Interim Strategic Director of Finance and Deputy Chief Executive (s151 Officer)

Interim Strategic Director of Finance and Deputy Chief Executive (designated as Interim Section 151 Officer)

Duration: This interim role is required to provide robust cover while we recruit to the permanent role. As such it is initially expected that this role should run for 3-4 months from mid July.

Location: It is vital that candidates are aware that travel to the Isle of Wight on a regular basis (likely weekly) will be a requirement of this position

Service Area: Finance

Job Purpose: To provide strategic leadership and oversight of the councils finance function, ensuring financial stewardship, robust governance, financial resilience and value for money in all council activities.

As the designated Section 151 officer, ensure the discharge of statutory responsibilities for the proper administration of the councils financial affairs, including pensions, as the council is a pension administering authority for its LGPS fund.

Deputise for the chief executive, assuming full responsibilities of head of paid service in their absence, including organisational leadership and emergency decision making.

To play a key role in the overall leadership of the organisation, working collaboratively with Members and partners and serving as an ambassador for the island while fostering a higher-performing, motivated and engaged workforce committed to service excellence.

The candidate will need to lead on:

• financial policy, strategy and management
• all duties as the Council's statutory Section 151 Officer
• implementation of transformation and improvement plans
• management accounting and financial planning
• strategic procurement
• treasury management
• internal audit and risk assurance
• Local Government Pension Scheme

Required skills include

• fully qualified CCAB accountant with substantial post qualification experience.
• sound understanding of the Local Government Act 1972, specifically Section 151, and financial regulations governing local authorities
• extensive experience of development and delivery of a medium-term financial strategy for a council with a gross budget exceeding 300m
• successfully delivery of balanced budgets despite funding reductions.
• able to support 'whole council transformation' to deliver significant efficiency savings.

We need someone who can think commercially, innovatively and creatively about how funding is best deployed to support growth