Head of Finance - London, United Kingdom - London Borough of Hillingdon

London Borough of Hillingdon

Verified Company

London, United Kingdom

4 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

Job number

FIN00182
Location

Civic Centre, High Street Uxbridge, Middlesex, London, UB8 1UW
Directorate

Finance
Job Type

Strategic Operational Finance
Contract Type

Permanent
Working Hours

36
Closing date

17 April 2024
Salary range

£72, £102,051.00 per year
About us

At Hillingdon we're proud of our commitment of 'Putting our residents first', ensuring they're at the heart of everything we do We want to attract talented individuals like yourself who share our aspirations for the borough and can support us to deliver exceptional services for Hillingdon.

With an ambitious strategy we pride ourselves on delivering services that improve the lives of all our residents, businesses, and partners.

Embarking on a journey of continuous improvement, we've set an agenda to ensure the provision of; safer communities, a thriving local economy, a greener more sustainable environment, whilst increasing our digital capabilities.

Working at London's second largest borough can be tough, particularly with government reforms, budget restrictions, and political attention - but it's enough to keep us busy and ensures no two days are the same

What does a Head of Finance do at Hillingdon?

Cementing our commitment to our residents, we're recruiting for a Head of Finance to lead the strategic direction and development of the Children's Social Care & Education financial landscape, driving efficiencies across the service.

As the strategic lead for all financial matters relating to Children's Social Care & Education, the role supports the service to set and manage budgets, whilst monitoring and identifying cost saving opportunities.

Operating a business partnering model, the Head of Finance works collaboratively with the wider Corporate Finance team and the Council's Leadership Team, to provide financial direction, support, and guidance, focused on delivering against agreed savings targets.

Leading on the financial modelling of demand led budgets, the role works closely with the Directorate's Service Managers to ensure robust forecasts are established, whilst conducting detailed trend analysis to inform MTFF decision making.

Key Responsibilities include:

Drive the transformation agenda, providing financial insights and modelling to support the delivery of key projects
Lead the development of the service's strategic vision, enabling the council to overcome future challenges and the attainment of agreed objectives
Prepare and present key insights and reports to members and senior stakeholders to aid service and corporate decision making activities
Deliver operational accountancy service provision, covering monthly monitoring, budget build, and year end processes

About you

Leading the development of the Directorate's financial strategy, you'll have demonstrable experience of preparing budgets and final accounts within a local authority, alongside an expert understanding of the financial challenges associated with Children's services.

As a key partner in the council's transformation programme, you'll have examples of successfully delivering projects and programmes of change, taking a lead role in the financial aspects of service improvement.

You'll be a natural leader who is able to coach, empower, and develop teams effectively, embedding a culture of continuous improvement, whilst challenging the 'status quo'.

Utilising your exceptional interpersonal skills, you'll have the ability to engage with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders to inform, persuade and influence decision making across a variety of complex financial matters.

Qualified Accountant of either CIPFA, ACCA, CIMA, and member of the CCAB
Thorough understanding of the Children services challenges
Developing and implementing financial strategies, policies, and programmes
Strategic budget management, accountable for significant financial resources
Clear understanding of the legal, financial and political context within a Local Authority

What we offer

We value our employees and are committed to ensuring that they enjoy a fulfilling and rewarding career with us. We understand that a happy and motivated workforce is essential for the success of our organisation.

That is why we offer a wide range of employee benefits to enhance your work-life balance, financial wellbeing, health, and professional development.

Here's a comprehensive overview of the fantastic benefits we provide:

Work Life Balance

Flexible Working Hours
We recognise the importance of flexibility in managing your work and personal life.
36 Hour Week Enjoy a standard 36hour workweek for all full time staff.

Generous Holiday Entitlement

You will receive a minimum of 26 days annual leave each year, in addition to bank holidays. This entitlement increases to a maximum 37 days after 10 years of service.

Health & Wellbeing