What's involved with this role:

Job Title: Deputy CFO and Deputy S151 Officer

Ref: Dorset 119444

Pay rate: £535.52 per day PAYE

Role length: Anticipated 6 months

Working arrangements: Hybrid working – 1 to 2 days per week in the office as required for key meetings



The role:

We are seeking an Interim Deputy S151 Officer who will lead the Council’s budget setting process working directly to, and with, the Council’s Chief Finance Officer and deputising for them. This is a key opportunity to play a pivotal role in ensuring the financial resilience and stability of the organisation during a critical period.

To be successful in this role, you need to be a fully qualified CCAB accountant with extensive leadership experience in local government finance, including S151 responsibilities and experience of delivering robust financial management along with in depth understanding of local government finance regulations, challenges, and best practices.



Key Responsibilities:

Support the Section 151 Officer in delivering robust financial management and statutory duties under the Local Government Act 1972
Provide strategic financial advice to senior management and elected members
Oversee the preparation the Medium Term Financial Plan papers and reports for a gross revenue spend of c.£1bn
Lead on financial risk management and value for money for a Council wide transformation programme savings and efficiency plans
Ensure the finance teams readiness for ERP (Oracle) implementation and oversee the development of a product team
Mentor and support finance team members to ensure high performance and continuous improvement



What the client is looking for:

Fully qualified CCAB accountant (e.g. CIPFA, ACCA, CIMA, ACA)
A proven track record of working effectively in a leadership role with exposure to S151 responsibilities
Experience leading on the development of the Medium Term Financial Plan for a large local authority, translating emerging plans into deliverable budget options
Experience supporting and driving Council wide multi-year transformation and change programmes working as part of a multidisciplinary team
Desirable experience of preparing for implementation of a new ERP system (Oracle) including change management and business process redesign
Experience of managing relationships with internal/external auditors and responding to audit findings
Highly developed communication skills and the ability to influence and negotiate across a range of diverse subjects and stakeholders, working with minimum supervision
In depth understanding of local government finance regulations, challenges, and best practices



How to Apply:

Quote the Job Title and Reference Number in your application.
Submit your CV in Word format.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis—early submission is recommended.



We will also add your details to our mail out lists. Please note you may receive details of roles outside of your immediate vicinity, as many candidates are able to relocate temporarily for work. Please disregard any such emails that are not of interest and let us know if you would rather not receive such mailouts and/or if you wish us to delete your details and prefer to apply direct to our advertised roles.



If you do not hear from us within three working days, unfortunately your application has not been shortlisted on this occasion. Thank you for your interest in working with us.

Please quote the Job Title & Vacancy Reference No. in your application, or we will be unable to match your CV to the role being applied for.



1

Job Ref: Dorset 119444


Anticipated Length of Assignment: Unless otherwise stated (we do carry the occasional permanent vacancy) all of our roles are technically temporary, though opening assignments can be and often are, extended by clients on a longer term basis and can sometimes become permanent.

Please do try to resist contacting us with requests for progress updates.

We really do read every CV sent to us. All applications will be acknowledged by a human, not a robot, provided the job remains live and provided your CV meets the “Essential Requirements” listed.

Please note that we do our level best to take down ads as soon as roles have been filled. We are not in the business of harvesting CVs.

Important: We will interpret your application as being permission to submit your CV to this role (with the right to represent you) unless you advise us to the contrary.