Bedford Borough Council is currently going through extensive transformation and change. This has led to the requirement for a Finance Lead to join the Transformation team.

The postholder will work collaboratively with senior managers to analyse, interpret and prepare financial data and context to ensure the Efficiency Plan and Future Savings Proposals achieve the outcomes needed.

Individual tasks/responsibilities:

• Developing Future Savings Proposals to ensure delivery of the agreed financial outputs, including determining for each service:
  • budgetary baselines and re-cutting these based on proposed changes.
  • Assessing the consequences of change from a financial perspective, inc. both income and expenditure; and funding types, and any cross-cutting impacts across other services.
  • Analysing financial risks, impacts, dependencies and costs associated with potential service offer changes.
• Leading on benefits realisation of the current Efficiency Plan and providing financial modelling.
• Work collaboratively with finance colleagues who are accountable and responsible for current and future BAU deliverables.
• Work with services and programme team members to understand the financial impacts of various service scenerios and own the financial modelling.
• Scutinise and challenge findings using data and experience from other local authorities.
• Create and develop financial information to contribute to business cases, options appraisals and other programme documentation.

• Regularly interact with senior stakeholders to communicate plans, progress status and expected completion dates.

Essential skills:

• Qualified Accountant (CA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent) with some post qualification experience in a similar role with a similar level of responsibility.
• Recent Local Authority sector experience.
• Experience of working within transformation programmes.
• Strong analytical and numerical skills; you'll be able to work carefully and methodically with an attention to detail, but with commitment to deadlines.
• Must be pro-active and a self-starter who can take the initiative, come up with ideas and be able to turn these in to workable solutions.
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal).
• Ability to manage and prioritise workload whilst maintaining clear oversight of programme objectives.
• Experience in stakeholder management on complex/sensitive programmes, and has credibility and impact with peers and leaders.

If you are interested in this role please send your updated CV in the first instance.