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Senior Finance Business Partner

Employee Specification

Please see below criteria which is used throughout the assessment process. This has been set out to explain what is measured at each stage of the application process. To progress to the interview stage, applications must clearly demonstrate how they meet all of the essential criteria.

  Application form tip: Always ensure a clear example of how you meet each criteria is included and not assumed as part of your work experience. Desirable criteria will only be used to short-list in the event of a high volume of applications.

Criteria Assessment
Essential Desirable

Extensive knowledge of local authority financial management at a strategic level.

  

Extensive knowledge and detailed understanding of multi-disciplinary management and leadership skills, including risk management and the ability to manage in a political environment.

    

Up to date and extensive knowledge of accounting and budgeting principles (both statutory and non-statutory), local Government finance matters, funding streams, Government initiatives, and relevant, existing and forthcoming legislation.

    

Ability to interpret developing legislation and initiatives and its potential impact on the Council and be knowledge of national developments affecting local authorities.

    

Numerate and literate.

    

Knowledge of the effective use of ICT in delivering financial services.

    

Knowledge of procurement processes and requirements.

    

Awareness and understanding of corporate policies and procedures.

    

Knowledge of presentational skills including delivering highly complex reports to Members.

    

Detailed knowledge of respective services.

    
Recognised chartered accountancy qualification together with extensive experience at a senior level in a local government financial environment.    
Experience of working in partnership with others to achieve outcomes.    
Breadth of experience of managing and understanding financial data.    
Sound knowledge of local government practices and procedures.    
Experience of leading a local authority finance team.    
Experience of successful change management.    
Strong analytical and problem solving skills.    
Negotiating and influencing skills.    
Management and leadership skills.    
Excellent written and communication skills.    
Ability to work on own initiative.    
Tact and diplomacy.    
High professional standards and integrity.    
Ability to resolve significant complex financial issues.    
Ability to analyse and interpret figures which measure the organisation’s performance, including statistical techniques.    
Experience of a finance business partnering role or equivalent within a local authority.  

 

 

Job outline

Overall purpose

To act as the Senior Business Partner for strategic and operational support to Directorates in financial planning and management, taking a lead on Corporate Resources, authority wide financial projects, and the learning and development programme for finance staff and our customers.

Principal accountabilities 

  1. To lead the Finance Business Partners and take corporate oversight of their activity, liaising with the Director of Finance and the Corporate Finance Manager in their roles as S151 Officer and Deputy S151 Officer respectively.

  2. To work as part of the extended leadership team within the relevant Directorate(s) of responsibility to enable effective financial management.

  3. To act as the conduit between relevant Directorates and the Finance Service for the provision of financial planning advice and support.

  4. To provide professional advice to a range of stakeholders including Directors, Senior Managers, external partners and the Finance Business Partners.

  5. To represent the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and Director of Finance with full authority at meetings of the Council and its Committees, all officer meetings including the Corporate Management Team, Senior Management Team and project boards, and at meetings with external organisations.

  6. To initiate financial reports and present them to the Director, the Executive Director of Corporate Resources and/or CMT/SMT and Committees as required.

  7. To undertake special projects as directed by the Head of Service.

  8. To plan, supervise, control and manage the work of a team of principal and senior accountants and accountancy assistants undertaking the full range of financial and accountancy services to CMT, senior management in service directorates, Members of the Council, service budget holders and external customers.

  9. To provide expert, timely financial advice and guidance to the Council's Committees, Members, and Officers, including senior management meetings and project boards, as well as external organisations and customers.

  10. To be responsible for the production of statutory financial information including annual statement of accounts, financial statements for external bodies, grant claims and returns.

  11. To have responsibility for service financial planning and budget monitoring in consultation with Executive Directors, Directors and senior managers.

  12. To provide financial input to policy formulation at a strategic level.

  13. To deputise for the Director of Finance in relation to relevant section 151 duties.

  14. To prepare reports on financial matters for The Cabinet and Council consideration.

  15. To manage and produce information to Council Tax payers, businesses, parish councils and partners, including Ombudsman and Freedom of Information requests.

  16. In your role you are required to speak English with sufficient fluency to effectively perform your duties, as required by Section 77-84 of the Immigration Act 2016.

  17. The above principal accountabilities are not exhaustive and may vary without changing the character of the job or level of responsibility.