The role
About Southwark:
Southwark Council is the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. They are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises. Southwark has a young, diverse and growing population. And they stand together. At Southwark they’re committed to making their borough just and fair and taking positive action to tackle inequalities. Their residents and communities are their greatest asset and the passion they have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy their outstanding cultural offer, use their hospitals and attend their universities.
The Role:
As Finance Manager, you will develop and manage the council’s financial strategy and core financial services. This will include working with Strategic Directors and Business Managers to improve devolved financial management within the council and to ensure that legislative requirements, corporate objectives and best value are successfully achieved. You will contribute to the management of a service department or Finance & Governance (F&G) in accordance with the Business Plan, Scheme of Management and Financial Scheme of Delegation.
Southwark are looking to recruit a Senior Finance Manager with significant experience in School Finance at management level including all DSG as well as General Fund areas. You will have experience in stakeholder engagement to support Schools Forum, building good relationship with headteachers, governors and education directorate. The role will be responsible on dealing with day-to-day activities of running a well-established school’s finance team, as well as some projects that the education department in Southwark embarked on. The role holder is expected to have the necessary technical knowledge to oversee all aspects of education finance and oversee the required internal and external statutory reporting requirements. It is a very challenging time for Southwark. There is significant pressure on the High needs DSG, therefore the service is embarking on a 5-year savings plan.
As Senior Finance manager in Education it would be your role to assist and provide financial assurance to the service, as well as necessary financial information for internal and external monitoring. Southwark council set up a formal Budget Recovery board that is chaired by the Strategic Director of Children & Adults and the council’s Section 151 officer to provide strategic oversight of the saving programme. In addition Southwark will be launching its Keeping Education Strong programme which aims to deal with the reducing pupil numbers in the council’s school estate. Candidates with experience with dealing with schools in financial difficulties as well as experience in saving projects is desired to assist with this project.
Key Responsibilities:
- Formulate aspects of the council’s financial policies and strategies and report on those issues to Senior Management Team (SMT), Strategic Directors/Chief Officer Team (COT) or Members as needed.
- Provide expert advice and support to the council/department, its committees, members and senior management on all financial issues.
- Responsible for the integrity of financial information.
- Be responsible for the production of all relevant statutory accounts.
- Manage the effective delivery of financial and related services supplied to the council by a third party or by any in-house supplier and to take appropriate action to improve the value for money obtained by the council from those suppliers.
- Ensure that sound financial management systems and procedures are in operation within their department or F&G.
Additional salary details
About You:
CCAB qualified accountant (preferably CIPFA) or relevant experience at a proven senior professional level, you’ll have good knowledge of public sector finance and the issues facing local government. You should have a detailed understanding of local government (or other appropriate public sector body) finance, funding, and financial techniques as well as knowledge of the current financial challenges and issues being faced by local government. You will have a broad understanding of strategic financial planning and experience of setting and monitoring budgets for services.
Southwark offers a flexible hybrid working environment with the expectation you are in the office a couple of times a week.
For an informal conversation or to find out more about the opportunity, contact Jack Cox on 07921 336 629 or Jack Murphy on 07921 335 786 by email southwark@allenlane.co.uk for details of how to apply.
Applications must be completed (full application consists of CV and supporting statement outlining your suitability) by 23.59pm on Monday 19th December 2022.
To apply for this role, please use the link below as only applications via the link will be considered:
Senior Finance Manager - Schools and Education job with Allen Lane Limited | 28795 (pfjobs.co.uk)
Recruitment timetable
Closing Date: 19/12/2022
Interview Date: TBC
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
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