Financial Manager

12 Month Contract With A Local Authority Job Purpose To support the effective management of financial planning, performance reporting and governance processes across the organisation. The role will provide high-quality financial and performance analysis, ensuring accurate, timely and reliable information is available to senior officers, elected Members and governance groups to support informed decision-making, effective performance management and strong financial control within a local authority or public sector environment.

Key Responsibilities

Coordinate and produce quarterly performance management reports and monthly monitoring packs, ensuring information is accurate, timely and supported by clear narrative, analysis and insight. Maintain high standards of data quality, consistency and integrity across finance, performance and workforce reporting, working collaboratively with colleagues to ensure information is robust and reliable.

Prepare reports, presentations, briefing papers and other management information for senior leadership teams, boards, committees and governance groups. Translate complex financial, performance and workforce information into clear, concise and accessible insights for senior officers and elected Members. Support the monitoring of transformation expenditure against approved budgets, forecasts and business cases, identifying variances, risks and emerging issues and escalating these where appropriate.

Coordinate the annual fees and charges review process, working with service areas to collect and validate information and ensure key deadlines are met. Manage and reconcile financial control totals throughout the planning and budgeting cycle, ensuring consistency across financial plans, reporting submissions and monitoring information.

Support financial planning, budget monitoring and forecasting activities, providing accurate analysis and highlighting key trends, pressures, risks and opportunities. Contribute to programme and transformation governance processes, ensuring financial and performance information is appropriately monitored and reported.

Work collaboratively with finance, performance, workforce and service colleagues to resolve data issues and strengthen the quality and consistency of organisational reporting. Support the preparation of information for senior management and governance meetings, ensuring actions, risks and key performance issues are clearly presented.

Manage competing priorities and reporting deadlines effectively while maintaining a high standard of accuracy and attention to detail. Provide constructive challenge where appropriate and contribute to the continuous improvement of financial, performance and governance reporting processes. ​ Requirements Experience of working in a finance, performance, planning or business management role within a local authority or wider public sector organisation.

Experience of producing high-quality reports, presentations and briefing papers for senior officers, leadership teams, governance groups and elected Members. Strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret financial and performance information and communicate findings clearly to a range of audiences. Experience of supporting budget monitoring, forecasting, financial planning or programme and transformation governance activities.

Strong attention to detail, with the ability to maintain data accuracy and manage multiple deadlines effectively. Experience of working with financial and performance data and maintaining high standards of data quality and integrity. Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex information in a clear and accessible way.

Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to build effective relationships across different service areas and provide constructive challenge when required. Good organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands in a fast-paced public sector environment. Ability to work collaboratively while demonstrating initiative, sound judgement and a proactive approach to resolving issues.

Additional Information Hours per week: 37 hours Location: WSCC

• Chichester, West Sussex Bi-Weekly Payments