Finance Business Partner & Strategic Budget Lead

Gwynedd Council; Caernarfon; Remote; GBP 45,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Gwynedd Council invites applications for a senior finance role responsible for leading a department's finance and accountancy service. The post focuses on delivering robust financial management, budgets, and final accounts, while working closely with department managers to support strategic aims.

Based in Wales, the role requires a qualified accountant and experience in public sector finance, with strong leadership, communication skills, and a commitment to modern, compliant financial practices

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant, partly qualified or equivalent.
• Full recognised Accountancy qualification.
• Degree.
• Experience of providing financial support to services.
• Experience of monitoring expenditure programmes and budgetary control.
• Experience of preparing revenue accounts within a time-schedule.
• Experience of dealing with financial systems.
• Experience of using technology to provide financial projections.
• Experience of providing financial support to a service(s) in a public body.
• Experience of supervising staff.
• Experience of identifying the needs of managers (to control their budgets) and provide useful services for them.

Responsibilities

• Undertake the role of Business Partner offering a professional independent viewpoint alongside expertise, challenge and empathy, all necessary to support the delivery of the department’s business objectives and financial priorities.
• The post holder is expected to lead the Team that provides financial and management accounting support to the Council’s Department.
• Ensure that targets set by the Assistant Head of Finance are achieved and take steps to correct any slippage or reduction in quality.
• Act as Line Manager for finance staff who deal with the budgets of the relevant Department and encourage the staff to work to their full potential.
• Ensure that the requirements of the Head of Department and managers are delivered in accordance with any requirements set in a service level agreement.
• Deliver the budgets and final accounts of the Department in question, in accordance with the guidance set by the Assistant Head of Finance or the Head of Finance.
• Deliver the relevant financial functions that are particular to the areas of the Department in question, in accordance with the relevant statutory requirements.
• Monitor the revenue and capital budgets of the Department in question and prepare reports as relevant.
• Establish and review financial information gathering systems and consult with the Head of Department and managers as required.
• Ensure that correct grant applications are submitted to external bodies on time and that appropriate grant monitoring arrangements exist.
• Attend meetings, committees, working groups or relevant panels in accordance with the requirements of the Assistant Head of Finance and play a leading role in the development of the Department's financial strategy.
• Provide advice, information or financial reports for the Head of Department and the managers as required.
• Provide and review statistics for the relevant services in accordance with statutory and recognised accounting standards.
• Responsibility for self-development.
• Ensure compliance with Health and Safety rules in the workplace in accordance with the responsibilities noted in the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Council’s Health and Safety Policy.
• Operate within the Council’s policies in relation to equal opportunities and equality.
• Responsible for managing information in accordance with the Council’s information management guidelines. Ensure that personal information is treated in accordance with Data Protection legislation.
• Commitment to reducing the Council’s carbon emissions in accordance with the Carbon Management Plan, and to encourage others to act positively towards reducing the Council’s Carbon Footprint.
• Undertake any other reasonable duty which corresponds to the salary level and responsibility level of the job.
• Responsibility to report any worry or suspicion that a child or vulnerable adult is being abused.

Skills

Accountancy knowledge

Budget management

Communication skills

Computer literacy

Education

Qualified accountant

Full recognised Accountancy qualification

Degree

Tools

Financial systems

Technology for projections

Job description

Gwynedd Council invites applications for a senior finance role responsible for leading a department's finance and accountancy service. The post focuses on delivering robust financial management, budgets, and final accounts, while working closely with department managers to support strategic aims.

Based in Wales, the role requires a qualified accountant and experience in public sector finance, with strong leadership, communication skills, and a commitment to modern, compliant financial practices