Senior Finance Business Partner - Services
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 provide financial management for a specified service area. The role is about influencing decisions as much as technical accounting: you will build strong partnerships with senior managers, lead on financial and resource matters, and turn complex numbers into clear insight.

You will manage a small team of 1–3 and deputise for the Head of Finance when needed.

Key responsibilities

• Oversee the financial cycle for your service area to deadline, managing priorities and keeping financial integrity intact
• Deputise for the Head of Finance, including attending the departmental management team
• Provide analysis and insight that links financial reporting to business strategy, identify long-term service pressures, and build them into the budget strategy
• Flag potential overspends or irregularities early and help managers plan a course of action
• Model demographic and legislative trends and benchmark against other authorities
• Support service managers on efficiency and value for money
• Develop and implement systems and processes that streamline reporting
• Recruit, develop and performance-manage the team

About you

• Fully qualified accountant (a recognised full accountancy qualification) with at least three years’ finance experience
• At least two years’ recent experience in a public service finance setting
• Experience of budget setting and monitoring in a large, complex organisation, plus staff management and involvement in the accounts closure process
• Able to explain complex financial information and scenarios to directors, heads of service, budget holders and elected Members
• Strong influencing, relationship-building and constructive challenge skills, with advanced Excel
• Local government experience is desirable but not essential, and candidates with relevant experience from other sectors are welcome
• Desirable: experience of managing change, and of using finance systems such as Oracle or Agresso

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