Finance Lead

Yolk Recruitment Ltd; Cardiff; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A recruitment agency is seeking a Finance Lead for a leading finance role in the public sector. This unique position involves supporting two major national programmes, ensuring robust financial systems and processes. The ideal candidate will have a full professional qualification and experience in finance transformation, excellent stakeholder management skills, and deep understanding of public sector finance governance. Join a specialist finance team focused on innovation and shared success.

Qualifications

• Experience in finance transformation projects.
• Flexible and capable of strategic and operational work.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial design and implementation of programmes.
• Ensure financial policies are compliant with regulations.
• Manage programme budgets and provide financial reporting.
• Act as finance lead with internal and external partners.
• Lead review and improvement of finance processes.

Skills

Financial systems implementation

Process improvement and automation

Stakeholder management

Public sector finance expertise

Education

Full professional qualification (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)

Job description

Overview

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to take a leading finance role in the public sector, supporting the introduction of two nationally significant programmes.

As the Finance Lead, you will work directly with the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) and play a central role in ensuring these programmes are underpinned by robust financial systems, processes, and controls. You'll act as the key point of contact for all finance-related matters across the programme and ensure effective communication with the wider finance function.

You will also sit on the Programme Board, providing strategic financial oversight, and contribute to senior-level decision-making that will shape the future of how revenue and registration systems are managed within the public sector.

Responsibilities

• Lead on the financial design and implementation of the programmes.
• Ensure that financial policies, systems, and controls are fit for purpose and compliant with all relevant regulations and governance standards.
• Support the development of new financial systems, with a focus on automation, efficiency, and future-readiness.
• Manage programme budgets, forecasts, and financial risk reporting, ensuring accurate and timely information for the CFO and senior stakeholders.
• Act as finance lead with internal and external partners, helping shape solutions that meet both financial and operational needs.
• Represent the Deputy CFO and CFO on senior boards and committees when required.
• Lead the review and continuous improvement of finance processes to align with organisational priorities.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for a technically strong, fully qualified finance professional with a proactive, solution-focused mindset. The ideal candidate will bring experience in:

• System implementation and finance transformation projects.
• Identifying and delivering process improvements and automation within finance functions.
• Working across complex programmes, ideally in a public sector or regulatory environment.
• Providing strategic financial leadership at programme board or senior management level.
• Collaborating with a wide range of stakeholders to deliver practical, robust financial solutions.

You'll need to be flexible, highly organised, and capable of working at both a strategic and operational level in a fast-moving environment.

Why Join Us?

This is a unique opportunity to be directly involved in the establishment of two major national programmes, with responsibility for ensuring their financial design and delivery is robust, efficient, and future-proof.

You'll be joining a small, specialist finance team that values continuous improvement and professional development, with a culture that supports innovation, collaboration, and shared success.

Essential Criteria

• Full professional qualification (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Demonstrated experience of system implementation, automation, or finance process redesign.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong understanding of public sector financial governance and compliance.