Assistant Director of Finance

Home > Assistant Director of Finance

Assistant Director of Finance – Children's Services

£75,873 - £91,180 per annum

Directorate: Finance and Investment

Division: Finance and Property

Business Unit: Financial Planning & Management

Grade: SMG 2

Responsible to: Deputy Director of Finance

Responsible for: up to 20 staff

Main purpose of post

To lead and deliver a value adding, customer focused finance function that collaborates with service colleagues and other professional functions to meet the needs of the Council, the changing environment they work in whilst also delivering on corporate objectives and responsibilities. To drive council efforts in delivering the changes and improvements needed to meet its challenges in the short, medium and long term.
To ensure the provision of high-quality finance and accountancy service that integrates best practice and customer focus with all aspects of service delivery and complies with statutory and policy requirements.
To pro-actively ensure the financial strategies and transformation in relation to these services are consistent with the longer term political and service aspirations as set out in relevant organisational and service strategies
To lead, develop and drive the changing role of finance in becoming a function that is proactive, takes ownership, and maximises benefit from technological changes, focuses on becoming a data led, value adding professional advisory function.
Provide strategic leadership and advice, working with the section 151 officer to deliver sound governance, control and assurance across all finance functions ensuring appropriate controls are in place.

Key accountabilities

To provide professional leadership as part of the Council’s finance community, ensure and promote the professional competence of staff involved in finance and driving a collaborative, customer and outcomes focussed approach.
Support the S151 Officer/and Deputy Director of Finance in the effective planning, monitoring and delivery of the Council’s financial strategy.
Lead and have overall responsibility for all aspects of a directorate’s finance activity and ensure pro-active, effective, value adding customer focused support for Departmental Management Teams/ Corporate Management Team and budget holders, including access to sound and timely financial advice on policy and strategic issues.
Overall responsibility to drive and increase financial competence, enable and get buy-in from budget holders/Directors so they manage their own day to day finances and forecast through the appropriate financial systems of the organisation on a regular basis.
Overall responsibility to lead, manage and deliver all aspects of financial planning, production of management and statutory accounts, reporting and statistical returns (including returns to government departments and tax returns) to the highest professional standards and facilitate their internal and external scrutiny as appropriate. To ensure the council’s accounts reflect the true accounting position and transactional postings to the chart of accounts are correct at source, and effective controls are in place.
Hold budget responsibility for your team
Lead and develop a forward looking, pro-active team of finance staff that take ownership, personally responsibility, accountability and work in a collaborative manner to deliver a value adding, customer focused finance function, ensure outcomes are delivered which is positively recognised by service colleagues, members and others involved.
Co-ordinate expert and technical advice around management and project accountancy for large and complex capital programmes and the accounting treatments that are applied to these programmes
Proactively engage and work with Directors on the scheduling of and producing reports to formal Council committees and other governance bodies that detail the financial implications of any proposals together with any other financial advice as may be necessary under s151 of the 1972 Local Government Act.
Advise Directors in managing their current budget position taking into account changes to funding and grants on the financial horizon and leading the financial support to deliver changes to their operating model, through the provision of detailed and specialist advice.
Take personal responsibility to develop and influence others’ thinking and negotiate to achieve optimal outcomes for the council, working extensively with senior management, external partners, regulators and members, and have significant influence on the authority’s financial strategic direction and effective financial stewardship.
Provide personal, customer focused advice and support to Strategic Directors, Cabinet Members and Committees.
Provide the operational leadership to ensure there is a robust process for monitoring the in-year financial position and reporting on that position to the highest professional standards and to meet statutory requirements and full internal and external scrutiny as appropriate, in a timely way to both senior management and elected members.
Lead on the assessment of the effectiveness of existing financial management approaches against both internal and external “best practice” comparators and recommend innovative enhancements to support the continuous improvement of service provision across the council.
Lead, manage and support transformational change implementations as required, securing the co-operative support of senior colleagues and partners as necessary to ensure consistency of approach and evidencing of financial impact.
Act as an authorised signatory for respective service delivery area under the delegated authority of the Director of Finance.

Organisational expectations

All Council managers are expected to work in a way which meets the Council’s Core Values and Behaviours and supports the achievements of the Borough Plan outcomes.

