The Government Finance Profession (GFP) develops and oversees the implementation of strategies for improving management of financial resources across central government.
GFP provides exciting, wide and varied roles across government and offers the opportunities for graduates to become future leaders while at the same time gaining professional accountancy qualifications.
Having left university and been looking for a long term career with excellent training, Liz Helps also found real variety when she joined the Department for Work and Pensions, DWP, in Leeds and the Financial Management Development Scheme, FMDS as a trainee accountant.
‘Five years later I am CIPFA qualified and have been promoted first to a Higher Executive Officer, HEO, then to a Senior Executive Officer, SEO and 2 years ago I was promoted again to the grade above, a Grade 7, working in the centre of London.’
During that time Liz has experienced a wide range of roles in different parts of the organisation such as:
- in the Planning and Performance Directorate assessing the progress of investment into the Change Programme;
- in Risk Assurance Division looking at the affordability of the annual pay award;
- for The Pension Service helping to approve changes in policy and assess their financial implications; and
- providing financial expertise for Workforce Planning in the Human Resource Directorate.
Liz has had no doubts about the benefits of joining the scheme: ‘As a trainee I enjoyed the challenge and variety of moving around the organisation, and so following graduation from the scheme I took up a post on the Special Review Team (a team which undertakes different pieces of work for different parts of the organisation in the way external consultants would.)’
‘The scheme provides trainees with both the training and the rare opportunity to experience a variety of roles and I strongly recommend trainees take full advantage of these as it is the best preparation for developing a long term career at DWP.
We are looking for graduates in any discipline with a 2.2 degree or predicted to do so by July 2013.
As a graduate on our financial management development scheme you could be investigating the cost of building prisons, improving transport infrastructure or helping end child poverty.
Based in a central government department or agency, you’ll be helping to shape strategies to ensure we maximise use of resources and deliver excellent public services.
From the outset, you’ll be doing a responsible and accountable job, with tailored placements right across the UK with your own personal and professional mentor to guide and support you.
A comprehensive training and development programme will help you develop the skills and experience you need to become a future leader and gain a professional accountancy or internal audit qualification. You can also expect a competitive salary, excellent study support, flexible working hours, a range of benefits and the opportunity to work in areas as diverse as policy, business partnering, corporate governance, risk, internal audit, change management, project management and financial accounting.
Please refer to our website.
