Finance Director

VENESKY BROWN RECRUITMENT; City of Edinburgh; Hybrid; GBP 129,000 - 157,000; Full time

Job summary

Venesky-Brown’s client in Edinburgh is seeking a Director of Finance on an initial 6-month contract with a possible 3-month extension. The role is hybrid, requiring 2-3 days in the Edinburgh office each week, and is Inside IR35 with a day rate of £700-£850.

The successful candidate will lead day-to-day financial management, budgeting, forecasting, and governance, ensuring robust controls and transparent reporting across the public sector organisation.

Qualifications

• Relevant degree or equivalent experience (Technical, Financial or Legal).
• Chartered membership of a relevant professional organisation.
• 5+ years leading the successful delivery of a business unit (or 3+ years leading a directorate) with commercial arrangements.
• 3+ years acting as part of a leadership team.
• Experience in two of: business growth, innovation, diversification, commercial management, change management.
• Financial stewardship & public sector accounting.
• Experience of stakeholder engagement and wider representational activity.
• Commercial and financial acumen.
• Business and operational planning.
• People management.

Responsibilities

• Lead daily financial management with robust controls and SPFM compliance.
• Oversee annual budgeting, align with corporate plans and KPIs.
• Lead medium-term financial planning and scenario modelling.
• Forecasting, reporting and cashflow management across the organisation.
• Lead finance team and develop capacity to meet needs.
• Develop financial compliance capability across the business.
• Ensure efficient, secure finance systems and data integrity.
• Provide financial insight to support decision-making.
• Liaise with external auditors and public sector bodies.
• Contribute to Board/Committee reports and governance of finances.
• Oversee liquidity, investments, risks and financial strategy.
• Line management including recruitment and performance management.

Skills

Degree or equivalent

Chartered membership

Leadership experience

Public sector accounting

Budgeting & planning

Stakeholder engagement

Commercial & financial acumen

People management

Governance & risk

Education

Degree in Finance/Accounting/Business

Job description

Venesky-Brown’s client, a public sector organisation in Edinburgh, is currently looking to recruit a Director of Finance for an initial 6-month contract with possible 3-month extensionon a rate of £700-£850/day (Inside IR35). Hybrid working with 2-3 days in the Edinburgh office per week.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day financial management of the organisation, ensuring robust financial controls and compliance with the SPFM financial regulations, overseeing financial reporting and ensuring transparency and accountability in the use of funds and revenue generated.
• Manage the annual budgeting cycle including budget setting and monitoring, working closely with operational teams to align financial plans with corporate and annual plans’ objectives and KPI’s.
• Lead medium-term financial planning and scenario modelling to support sustainable investment.
• Lead on clear and effective financial forecasting, reporting and cashflow (revenue) management across the organisation.
• Lead team of finance professionals dedicated to providing financial services to the organisation, building new capacity to meet emerging needs.
• Lead on the development of financial compliance capability and capacity across the business.
• Ensure finance systems and processes are efficient and secure and fit for purpose, including finance systems, and support the needs of the whole organisation, ensuring data integrity and utilising automation where possible.
• Act as a key business partner, providing financial insight and challenge to support decision-making.
• Liaise with external auditors, finance teams, and other public sector bodies as required.
• Provide financial input into reports for Board and Committees, ensuring clarity and alignment with strategic goals.
• Lead on the governance of cash, liquidity, long-term investment strategies, interest rate fluctuations and financial risks to ensure the organisation can meet its obligations and achieve its financial goals.
• Provide robust line management, including recruiting and developing staff, robust performance management and upholding the standards of behaviour, holding difficult conversations where required and actively resolving conflicts.
• Develop and deliver annual business plan and contribute to corporate planning and strategic direction setting and ensuring good governance of the activities associated with your teams.
• Own and champion a number of KPIs and objectives associated with the Corporate Plan.
• Act as Senior Responsible Officer (SRO) for major projects and commercial initiatives.
• Other tasks and activities as might reasonably be expected from a senior leader within a public corporation.

Essential Skills

• Relevant degree or equivalent experience (Technical, Financial or Legal)
• Chartered membership of a relevant professional organisation
• 5+ years leading the successful delivery of a business unit (or 3+ years of leading a directorate) with commercial arrangements generating substantial profit.
• 3+ years acting as part of a leadership team.
• Experience of at least two of the following (1) business growth, (2) innovation, (3) diversification, (4) commercial management, or (5) change management.
• Financial Stewardship & public sector accounting
• Experience of stakeholder engagement and wider representational activity.
• Commercial and Financial Acumen
• Business and Operational Planning
• People Management