Head of Strategic Finance
(Adult Social Care and Health)
£71,193 - £77,770 per annum
Up to £15,000 market supplement for an exceptional candidate.
Responsibility for
The postholders will be responsible for providing the strategic financial lead for service directorates, financial planning and accounting functions. They will provide customer focused support to Directorate Management Teams (DMTs) and the Corporate Management Team (CMT).
The post involves actively working, with the Director of Finance (Deputy S151), to support the Corporate Director of Resources (S151 Officer) in discharging their statutory duties of Section 151 of the Local Government Act 1972.
Job Purpose
The Heads of Strategic Finance will provide budget management, planning and reporting (GF, HRA, DSG and Capital) support to directorates, meet statutory and best practice financial requirements, and promote the Council’s corporate competencies and values through day-to-day leadership and management behaviours.
The postholders will provide high quality professional advice to the Director of Finance (Deputy S151), Corporate Directors (including the S151 Officer), Chief Executive, Members, Committees and external bodies on all finance
matters related to the functions of the Council.
They will ensure that CMT and the budget managers in the directorate have access to sound and timely financial advice on policy and strategic issues and will be responsible for developing and enhancing the financial management competencies of budget managers.
They will provide the financial lead on revenue and capital budget proposals and ensure that there is compliance with the Council’s constitution and financial framework.
They will lead, manage and develop the strategic finance team to ensure robust support for the organisation, drive forward transformation and improvements, and to ensure an ability to be flexible with changing demands.
Corporate Accountabilities (all Heads of Service)
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To take a “one Council” approach to deliver more effective outcomes and at all times avoid a siloed, single division or service area approach.
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To actively seek out and learn from external good practice and bring those new ideas and ways of working into service development and delivery.
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To contribute and lead as required as a project owner on the delivery and implementation of specific corporate projects as required.
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To actively role model the council’s priorities and ways of working and the council’s leadership framework and values.
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To lead, manage and develop staff teams and ensure compliance with the councils performance management system and all HR polices and procedures.
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Be accountable for associated budget and have affordable plans in place to deliver the annual budget and Medium Term Financial Plan.
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Provide assurance that the services are compliant and performance monitoring is part of the corporate rhythm, and exceptions have robust action plans.
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To operate within the goverance, financial and legal frameworks of the Council at all times.
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Ensure equalities is embedded into all aspects of professional and managerial roles, including service delivery and at all times carry out your duties with regard to the Council policy.
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Ensure by robust management that the services and staff you are responsible for adhere to the Council’s Health and Safety Policy and operate within the
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safety management frameworks.
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To ensure the effective management of data and security of information received and used within the division, to comply with the relevant legislation such as GDPR and the Freedom of Information Act, recognising that the council wishes to operate in the most open and transparent way.
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Participate in cross organisational risk management and emergency planning activities as required.
Service Accountabilities (all Heads of Strategic Finance)
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To actively support the Corporate Director Resources in discharging Section 151 responsibilities including effective financial planning, monitoring, control and reporting.
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Deputise for the Director of Finance (Deputy S151) as required, including representation at internal and external meetings.
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Be an active member of the Divisional Management Team (Finance Leadership Team), working in a cross-Council collaborative way to improve financial management and promote a corporate approach to improving economy, efficiency and effectiveness.
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To provide strategic and operational financial leadership and support to CMT, Directors and budget holders, including the identification and development of options to improve value for money. This will require an in depth understanding of overall service objectives and the identification and development of new creative solutions through innovative methods.
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To provide professional advice and guidance on financial strategy and policy developments to the Mayor and Cabinet, Scrutiny and Overview Committee, General Purposes and Audit Committee, and corporate and directorate management teams. This requires financial advice for the diverse range of services provided by the Council and therefore the postholder must exhibit a wide breadth of knowledge and experience. The postholder must actively carry out horizon scanning and understand and explain the long term implications of decisions as well as immediate impacts.
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To maintain an up to date knowledge of relevant legislation and financial regulations as applicable to directorates and the overall Council.
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To lead the financial support to service directorates in order to ensure that they deliver effective and efficient services, that they set and achieve high standards of performance, that they provide best value and that the overall budgets are managed and controlled within the funding envelope agreed.
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The postholder has a shared budget responsibility as a member of Directorate Management Teams and will provide significant advice, influence and impact on decision making for service and financial delivery.To lead finance teams to ensure the development and transformation of services meets the Council’s priorities and Mayor’s Business Plan, and supports the Council’s financial sustainability, resilience and medium term financial strategy.
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To be the professional leads for financial management in the council enhancing the competencies of budget holders and their compliance with the Constitution, financial framework, monitoring and reporting requirements.
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To provide strategic and operational leadership for directorate financial management activity for the General Fund, Housing Revenue Account, Dedicated Schools Grant and capital expenditure, ensuring timely financial advice and compliance with the reporting requirements of the financial management system and the CIPFA Financial Management Code 2020.
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To lead, direct and uphold the financial management and internal control system that safeguards the residents’ interest in the appropriate use of council resources and ensure the system is respected and complied with by all staff.
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To ensure that all financial risks for the organisation are fully understood and appropriate actions taken.
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To comply with the requirements of the Council’s constitution (including the financial regulations) and the relevant officer and other codes of conduct and ensure through personal leadership that staff in the directorate are familiar with, understand and comply with the requirements also.
