different working patterns, proposed working patterns will be assessed against the business requirements for this post.

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week and we offer a range of flexible working options depending on the needs of the role, including Flexi-leave. Scottish Government staff in hybrid-compatible roles should aim to work in-person 40% of the time, either in an office or other agreed work location.

How to Apply

Please submit an Expression of Interest (maximum 1000 words) outlining your suitability for the role, relevant skills and experience, and what you would bring to the team. Please align this to how you meet the behaviours, experience and technical skills listed in the Success Profile above.

Vacancies close at 23:59pm on Monday 12 October.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools can be used to support your application, but all statements and examples provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, and presented as your own) applications will be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

Please see ourcandidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

Temporary Promotion (If Applicable)

Please click the link to access further guidance and information on overview and eligibility Temporary promotion

Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by panel. Shortlisted candidates who are considered to have the skills and experience will be invited to interview with the hiring manager and another panel member. The panel will recommend the candidate considered most suitable for the post.

Interviews are expected to be scheduled for w/c 19 October where possible.

Recruitment Principles

As a government organisation, we adhere to the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles and we investigate any complaints received in relation to recruitment cases.

About us

The Scottish Government is the devolved government for Scotland. We have responsibility for a wide range of key policy areas including: education, health, the economy, justice, housing and transport. We offer rewarding careers and employ people across Scotland in a wide range of professions and roles.

Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service observing the Civil Service Codeand working for Ministers and senior stakeholders to deliver vital public services which improve the lives of the people of Scotland.

We offer a supportive and inclusive working environment along with a wide range of employee benefits. Find out more about what we offer.

As part of the UK Civil Service, we uphold the Civil Service Nationality Rules.

Security checks

Successful candidates must complete the Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), before they can be appointed. BPSS is comprised of four main pre-employment checks – Identity, Right to work, Employment History and a Criminal Record check (unspent convictions).

You can find out more about BPSS on the UK Government website, or read about the different levels of security checks in ourCandidate Guide.

Equality statement

We are committed to equality and inclusion and we aim to recruit a diverse workforce that reflects the population of our nation.

Find out more about our commitment to diversity and how we offer and support recruitment adjustments for anyone who needs them.

Further information

Find out more about our organisation, what we offer staff members and how to apply on ourCareers Website.

Read ourCandidate Guide for further information on our recruitment and application processes.

Apply before: 12/10/2026 (23:59). This role is open to internal candidates and Common Citizenship organisations only.