Job Description

Main purpose of post

• To contribute to a solution-focussed, innovative, financial management function that enables the effective allocation of resources to outcomes, in order to ensure value for money for the public purse.
• To ensure the provision of professional and evidence-based management information to support the long-term sustainability of the Council and its trusted partners.
• To ensure a commercial ethos is embedded across the council so that any decision taken is done so following an assessment of commercial viability and opportunity.
• To provide a proactive customer focussed team that supports the achievement of the
• Council and its partners' long-term vision.

Responsibilities

• Reporting to the Senior Finance Manager but will work across the wider Council and partnerships.
• Develop professional relationships and negotiate on financial matters across the Council, Senior Leaders, Elected Members, Trade Unions, employees and other key stakeholders.
• Manage a team of finance professionals, providing development opportunities to ensure effective succession planning and retention of staff and to ensure the team is operating to the expected standard of a high performing, excellent finance business partnering function.
• Lead a finance team of direct reports, ensuring that they develop their skills and deliver the objectives that have been set.
• Develop relationships to achieve outcomes across the organisation.
• Represent the Finance team as and when required in internal and external scenarios and to display the behaviours and values expected in a positive and professional manner.
• Ensure the training and development needs of the team are fully met by a variety of means including attendance at away-days, attending in-house training, completion of learning needs assessments and skills framework to ensure the whole team can demonstrate a full range of skills and abilities that supports effective succession planning.
• Lead a team of Accountancy staff, ensuring they are adequately upskilled to carry out their responsibility effectively. Ensure the team are aware of their role in delivering the outcomes of the Wirral Plan and can effectively describe the 'Wirral Together' narrative to any stakeholder.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Current Member of a CCAB member body or CIMA and demonstrable evidence of continuing professional development (CPD). Experienced in a relevant financial role Experienced in leadership and staff management at a senior level Able to think and act strategically across and outside organisational boundaries Able to drive change through others Able to initiate, develop and sustain successful partnership working, across the Council, ensuring the collaboration required to achieve shared results Able to inspire others with a compelling vision of the future, engage others in that future and motivate them to make the required contribution Able to be a key Business Management advocate for change and have the personal courage and resilience to cope with ambiguity, uncertainty and pressure Demonstrate personal and professional credibility to work with a range of stakeholders including Chief Officers, elected members and members of the public An ability to work quickly and under pressures to seize and assess new opportunities and turn them into deliverables Adequate financial acumen to assess and manage risks to ensure informed decisions can be made and to maximise opportunities for the Council High level of interpersonal and influencing skills to develop sustainable and beneficial relationships with stakeholders Programme and project management skills to ensure benefits realisation can be captured, delivered and measured. Sound professional judgement so that programmes are appropriate and achievable in meeting the objectives of the Council. Demonstrable leadership qualities of high performing teams delivering to business plan targets An ability to work proactively and independently at times Commercial awareness, demonstrating an understanding of the changing face of the public sector