Finance Lead

Old Moat; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A local council in Manchester is seeking a Finance Lead to support financial management in Corporate Services and Growth. This hybrid role involves robust budgeting, forecasting, and providing strategic financial advice. Candidates must hold a CCAB qualification and preferably have experience in public sector finance. The council values adaptability and problem-solving, offering a range of employee benefits including generous leave and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Generous holiday allowance

Buzzing pension

Enhanced parental leave

Access to discounts via MCR+

Learning and development opportunities

Volunteering leave

Qualifications

• Experience in public sector financial management is desirable.
• Ability to deliver high-quality statutory reporting in a complex environment.
• Capacity to react to immediate, complex problems with pragmatic solutions.

Responsibilities

• Support Finance and Service Leads in delivering robust budgeting and forecasting.
• Provide professional advice and forecasts for service users.
• Manage complex budgets across Corporate Services and Growth and Development.
• Prepare financial models to illustrate impacts of proposals.
• Deputize for the Head of Group Finance Lead when necessary.

Skills

Strong technical expertise

Excellent communication skills

Leadership and team management

Adaptability

Problem-solving

Education

CCAB qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIPFA)

Job description

About The Role

Working hours: 35 hours per week

Contract type: Permanent

Closing date: 11.59pm, 9 January 2026

Interview method: in person

This role is subject to:

• 2 references - where possible, we require 3 years' history
• Qualification - CCAB (Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies) qualification such as ACA, ACCA, CIPFA

A new and exciting opportunity has arisen in the finance team at Manchester City Council. We are recruiting a Finance Lead to support our Corporate Services and Growth & Development Directorates. This role plays a fundamental part in how we operate. Our Finance Teams are key to the city’s non‑stop rise out of tough times to a fairer future for residents, businesses, and visitors. We deliver high quality Financial Management, supporting the Council in transforming services to deliver effectively while achieving efficiencies. We utilise robust finance and performance data to inform our reporting and decision-making.

We promote continuous improvement and embrace new technology, including Artificial Intelligence and the implementation of new tools and systems. We are currently updating our finance, HR, and payroll ERP system, a once in a generation change which is challenging, but brings exciting opportunities.

We invest in our staff through formal qualifications, leadership development, and support apprenticeships in areas such as digital finance. We aim to support talented, passionate individuals to develop and progress through our Financial Management Service. With the opportunity to launch a rewarding career in Local Government Finance and become a future senior leader in the City council.

You will need to be a high‑performing, enthusiastic person who is adaptable, resourceful, and determined to turn your talents, and our investment in you, into a better future for Manchester and its residents.

Fourteen years of cuts and austerity have stretched our budgets, services, residents, and local economy close to the limits. But Manchester has bucked trends and is continuing to grow.

That is because we attract staff who can think differently, who listen to and work with our residents – and each other –with profound understanding and compassion, and who are not afraid to try new things to get us where we aim to be.

Are you ready to make a long‑term commitment to working for Manchester City Council, helping us to tackle our complex and diverse challenges, and to provide the support, challenge, training, insight, and intelligence our services need to make the best of our budgets for the benefit of our residents? You must be prepared to challenge the status quo to bring about change, be able to learn and share knowledge and experiences, have resilience, and show dedication to making our city and our residents the best that they can be.

The role is hybrid, typically working 2 days in the office and 3 from home and requires a CCAB (Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies) qualification such as ACA, ACCA, CIPFA, and experience in public sector financial management is desirable. This role:

• Supports Finance and Service Leads in the Corporate Services and Growth & Development Directorates in delivering robust budgeting, forecasting and closure of annual accounts
• Provides professional advice and forecasts to a variety of service users within these directorates
• Works on a portfolio of highly complex budgets across a range of Corporate Services and Growth and Development for the planning and development of short, medium, and longer‑term initiatives
• Prepares financial models to illustrate the financial impact of proposals. In addition, run sensitivity analysis, highlight risks and draw conclusions from the business cases presented, including suggesting alternative approaches and solutions
• Deputizes as required for the Head of Group Finance Lead in their absence including attendance at meetings and undertaking staff management as required
• The successful candidate will demonstrate strong technical expertise, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to delivering high‑quality statutory reporting in a complex environment.

For more information, please contact [e-mail] to arrange a time to discuss the role.

