PT Finance Manager (Service Dev & Accounting)

City: CREWE, Cheshire

This is a, part time (80%/4-day week) position to 31 March 2025; though there is the possibility of extension into the 2025/26 financial year, subject to business needs.

An experienced finance professional to offer their expertise to support significant change programmes and projects. Lead and manage a wide range of strategic financial management services for the Council, corporately or in respect of a portfolio of services and functions as assigned, making a key contribution to the development and sustainability of the Medium Term Financial Strategy.

Collaborate with service directors, managers and/or Council-owned company directors to enhance and achieve policy and strategic objectives; influencing strategy and business outcomes; offering expert analysis and interpretation, and presenting options to resolve problems and exploit opportunities, developing financial understanding and informed decision making.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead and control finance business partner services for the Council's Companies - wholly owned companies (eg Ansa Environmental Services) and Joint Venture companies (eg Alliance Environmental Services, a partnership with Staffordshire Moorlands and High Peak) - providing a fully comprehensive professional advisory, management accounting and financial reporting function, including: robust and sustainable medium term financial and business planning and budgeting, reporting in-year forecasts and issues to the Director of Finance & Customer Services and Company Boards, timely and accurate preparation of private company accounts; ensuring prescribed financial management standards are met and high levels of customer satisfaction are maintained; commissioning of external auditors and tax compliance advisors; ensuring that financial training and advice is to delivered to Company Directors, Management and other senior/business administrative staff on budget management responsibilities, financial procedures, and use of financial information systems; and provide financial advice and support for new commercial development and investment propositions.
• Lead on the finance business partner services and associated relationship management in respect of Shared Services (including, but not limited to, those with Cheshire West & Chester), including financial management and accountancy services for ICT (delivered by Cheshire East) and related long-term financial planning, revenue and capital budgeting and decision making; offering insight, analysis and challenge to help the Council obtain and maintain best value for money in service commissioning and delivery.
• Lead the delivery of financial consultancy and advice offering research, analysis and professional advice, to the Council's wholly owned Companies and Shared Services, and related Partnerships and Joint Ventures, on major change, transformational, commercial and investment projects.
• Lead on the design and development of Financial Systems, including innovations in digital/automation/artificial intelligence, and the provision of related training and support, to deliver efficient and effective financial control and reporting capabilities for the Finance Service and its customers within the Council and its Group of Companies; including the accounting for expenditure and income transactions; and acting as Client/relationship manager for Shared Financial Systems Services commissioned from or delivered in partnership with Cheshire West & Chester Council.
• Lead and manage professional training and development within the Finance Service, in accordance with legislation, best practice and emerging trends, and guidance from national accountancy bodies and professional institutes.
• Lead on the delivery of training and advisory services in financial management and administration across the Council Group - Finance staff; non-Finance staff including Service budget managers; and Members - promoting the development of financial literacy and effective use of the Council's Unit4 ERP financial management, forecasting and transactional systems.
• Lead the development and delivery of the Finance Department Service Plan, ensuring that it is aligned with Community, Corporate and Directorate Plans and strategies.
• Lead on the adherence of the Council to the CIPFA Financial Management Code, continually reviewing and developing sound principles of good financial management within the Council; including reporting to senior officers and committees as agreed with the Director of Finance & Customer Services, ensuring regular gap analysis is completed and mitigation plans are implemented, and that financial policies and procedures in the Council's Constitution and other supporting financial management guidance documents are updated.
• Lead on the development, engagement and co-ordination of the Council's response to financial consultations issued by the Central Government.
• Lead and manage a wide range of strategic financial management services for the Council, corporately or in respect of a portfolio of services and functions as assigned, making a key contribution to: the development and sustainability of the Medium Term Financial Strategy; the setting of the annual budget; in-year financial performance monitoring and forecasting; year-end reporting internally and externally; and the provision of professional advice and support to senior management, other internal and external customers, partners and stakeholders.

Key requirements:

• Qualified Accountant (member of CCAB)
• Expert knowledge and experience of best practice in financial planning, management and reporting, and emerging trends and innovations in local authority financial management
• Expert knowledge of finance and accounting legislation and relevant national and local policy and strategy, including the Council's Constitution and its Finance Procedure Rules, and the statutory reporting requirements of public and private sector accounting and financial reporting standards
• Knowledge of all Council services, their service proposition and their impact on local residents and businesses
• Expert knowledge of staff management and development of multi-functional teams and developing clear work programmes for individuals and teams
• Knowledge of project management processes and how to apply the financial consequences to a complex array of projects and programmes
• Knowledge of VAT and other relevant taxation regimes
• Processes for key reports and decisions
• Experience in investigating changes to accounting rules and areas of potential breach, proposing and implementing viable solutions.
• Good organisational skills and ability to get staff from across the organisation to provide information promptly
• Strong data analysis skills