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To provide financial expertise and leadership to ensure that the statutory accounts are delivered to deadline and without audit qualification.
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To lead the financial and management accounting processes for the relevant directorates including budget preparation, budget monitoring, financial analysis and accurate accounting records.
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To lead the finance teams to provide accurate grant claims, statistical returns and deliver statutory requirements to required deadlines.
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To ensure that financial processes and systems are as efficient and robust as possible, and continually improved to maximise effectiveness and value for money.
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To build effective partnerships with public, private and voluntary sector organisations and the community to help deliver the Council’s priorities, Mayor’s Business Plan and ways of working.
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To ensure that staff are informed, organised, performance managed, held to account and motivated to deliver high quality and cost effective services; seeking ways to harness and fully develop the potential of staff working in the division and develop their talent.
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To model and develop the behaviours required of all staff in terms of equality, ethical behaviour, empathy, effective governance, effective internal control, transparency, and openness.
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To act at all times in ways that create a fully inclusive workplace and operating culture, proactively seeking ways to ensure staff feel valued and that they all belong.
Key Partner Relationships
Internal: Members; Chief Officers; Directors; Heads of Service; other teams and senior directorate colleagues across the whole council; trade unions.
External: Local, regional and national government bodies, agencies and NGOs; professional bodies; other local authorities; partner organisations; statutory bodies; members of the public and community groups; trade unions; internal and external audit.
Service Accountabilities (Service Finance)
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Be an active member of relevant Directorate Management Teams (DMT’s) and transformation/improvement boards and working groups to improve VFM in a cross-Council collaborative way.
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Provide service specific professional finance advice to the Mayor and Cabinet, Scrutiny and Overview Committee, General Purposes and Audit Committee, Corporate and Directorate Management Teams; including the provision of financial implications and clearance on reports on behalf of the Director of Finance (Deputy S151).
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Lead within the directorates and across the Council, the change that is needed in order to ensure that services play their full part in achieving the Mayor’s Business Plan, financial sustainability and the Council’s priorities and ways of working; utilising benchmarking and national best practice to identify areas of savings.
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Ensure there is compliance by revenue and capital budget holders to submit data in a timely and complete way and correctly use the finance reporting system so there is a robust process for monitoring the in-year financial position and reporting to directorate/corporate management teams and Members.
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Meet external reporting requirements for directorates such as revenue estimates, revenue outturns, grants and other funding, and service specific returns such as ASC-FR (adult social care) and S251 (children and education).
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Lead on financial monitoring and reporting support to directorates on their capital projects, supporting production and evaluation of new business cases.
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Lead on financial monitoring and reporting support for companies, charities and other bodies relating to directorates.
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Lead as the Council’s (officer level) finance representative for partnerships and national and regional groups.
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Lead on appropriate stewardship of ringfenced funding such as the Housing Revenue Account, Dedicated Schools Grant and Public Health; meeting responsibilities and supporting the identification and development of services to support health equalities, preventative services and appropriate allocation of funding.
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Lead on the business plan, medium term financial plan, borrowing strategy and correct accounting treatment for ringfenced areas such as the HRA and trading accounts.
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Keep abreast of statutory and regulatory changes which impact service directorates and lead on financial modelling of the potential impacts.
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
Is a satisfactory disclosure and barring service check required? Yes
What level of check is required? Standard DBS check
Other Considerations
You may, from time to time, be required to work outside of regular office hours including weekends and evenings to attend meetings and community events.
The postholder is required to observe and fulfill the seven principles of public life (also known as the Nolan Principles):
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Selflessness: Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest.
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Integrity: Holders of public office must avoid placing themselves under any obligation to people or organisations that might try inappropriately to influence them in their work. They should not act or take decisions in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends. They must declare and resolve any interests and relationships.
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Objectivity: Holders of public office must act and take decisions impartially, fairly and on merit, using the best evidence and without discrimination or bias.
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Accountability: Holders of public office are accountable to the public for their decisions and actions and must submit themselves to the scrutiny necessary to ensure this.
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Openness: Holders of public office should act and take decisions in an open and transparent manner. Information should not be withheld from the public unless there are clear and lawful reasons for so doing.
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Honesty: Holders of public office should be truthful.
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Leadership: Holders of public office should exhibit these principles in their own behaviour. They should actively promote and robustly support the principles and be willing to challenge poor behaviour wherever it occurs.
Person Specification
Qualifications
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Professional CCAB/CIMA accountancy qualification or significant strategic knowledge and experience in local government finance.
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Evidence of continuing professional, leadership and personal development.
Experience
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Experience of establishing and implementing business planning processes and performance management systems to ensure appropriate and cost effective service delivery.
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Demonstrable excellence in team management and service delivery in relation to the provision of customer orientated services that achieve successful outcomes.
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Experience of working in partnership with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders/organisations including statutory bodies.
Knowledge and Skills
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High level of communication skills to persuade and engage audiences and form positive relationships at all levels (internally and externally).
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Ability to work in a collaborative way to transform service delivery including the ability to manage internal directorate relationships.
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Evidence of being a strong corporate player who will lead, motivate and inspire their teams and build a high performing culture.
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Ability to work effectively across a range of service disciplines and with a range of people.
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Commitment to the Council's core values and objectives.
