Finance Manager – AR

Carrington Blake Recruitment; Liverpool; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking a Finance Manager to oversee financial administration for the City Council. The role involves budget preparation, financial advice, and team management, ensuring compliance with accounting standards. Ideal candidates will have a professional accounting qualification and experience in local government finance.

Qualifications

• Professional accounting qualification required.
• Experience in Local Government Finance preferred.
• Ability to communicate complex financial issues.

Responsibilities

• Assist in managing the finance team and budget preparation.
• Provide financial advice to budget holders.
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards.

Skills

Communication

Data Analysis

Teamwork

Time Management

Problem Solving

Education

Recognised professional accounting qualification (CCAB or equivalent)

Tools

Financial software packages

Job description

Job Purpose
• To contribute to the achievement of corporate objectives and those of the Portfolio
• To ensure the provision of appropriate financial advice to Directors and Service Managers
• To facilitate the overall improvement in the management and performance of the financial administration of the City Council, with regard to the financial and operational management of services

Directly Responsible For: Capital Finance Team

Directly Responsible To: Group Finance Manager

Main Areas of Responsibility:
The Finance Manager will:
• Be responsible to the Group Finance Manager for assisting in the management of the finance team, with specific responsibility for the allocation of work, monitoring of workloads, performance and attendance in order to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of financial management and support to all service areas
• Work closely with business unit and service managers to ensure the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the service and effective implementation of procedures and instructions
• Assist in the annual preparation of the revenue and capital budgets for the services within the Portfolio and to ensure that the corporate financial system is updated and maintained to reflect approved decisions
• Assist in the annual closure of accounts process ensuring compliance with all current statutory and professional accounting codes and financial reporting requirements. Including the preparation of complete, up to date, and accurate final accounts working papers, provision of appropriate evidence to auditors in support of accounting entries and actions taken
• Complete all financial returns and grant claims with supporting working papers promptly, accurately and completely within deadlines set by funding bodies and for audit
• Be responsible for the provision of regular, cyclical and ad-hoc budgetary control information and advice to budget holders and managers at all levels, within agreed timescales and ensuring the needs and requirements of budget holders are met
• Provide intelligent analysis of financial information to cost centre managers to assist in the financial management of services within the Portfolio
• Identify and advise senior management of external funding opportunities and oversee financial bid preparation / claim submission thus ensuring the correct financial management of external funds
• Prepare financial appraisals and performance projections including input to the financial implications of service proposals
• Explore and advise managers on innovative solutions to problems and issues in a pro-active manner
• Respond to and action recommendations raised and agreed with Internal and External Audit, within agreed timescales
• Develop accounting procedures and to assist with the development of management information systems
• Be an effective member of the management team and other working parties / groups and to deputise for the Group Finance Manager as appropriate
• Undertake financial management training for the finance support staff and other non-finance managers as appropriate
• Be responsible for the implementation of the City Council’s personnel policies and procedures for the Finance Team
• Undertake such other duties that are commensurate with the grade of the post
• Develop the City Council’s commitment to equal opportunities and to promote non-discriminatory practices in all aspects of work undertaken

Budget and Financial Responsibility:
• Being fully accountable for managing the council’s resources well and complying with statutory requirements. This includes managing time, avoiding unnecessary waste, reuse and recycle resources to reduce personal impact
• Monitor financial performance and deliver within budget
• Monitor financial performance, deliver within budget and seek savings and efficiencies by exploring opportunities to draw funding where appropriate
• Set, monitor, and remain within budget whilst challenging the team to deliver increased efficiencies
• Explores different options for funding and income generation
• Include details of the value of budget/financial responsibility and what this budget should be use for

Social Value Responsibility:
• Drive for social value through all activities, ensuring wider social, economic and environmental benefits for the council, residents and communities

Physical Demands of the Job:
• This role will require the post holder to sit for long periods of time

Corporate Responsibility:
• Contribute to the delivery of the Council Plan
• Delivering and promoting excellent customer service, externally and internally
• Commitment to customer excellence by dealing with customer feedback, including complaints, and learning from feedback in the drive for continuous improvement
• Making the council a great place to work, living the council’s values, actively engaging in regular communications including team meetings, undertaking training as required and being responsible for managing own performance
• Develop the City Council’s commitment to equal opportunities and to promote non-discriminatory practices in all aspects of work undertaken
• To ensure that all work functions are undertaken in accordance with health and safety legislation, codes of practice and the City Council’s safety plan

Competency Framework:
We operate a competency framework, a set of core behaviours which define how we are expected to approach our work, how we perform in certain situations and how we treat each other. Each competency details the standards of behaviours and skills required by all staff and this in turn supports delivery of our aim and our council plans linking them together with our values.
The post holder will be required to demonstrate the ability to perform at the following competency level 2.
The competency framework can be found here.
This job description is not intended to be either prescriptive or exhaustive. It is issued as a framework to outline the main areas of responsibility. You will be expected to carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required in line with your main duties and changing priorities of the organisation.

Person Specification
Qualification and training
Essential
• A recognised professional accounting qualification (CCAB or equivalent) or suitable qualifying experience

Desirable
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Experience
Essential
• Knowledge of financial software packages, enquiry packages and corporate accounting systems
• Experience of working accurately with procedures and deadlines in a financial environment and providing advice on those procedures
• Experience of and the ability to prepare budgets and final accounts within a framework of recognised accounting standards
• Experience of providing financial information and advice to budget holders/non finance managers
• Experience of carrying out data analysis and cost comparisons
• Experience of preparing government financial returns and grant claims
• Experience of staff management and supervision in a financial environment
• Experience of Local Government Finance and ability to adapt to future developments

Desirable
• Experience of providing budgetary control and unit cost information

Skills/Abilities
Essential
• Excellent communication skills, both orally and in writing, particularly the ability to communicate complex financial issues to managers with a non finance background
• Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team environment representing the finance function and with minimum levels of supervision
• Ability to manage own and other workload
• Ability to contribute to a team working environment
• Ability to analyse and evaluate data
• High level of computer literacy
• Ability to work accurately to deadlines
• Ability to react quickly and decisively to changing work priorities and ability to work under pressure

Desirable
• Ability to manage change
Commitment
Desirable
• An understanding of and a personal commitment to the Vision and Values of Liverpool City Council

If you are interested in this role please do reach out to me via email or telephone!

[e-mail]

020 753 766 07