Deputy Section 151 Officer / Accountant

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an aspiring Chief Financial Officer (Section 151 Officer) to join GO Shared Services in the role of Deputy Section 151 Officer / Accountant.

GO Shared Services is a shared service collaboration involving four partner councils (Cotswold District Council, West Oxfordshire District Council, Cheltenham Borough Council and Forest of Dean District Council) which came into operation in April 2012. Along with the four councils, this successful  shared service delivers a wide range of finance and HR services to Cheltenham Borough Homes Ltd (Cheltenham Borough Council’s Arms Length Management Organisation) Ubico Ltd (a wholly owned local authority company) & The Cheltenham Trust. 

The success of GO Shared Services has enabled the four partner councils to consider further sharing of services. As a result, the partner councils have endorsed the development of a programme and detailed business case to take forward “A 2020 Vision for Joint Working”. The partnership has a track record and reputation for being innovative in how we deliver services to our residents and customers, and in creating this new structure has looked to place the customer at the heart of everything we do.

The Councils are currently considering the establishment of companies to deliver Council services.  The implementation of this innovative move provides an opportunity for a candidate that can demonstrate excellent leadership skills to be able to take the next step in their financial career.

The role will be based in Cheltenham, a famous Spa town, and home to world famous sporting and cultural events such as the Cheltenham Gold Cup and Cheltenham Literature, Music and Jazz festivals. In addition, occasional travel will be required to Coleford, which is located at the heart of the Forest of Dean; an area which is characterised by more than 100 square kilometres of mixed woodland and is one of the surviving ancient woodlands in England.

Reporting to the Business Partner (West) Manager, you deliver a comprehensive finance service for the Councils. You will also be responsible for delivering the appropriate duties as the formal Deputy Section 151 Officer at both Cheltenham Borough Council and Forest of Dean District Council. Your track record of delivery and providing sound financial advice on revenue and capital programmes will ensure that important projects and programmes are delivered on time and to budget. Your experience and expertise will enable you to establish yourself as the key finance business partner within the relevant service departments. With its broad scope and impact on the future of the Councils, this is a career-enhancing move.

In addition you will manage the Accounts Receivable Team and support the budget setting process through the provision of figures, advice and future implications in respect of the national finance settlement.

You will work closely with the Section 151 Officer and support him to develop and enhance the partner Council’s Revenue Budget process. This includes services to Members in both partner councils, in the context of the need for longer term financial planning, whilst also providing formal and informal advice to the partner councils’ Executive Teams.

We believe this to be an exciting opportunity for an exceptional person with commercial aptitude who can demonstrate the skills required to make a genuine difference to the business and ensure that the partner councils gain maximum benefit from existing and proposed arrangements for local government funding, and identify and representing the partner Councils interests in the ongoing review and development of new funding arrangements.