Head of Exchequer Services

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Head of Exchequer Services

£69,813 - £74,203 per annum

Directorate: Finance and Investment
Division: Finance and Property
Business Unit: Financial Planning & Management/Exchequer Services
Grade: PO9
Responsible to: Assistant Director of Corporate Finance
Responsible for: up to 60 staff

Main purpose of post

To lead and have overall responsibility for the Council’s exchequer service.
To deliver a ‘best in class’ service covering Payables, Billing, Collections, Debt Management and recovery.
Oversee all aspects of delivery to ensure an efficient and effective service operation, meeting all targets and achieving excellent customer satisfaction.
Lead and develop a pro-active team of staff that take ownership, personal responsibility, accountability, are customer focused and work in a collaborative manner with others in and outside of Finance to ensure outcomes are delivered.
Ensure current systems and processes are set up in an optimal way, building a culture of continuous improvement and the identification and implementation of new models of service delivery
To take proactive responsibility for the development of financial competence and awareness of the correct Purchase to Pay processes for end users to use within the Council, including compliance from them.
To lead, develop and drive the changing role of finance in becoming a service that is proactive, takes ownership and maximises benefit from technological changes, focuses on becoming a data led, value adding professional advisory and support function whilst also ensuring appropriate controls are in place in relation to transitional processing.

Key accountabilities

Deputise for the Assistant Director of Corporate Finance, as required
To proactively engage and work with senior management across the organisation and elected Members (including production of reports and attendance at formal Committee meetings), liaising with Members or senior officers directly as required, to provide specialist professional, technical expertise, reports and advice to ensure effective financial operation and decision making under s151 of Local Government Act 1972.
To take ownership of, lead, manage and deliver all aspects of exchequer services to the highest professional standards, collaborating with service and other professional colleagues where necessary to ensure outcomes are delivered for service users and the Council, including delivering excellent customer service.
Ability to flexibly manage a critical service for the Council ensuring that valid payments, income collection, debt management and recovery are all processed within targets. Ensure purchasing and payment modules are fit for purpose and data cleansing is up to date to ensure the highest quality of data. Work closely with internal and external customers to ensure payment related issues are satisfactorily resolved
Take personal responsibility to increase financial competence, enablement and get buy-in from end users so they comply with correct process, procedures and use of relevant financial systems for all areas of exchequer services on a regular basis.
Maximise benefits from technological changes through ownership/implementation of improvements and using data to drive a professional exchequer services for the organisation. Work with services and central services to ensure improved business process design and automation in terms of time and resources. Harmonise processes, systems/functionality and approaches across payments and receivables where appropriate, to deliver efficient processes and service for service users and suppliers.
Represent the council’s interests as required at appropriate working and benchmarking groups as well as in negotiations with external partners, regulatory bodies or commercial suppliers
Take personal responsibility and work collaboratively with differing stakeholders to improve and ensure processes, controls and systems operate in compliance with financial policy and statute, ensure data integrity, maintain financial control and allow the effective capture and analysis of financial information to meet user needs. Any necessary amendments should be designed and implemented promptly in response to framework changes or to any identified expectations to governance and control standards.
Take personal responsibility to develop and maintain expert technical financial knowledge (including financial legislation, accounting policies and standards, comparative benchmarks, financing and costing methodologies and regulatory compliance) to support the council’s financial operations and strategic financial planning and decision making.
To lead and be responsible for all aspects of financial management, financial and statutory reporting and financial planning for the Divisional area in compliance with the current Financial and Council policy regulations.
Manage and prepare monitoring reports on the progress of financial management strategies and programmes within an appropriate context of business activity.
Ensure successful delivery against performance indicators, including those measuring the timely payment of invoices and debt collection, within the area and oversee the reporting of these to senior management
Ensure a robust system of financial control meeting the requirements of internal and external auditors whilst ensuring processes and checks are in place to complete timely reconciliations, minimise fraud, avoid double payments or unauthorised amendments to standing data within the financial system and to report non-compliance with financial procedures.

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.

Head of Exchequer Services should:

Lead and develop a forward looking, pro-active team of staff that take ownership, personally responsibility, accountability and work in a collaborative manner to deliver a value adding, customer focused exchequer services, ensure outcomes are delivered which is positively recognised by service colleagues, members and others involved.
Focus on effective management principles identifying ways to increase service efficiency by early intervention, service innovation, the involvement of stakeholders
Be accountable for the effective use of resources, deliver a customer focused service aiming to achieve excellent customer service. 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.
Promote the development of a continuous improvement and learning/coaching culture

Management duties

To foster a teamwork approach to all staff and encourage collaborative team working, promoting ownership, responsibility, pro-activeness, accountability, customer focused and mutual understanding of the part each plays in the overall provision of service delivery.
To contribute to the setting of priorities for the division as well as specifying the work priorities of own service areas.
Manage recruitment processes (including probationary period), setting of objectives and work plans, performance monitoring and management (including appraisals) and staff development (including training needs analysis) for teams across a range of different activities and technical specialisms in accordance with council policies and IiP standards
Manage the effective use of resources in own service area to deliver a value adding, customer focused exchequer service.
To manage timely responses to queries from Councillors, Media and other stakeholders in accordance with council procedures.
Ensure strategic and operational plans are in place to maintain business continuity, information security and risk management of all services.

Generic responsibilities

Deputise for the Assistant Director of Corporate Finance, as required
To take 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.
Manage, identify and develop opportunities for continuous improvements, to meet customer needs and expectations ensuring value for money service provision across the council.
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

Detailed understanding of local government (or other appropriate public sector body) exchequer services, including payable and receiveable functions . Including working relationships with other council services and suppliers
Proven knowledge of the requirements of delivering excellent financial performance in a large, complex service organization.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to explain (verbal and written) complex financial information and processes to non-experts, including strong stakeholder management with colleagues across finance, procurement, business support, ICT and services
Have a clear understanding of the framework of financial control and good practice within statutory and professional requirements. Understanding of the statutory requirements of the Council and local government. Understanding of requirements of procurement and payment legislation including VAT law

Relevant experience

Experience of leading and working at a senior level of local government exchequer services, including managing staff effectively; taking responsibility for recruitment, performance management and engagement of staff.
Demonstrable advanced skills in I.T. applications used by the Council. This not only includes purchasing and accounts payable modules but extends to other finance system applications including the general ledger but also other aligned financial modules (such as Mosaic). This also includes demonstrable advanced skills in outlook, word and excel.
Demonstrable ability to lead and coach a team to ensure the service offer is optimal. Furthermore, demonstrable ability to lead a training culture to ensure services use the purchasing and accounts payable processes efficiently and effectively
Demonstrable consistency in dealing with suppliers and service users. Relentless focus on customer service whilst being able to deploy tact and diplomacy to ensure that confrontations are avoided but that Council processes and procedures are followed. Any exceptions to be risk assessed
Proven track record of financial control and advice in local government finance or similarly regulated environment.
Demonstrable experience in project management and successful implementation of projects, including change management and business process redesign

Qualifications

CCAB (or equivalent) qualified accountant or hold a relevant equivalent qualification.

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.