Senior Finance Business Partner - Corporate
Local Authority, Cambridgeshire
Hybrid/Flexible Working
Salary to £58,000 per annum

Macildowie are working with a local authority in Cambridgeshire to recruit a Senior Finance Business Partner to its corporate finance team. The focus is financial reporting, the Statement of Accounts and rebuilding audit assurance.

You will oversee the review of balance sheet reconciliations, support the accounts closedown, and work with external auditors to respond promptly to queries with sound evidence. You will line manage 1–3 finance staff.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee the completion and review of balance sheet reconciliations (including collection fund and capital), investigating variances and escalating issues
• Support Statement of Accounts production, working papers, disclosure notes and audit evidence
• Contribute to an effective working relationship with external auditors and advisers
• Develop and improve systems and processes for stronger controls and more efficient working
• Provide accurate, timely financial information in line with financial regulations, CIPFA standards and good practice
• Work with senior managers to support joined-up financial reporting and decision-making
• Take on ad-hoc and special projects

About you

• Fully qualified CCAB accountant with a record of CPD, and at least three years’ recent experience in public service or local authority finance covering financial accounting, closedown or reporting
• A track record in statutory accounts production and in preparing, reviewing or quality assuring reconciliations
• Experience of applying financial reporting standards and CIPFA guidance
• Strong analytical skills and advanced Excel, with the ability to interrogate ledger data
• Clear communicator who can give constructive challenge to senior managers and auditors
• Experience of leading or supervising finance staff
• Local government experience is desirable but not essential
• Desirable: experience of Agresso or a similar finance system, and of improving templates, working papers, control schedules or dashboards

Working pattern: The client would ideally like 1–2 days a week in the office, but will consider less for the right person.