Assistant Director of Finance should:

Take a proactive approach to the deployment and use of resources to ensure they are sufficient to achieve the delivery outcomes.
Promote and support the development of a continuous improvement and learning culture, coaching, and supporting other managers and officers to develop a culture of personal ownership, responsibility, pro-activeness and accountability for delivering outcomes.
Focus on effective management principles identifying ways to increase service efficiency by early intervention, service innovation, the involvement of the community or better working with partners.
Be accountable for the effective use of resources including budgets directly under your control. Managing the development of a performance culture, championing efficiency and value for money across all services.
Provide direction and leadership in order to deliver cultural and organisational change across the service area
Work with Councillors, colleagues, partners providing specialist advice, information, resources, and ideas to support the development of effective delivery services for the benefit of service users and the community.
Actively encourage and promote a culture of transparency and employee/stakeholder engagement, forming partnerships and developing effective working relationships with partners, service provider and members to support the successful delivery of services.
Promote a philosophy of putting service user’s needs first, delivering excellent customer service and to work with key stakeholders, partners and businesses organisations to ensure strong levels of service involvement at every stage of the delivery cycle.
Contribute to the corporate leadership of the Council in the delivery of its corporate priorities, policies and agendas, shaping and implementing changes as required.

Strategic management duties

To foster a teamwork approach to all staff and encourage collaborative team working, promoting ownership, responsibility, outcomes focused and mutual understanding of the part each plays in the overall provision of the delivery services.
To lead large teams to deliver an annual programme of work as agreed with the Director. To manage and lead the team, setting high performance and service standards, monitoring performance, ensuring that each member of staff is adequately trained and developed to perform their duties
To be an active member of the Management Team and provide significant strategic management contribution to the council's performance and culture, providing professional leadership, and implementing cross-cutting strategies in order to effect continuous improvement and enhance the council's standing.
Ensure strategic plans are in place to maintain business continuity, information security and risk management of all services.

Generic responsibilities

Deputise for the Director and Deputy Director of Finance, as required.
Overall responsibility for managing and improving the functionality of financial systems, frameworks and processes to ensure data integrity, maintain financial control and allow the effective capture and analysis of financial information to meet user needs.
Ensure that financial systems and processes across the council operate in compliance with financial policy and statute and any necessary amendments are designed and implemented promptly in response to framework changes or to any identified exceptions to governance and control standards.
To carry out the duties of the post in accordance with the Data Protection Act, the Computer Misuse Act, the Health and Safety at Work Act, and other relevant legislation, as well as Council policies, procedures, standing orders and financial regulations.
To carry out the duties of the post with due regard to the Council’s Equal Opportunities Policy, taking responsibility, appropriate to the post, for tackling racism and all other oppressive and discriminatory practices, for promoting a positive recognition of differences and community cohesion and must at all times carry out their duties with due regard to the Council’s policies on equalities and the staff code of conduct.
To take responsibility, appropriate to the post, for tackling racism and promoting good race, ethnic and community relationships.
To actively promote and uphold the Council’s code of conduct, values, behaviours, priorities and service standards.
To undertake other duties appropriate to the grade as directed by management.

Other

The post holder should be prepared to work outside of normal hours, including attending evening meetings.
The job holder’s decision making authority is determined by Council policy and procedures.

Person specification

Key knowledge

Proven knowledge of the following: operating in a complex multidisciplinary organisation; programmes and projects; people management
Detailed understanding of local government (or other appropriate public sector body) finance, funding, and financial techniques
Knowledge of the current financial challenges and issues being faced by local government
Understanding of the requirements of accounting standards, CIPFA Local Authority Accounting Code of Practice, the Financial Management Code

Relevant experience

Experience in working at a senior level of local government finance for budget setting (both revenue and capital), monitoring, closing and project management
Experience of providing financial advice to senior officers and members including partners and formal committees
Working with extremely large and complex budgets, financial systems and accounts
Significant experience of leading and managing a team of staff, including developing and motivating them to deliver a highly skilled, effective, customer focused service

Qualifications

CCAB (or equivalent) qualified accountant.
Additional professional management qualifications and/or training will be advantageous

Core behaviours

Focus on People: Focusing on People is about considering the people who our work affects, internally and externally. It’s about treating people fairly and improving the lives of those we impact. Putting people at the heart of our work, after all that’s our business. It’s about making our processes fit people.

Taking Ownership: Taking Ownership is about being proactive and owning our personal objectives. It’s about seizing opportunities, driving excellence, engaging with the council’s objectives, and furthering our professional development.

Working Collaboratively: Working Collaboratively is about helping each other, developing relationships, and understanding other people’s roles. It’s about working together with colleagues, partners, and customers to earn their respect, and get the best results.

Communicate Effectively: Communicating Effectively is about how we talk, write and engage with others. It’s about using simple, clear, and open language to establish positive relationships with others. It’s also about how you listen and make yourself open to conversation.

Focus on Results: Focusing on Results is about ambition and achievement. It’s about making sure we are working towards the end product and considering the effect of our service. It’s about making the right impact, having the right result and changing things for the better.