Assistant Director: Finance

£59k - £62k plus benefits

Barrow-in-Furness has got a lot going for it: from its extensive stunning coast to the fact that the Lake District is right on the doorstep. But you can also expect the wow factor when it comes to our scope for professional opportunity. A series of successful funding bids, and more underway, means that we have much to do. That’s why we’re investing in our capacity at Assistant Director level: allocating more resource to the crucial interface between strategic priorities and operational delivery. It’s a place where you can make great things happen.

You’ll work closely with the Director of Resources to ensure that the organisation benefits from high quality and timely financial reporting and advice. This will be essential to inform robust and informed decision-making and to ensure that the Council actively manages risk, as it pursues its ambitious place shaping agenda. You’ll offer regular advice and support to budget holders across the organisation, helping them in financial planning and being confident that effective financial controls underpin the Council’s ongoing activity.

Key areas of responsibility include:

• revenue, capital, projects, collection fund and accountable body arrangements
• the production of the statutory accounts and several Government, grant and other returns
• treasury management and insurance
• financial services which incorporates the provision of appropriate financial systems
• payroll, payments to suppliers, accrual accounting/purchase ordering, billing and income/cash management, reconciliations (including VAT and bank)
• revenues and benefits which incorporates the administration of Housing Benefits, Council Tax and Business Rates billing, collection and recovery, award of reliefs, exemptions and discounts, reconsiderations and appeals, Business Rate retention and various Government, subsidy and other returns.

We’re looking for someone who can bring a commercially-minded, but prudent approach to investment decisions – working to ensure that resources are well-marshalled and available to use at the right time. You’ll encourage a business case model of working, to ensure that good ideas are interrogated and tested before implementation. Throughout your focus will be what we can do, so that we are continually assessing new opportunities and exploring different approaches to achieving positive outcomes for our community.

As you’ll be the Council’s Deputy S151 Officer, it’s essential that you are a qualified accountant, and that you have a good understanding of the statutory responsibilities that this role brings. You should be able to demonstrate how you have worked across an organisation in your career to date, bringing financial expertise and advice to different settings and working well with colleagues from different professional areas.

To find out more about the role and apply click the 'Apply Button'

Closing date: 9th August 2021.