Head of Finance

The Role

The Head of Finance forms part of the Council's core senior management group and provides strategic financial leadership across the Neighbourhoods & Regeneration and Finance & Resources directorates.

This is a high-profile leadership role requiring an accomplished finance professional who can combine technical expertise with commercial awareness, strategic thinking and exceptional stakeholder management skills.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Leadership

Financial Planning & Management

Business Partnering

Contract & Commercial Management

Transformation & Savings

Governance & Compliance

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Act as the senior finance lead for the Neighbourhoods & Regeneration and Finance & Resources directorates.
• Provide strategic financial advice to Directors, senior managers and elected Members.

Financial Planning & Management

• Lead all aspects of budgeting, forecasting and financial management.
• Drive medium-term financial planning and long-term financial sustainability.

Business Partnering

• Provide high-quality financial insight, challenge and support to senior stakeholders.
• Identify emerging financial risks, pressures and opportunities.
• Support informed decision-making and timely corrective action where required.

Contract & Commercial Management

• Provide financial leadership for major strategically significant contracts.
• Lead financial oversight of waste, recycling and street cleansing contracts.

Transformation & Savings

• Support service transformation and modernisation programmes.
• Identify and deliver savings opportunities and efficiencies.

Governance & Compliance

• Ensure compliance with statutory accounting requirements and financial regulations.
• Maintain effective governance, risk management and internal control arrangements.

About You: To be successful in this role, you will demonstrate:

Essential Experience

• Significant senior-level finance leadership experience within a large and complex organisation.
• Proven experience providing strategic financial advice to senior stakeholders and leadership teams.
• Strong experience managing substantial revenue budgets and financial planning processes.
• Experience supporting transformation, savings and service improvement programmes.
• Experience managing financial risks within complex service environments.
• Strong business partnering skills with Directors, Members and senior leaders.
• Experience overseeing major service contracts and commercial arrangements.
• Local government finance experience is highly desirable.

Skills & Knowledge

• Exceptional leadership and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong commercial awareness and strategic thinking capability.
• Excellent financial planning, budgeting and forecasting expertise.
• Ability to influence and challenge at senior level.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong understanding of financial governance and regulatory compliance.
• Ability to lead and develop high-performing finance teams.

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant (CIPFA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Evidence of continuing professional development.