Head of Finance - 18 Month FTC

Reporting to the Assistant Director of Financial Control, this role leads the delivery of financial transactions across the organisation ensuring that financial transactional processes are effective, a robust financial control environment is maintained, and value for money is obtained.

The role provides effective and inspiring leadership to the Financial Transactions team, fostering a high performing culture through continuous improvement.

Client Details

As part of the Directorate of Finance and Audit, the Financial Transactions team is responsible for ensuring the organisation has robust, effective and customer-focused financial transactional processes in place.

This position is an 18 month Fixed Term Contract, well suited to an interim finance professional who enjoys adding value and project accounting.

Description

• Successfully lead the Financial Transactions teams, including Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable, in an efficient and effective manner

• Carry out effective monitoring of transactional processes to highlight and eliminate financial control weaknesses, working closely with other members of the Finance Directorate as necessary

• Continually analyse current processes to identify and implement ways to improve processes and financial control

• Ensure the organisations treatment of VAT is appropriate, efficient and compliant with HMRC rules, and that all VAT returns are completed in a timely manner

• Working closely with Financial Control colleagues, liaise with external audit over the audit period to ensure smooth progression of the Annual Report and Accounts

• As a recognised expert, provide technical accounting advice and guidance in line with IFRS and the financial
• reporting manual (FReM) and other relevant Government guidance documents

• Ensuring financial processes are simple, intuitive and clearly articulated whilst effectively maintain robust financial controls and manage financial risks

• Develop effective and efficient processes for all financial transaction areas to ensure they continue to be fit for purpose and aligned, as far as possible, to standardised government processes

• Take a lead role in financial improvement projects, ensuring process changes are in line with financial transactions policies and are flexible to adapt to future plans

• Identify and mitigate the effects of any emerging changes in the finance environment, ensuring minimum impact on operational business delivery.

• Proactively support initiatives to continuously improve and transform financial systems and data, in a way that meets stakeholder needs

• Support the delivery of a finance improvement programme across the Directorate to ensure staff have the right skills, knowledge and tools to drive high quality and valuable outputs and outcomes for the business

• Support the management of finance risks, ensuring that issues are identified, actioned, escalated, managed and mitigated as appropriate

Profile

Must be ACA/ACCA/CIMA qualified with a minimum of 3 years post qualification experience

Demonstrate the ability to effectively lead and positively influence a team, with 3 + years management experience

Demonstrate solid understanding of up to date accounting standards (including IFS)

Show an understanding and evidence for working under pressure, as a collaborative member of the team

Have experience dealing with senior stakeholders / business partnering (Desired)

Experience in the Not-for Profit / Public Sector (Advantageous)

Demonstrate an understanding of ERP systems such as SAP, Oracle, Agresso or Netsuite

Job Offer

A chance to add-value utilising key pre-existing technical and commercial skills, while being challenged on personal and professional development with the support of a friendly and evolving team.

Future permanent opportunities may be on offer within the organisation.

Discretionary bonus for personal based performance.