Finance SME – Assistant Manager

Job Opportunity Review: Finance SME – Assistant Manager

This review is designed to provide potential candidates with a comprehensive understanding of the Finance SME – Assistant Manager position, highlighting key advantages and considerations for your career development.

The Opportunity: Strategic Ledger Support in a Dynamic Environment

This role offers an exciting chance to join the Strategic Ledger team as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) within the BAU (Business As Usual) Run team. You will play a crucial part in supporting the daily operations of Finance and the Oracle applications. If you possess a finance systems background and excel at building relationships across diverse teams, this position provides a platform to thrive and significantly contribute to a supportive, dynamic, and inclusive work environment.

Key Responsibilities and How They Shape Your Growth:

• Operational Excellence: Maintaining daily and month-end timetables, ensuring timely completion of operational control tasks, and rectifying issues to manage risks. This hones your organizational skills and attention to detail, crucial for any finance professional.
• Stakeholder Collaboration: Collaborating closely with the team and business to provide updates and communications on daily issues, and building strong relationships across Finance and the wider business. This develops your communication, interpersonal, and influencing skills.
• Process Improvement & Knowledge Sharing: Participating in knowledge transfer, adopting new processes, and creating/maintaining up-to-date operational procedures. This fosters a proactive approach to efficiency and continuous improvement, valuable for driving change.
• Problem Solving & System Acumen: Monitoring mailboxes for user queries and promptly resolving them, collaborating with the wider Platform on issues and system requirements. This sharpens your analytical and problem-solving abilities, particularly in a systems context.
• Continuous Improvement & Development: Actively participating in team discussions to identify and deliver improvements, and independently prioritizing your own development by learning new skills. This empowers you to take ownership of your career trajectory and contribute to team capability.
• Systems Testing & Adaptation: Participating in systems testing to support quarterly releases and project changes. This provides hands-on experience with system updates and project lifecycles.

Advantages for Your Career Path:

• Supportive & Diverse Team: You'll be part of a team that fosters growth and development, offering a collaborative and inclusive atmosphere.
• Career Development Prospects: The role explicitly mentions prospects to develop your capabilities and career, indicating a commitment to employee growth within the organization.
• Hybrid Working: The opportunity to work a hybrid pattern (at least two days per week in the office) offers a balance between collaborative in-office engagement and personal flexibility.
• Flexible Working Options: Beyond hybrid, options like job sharing are available, catering to diverse personal circumstances and career needs.
• Exposure to Oracle Systems: Gaining experience with Oracle applications is a significant asset in the current finance technology landscape.
• Contribution to a Leading Organisation: Joining Lloyds Banking Group provides the chance to be part of a major financial institution on an exciting journey of innovation in data and technology.
• Values-Led Culture: The emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, along with initiatives like the menopause health package and Working with Cancer Initiative, demonstrates a commitment to creating a truly supportive environment where everyone can thrive.
• Generous Benefits Package: A comprehensive benefits package including pension contributions, performance-related bonuses, share schemes, and a strong focus on wellbeing and parental leave.

Key Considerations for Candidates:

• Finance Systems Background: A solid understanding of finance systems is a prerequisite for success in this role.
• Analytical Acumen: The ability to analyze data and processes is essential, with an accounting background being preferential.
• Proactive & Tenacious Approach: You'll need to be energetic, tenacious in achieving goals, and possess a strong collaborative work ethic with a "can do" attitude.
• Adaptability to Change: The role involves supporting system changes, so effective communication and implementation of change are important.
• Organizational Skills: Being highly organized and able to prioritize effectively in a demanding environment is key.
• Flexibility for Operational Coverage: Be prepared for potential flexibility in working hours, including late evenings, weekends, and Bank Holidays, on a rotational basis, to support critical operational controls.
• Advanced Excel Skills: While beneficial, advanced Excel skills can further enhance your contribution to the role.

In summary, this Finance SME – Assistant Manager role presents a compelling opportunity for motivated finance professionals looking to deepen their expertise in financial systems, contribute to operational excellence, and grow within a progressive and inclusive organization. The emphasis on collaboration, continuous improvement, and employee well-being makes this a role worth serious consideration for your career advancement.