About the Candidate

We would love to hear from you if you have experience of:

• CCAB (Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies) qualification such as ACA, ACCA, CIPFA
• Demonstrate strong technical expertise, excellent communication skills, and a commitment to delivering high‑quality statutory reporting in a complex environment
• Be able to react to immediate problems of a highly complex nature and deliver pragmatic solutions
• Plan and organise activities and projects taking account of risks and changing circumstances
• Effectively manage a team of staff providing leadership, support and development

Desirable for the role:

• Experience in public sector financial management

About Us

We’re the local council for one of the UK’s most vibrant and diverse cities.

Working for Manchester isn’t just a job – it’s an opportunity to contribute to a city that leads change and transforms lives. Whether it’s strengthening communities or driving innovation in public services, you’ll play a vital role in creating opportunities and shaping a brighter future for everyone.

Our Manchester is our vision for a fairer, greener, and healthier city – a vision shaped by the people of Manchester. It guides everything we do at the Council and is brought to life through the Our Manchester behaviours:

• We take time to listen and understand
• We work together and trust each other
• We show that we value our differences and treat each other fairly
• We ‘own it’ and we’re not afraid to try new things
• We’re proud and passionate about Manchester

Benefits we offer

• Generous holiday allowance – Enjoy up to 26 days annual leave per year plus bank holidays. Increasing to 31 days after five years of local government service. Want more leave? You can purchase up to two additional weeks.
• Buzzing pension – You’ll be enrolled in the UK’s largest local government pension scheme, with plenty of options to top up your benefits. Includes life cover of three-times your salary as a lump sum.
• Enhanced parental and carers leave – Take advantage of our enhanced family leave options, designed to provide ample time for you to bond with your newborn or support your family during critical life events.
• Brilliant perks – Access a range of discounts, from saving on the weekly shop to holidays and days out with MCR+. Plus discounts on phone contracts, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs and eye tests, and more.
• Learn and grow – We are dedicated to nurturing talent and providing you with the tools to thrive. Take part in a diverse set of learning opportunities, from workshops and training sessions through to apprenticeships and qualifications. All this begins with our comprehensive onboarding process.
• A Good Employment Charter member – We are committed to offering secure, flexible work and embedding fairness into everything we do. We review pay annually, recognise three trade unions, and are constantly working to offer the best possible health and wellbeing support throughout all stages of your working life.
• Up to 3 days volunteering leave – Give back to the community with three days pro‑rate of paid volunteering leave, in addition to existing benefits.

Creating an Inclusive Team at Manchester City Council

At Manchester City Council, we’re dedicated to creating a workplace that truly reflects the diversity of the communities we serve. We actively welcome applications from people of all ages and backgrounds, particularly from Black, Asian, and Minority Ethnic communities, Disabled people and young people.

Support During the Process

• Interview Adjustments – Let us know if you need any adjustments to demonstrate your suitability during the interview.
• Accessible Formats – Our ReciteMe tool can be accessed through the "Accessibility tools" button at the top of our careers page. This tool offers features like text‑to‑speech, translation into multiple languages, and adjustable text size and colour to make our site more accessible for everyone.

Guaranteed Assessment Scheme

We guarantee assessments for applicants who meet the recruiting panels minimum shortlisting requirement for the role and identify with at least one of the criteria below:

• Members of the Armed Forces members or veterans
• Current or former care leavers
• Have a disability or long‑term condition

When You Join Us

We’re a Disability Confident Employer, offering:

• A workplace adjustment hub which provides specialist support, advice and guidance to ensure you have the adjustments needed to thrive at work.
• Disabled Staff Network, Neurodiversity Staff Network and Mental Health Staff Network that provides a safe inclusive space to share experiences and opportunities to influence council practice.
• A strong commitment to ensuring all information adheres to accessibility standards and that our workplaces are accessible and disability‑friendly.

What we will need from you if you're successful

In accordance with Home Office guidance, successful candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK before commencement of employment. This is not a role we consider to be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route based on Manchester City Council policy. Candidates are therefore encouraged to consider their own right to work options without the requirement for Manchester City Council sponsorship.

Pre-Employment Checks

If you are successful in securing a position with us, the pre‑employment checks required will depend on the role you’ve applied for. As a guide, these checks may include:

• Proof of Right to Work – You’ll need to provide documentary evidence of your right to work in the UK.
• References – We’ll require references from your current and previous employer(s).
• Proof of Qualifications – Evidence of qualifications relevant to the role will be required.

These checks are an important part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and security of our workforce and the community we serve.

Other relevant information

We want everyone to be able to be themselves at work and give their best. If you need additional support to undertake the duties of the role, we’ll make every effort to source any necessary aids, adaptations or equipment. If, however, any task proves to be unachievable, we will look at redesigning parts of the role.

Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action.

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