Senior Finance Manager

Job description

Are you interested in driving systems innovation, harnessing data for strategic insights, and championing continuous improvement at the SPPA?

The Scottish Public Pensions Agency is an Agency of the Scottish Government. Our principal role is to administer the pensions for employees in the National Health Service, Teachers’, Police and Fire-fighters’ pension schemes in Scotland. The Agency administers these public service pension schemes on behalf of Scottish Ministers to over 640,000 members with annual payments of over £3.7 billion, together with the related agency administration expenditure of c. £31 million.

The Scottish Public Pensions Agency’s Finance function delivers a complete financial management, reporting, and procurement service combined with responsibility for finance transactions with members and employers, to ensure the delivery of value for money outcomes. You will play a key role in maintaining our finance systems and data to support all finance activities and ensure efficiency of our processes.

Responsibilities 

• Work with stakeholders across all levels to identify and solve issues and implement better ways of working.
• Provide expert advice regarding finance systems (Payroll & Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)) and technology to internal stakeholders.
• Provide expert advice regarding financial data management to internal stakeholders.
• Develop and update systems guidance and training packages.
• Contract management responsibility for our in-house ERP system.
• Design training courses to upskill users on processes and systems.
• Lead the development of financial system technologies.
• Line management of two direct reports.
• Lead the delivery of Accounts Payable and Account Receivable operations.

Qualifications

Qualified with CCAB or CIMA, or extensive financial expertise and be willing to work towards a qualification.

Success profiles are specific to each job and they include the mix of skills, experience and behaviours candidates will be assessed on. 

Experience

Experience of improving processes and services and strong problem-solving ability; able to identify problems, provide solutions and implement them.

Experience of explaining financial information effectively to stakeholders and non-financial professionals.

Behaviours:

• Making Effective Decisions (Level 3)
• Communicating and Influencing (Level 3)
• Managing a Quality Service (Level 3)
• Delivering at Pace (Level 3) 

 

You can find out more about Success Profiles here: Candidate Guide

How To Apply

Apply online, providing a CV and Supporting Statement (of no more than 1,000 words) which provides evidence of how you meet the experiences and behaviours listed in the Success Profile above.

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 our candidate guidance for more information on acceptable and unacceptable uses of AI in recruitment.

If invited for further assessment, this will consist of an interview and presentation. 

Sifting will commence from w/c 20th April 2026.

Assessments are scheduled for w/c 4th May 2026, however this may be subject to change.

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 Public Pensions Agency is an Agency of the Scottish Government. Our principal role is to administer the pensions for employees in the National Health Service, Teachers’, Police and Fire-fighters’ pension schemes in Scotland for over 640,000 key workers. The Agency administers these public service pension schemes on behalf of Scottish Ministers with an annual pension spend to over 200,000 pensioners to the value of more than £3.7 billion.

Our staff are part of the UK Civil Service observing the Civil Service Code and 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.

You can also find out more about careers at the SPPA here - SPPA Careers | SPPA (pensions.gov.scot) 

Working Pattern

Our standard hours are 35 hours per week.  We offer a range of flexible and hybrid working options, with two days minimum working on site at SPPA. If you have specific questions about the role you are applying for,  please contact us.

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 our Candidate 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 our Careers Website.

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

We will hold a reserve list for this post for 12 months.

Apply Before: 19th April 2026 (23:59) - This role is open to internal candidates, OGD and Common Citizenship organisations only.  (internal & OGD)