Interim Strategic Finance Lead

Essex County Council; Basildon; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Essex County Council is seeking an Interim Strategic Finance Lead to support Basildon Council on a critical financial improvement programme. The role requires strategic financial leadership, rapid delivery of controls and processes, and close collaboration with senior leaders to stabilise the overspend and plan for 2027-8.

The successful candidate will oversee budget planning, MTFS development, and transformational activities across governance, procurement and commercial income, with a proven

Qualifications

• Qualified finance professional with CCAB/CIPFA or equivalent.
• Significant senior-level financial management experience.
• Strong programme and project management capability.
• Excellent report-writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to influence and challenge senior leaders constructively.
• Strong commercial awareness and business acumen.
• Ability to work at pace and manage competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic financial leadership across budgeting, transformation, and invest-to-save initiatives.
• Lead on budget planning, financial recovery and MTFS alignment.
• Oversee governance, procurement and contract management improvements.
• Develop and implement robust financial controls and performance measures.
• Collaborate with senior stakeholders, Members and service directors.

Education

CCAB/CIPFA or equivalent qualification

Job description

Essex County Council (ECC) are delighted to be supporting Basildon Council to recruit an Interim Strategic Finance Lead. Please note his is a temporary opportunity for a period of 3 months, with the expectation of being in the office a minimum of 2 days per week., The council faces three main challenges - addressing our overspend, creating a budget for 2027-8 and having the plans to mitigate future budget pressures. We need someone who can help us address the immediate and give us a plan for the future. We are seeking an experienced and highly credible finance professional to lead a programme of critical financial improvement and transformation activity across the Council. This is about rapid implementation and putting in the relevant controls and processes to implement at pace. The role will work closely with the 151 and AD of finance to help us set a future budget and support rapid improvements to our overspend position. Working closely with senior leaders, Members and service directors, you will provide strategic financial leadership across budget planning, transformation, commercial activity, investment opportunities and organisational change. This is an exciting opportunity for an individual who can combine strategic thinking with practical delivery, bringing strong financial expertise, commercial acumen and change management experience., You will need to work with a range of key service areas. You will support activity relating to: Budget Planning and Financial Recovery

• Developing an overall budget planning timetable to ensure timely approval through the Council's governance framework.
• Leading the management of urgent financial issues that relate to budget overspends, working with services to identify and deliver mitigation plans.
• Introducing and managing urgent financial measures to improve financial resilience and budget performance.
• Supporting the development of ideas and strategies to address the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) and ensuring alignment with wider organisational modernisation programmes.

Financial Sustainability and Performance

• Implementing a solution and associated process to address outstanding invoices, debt management and improving collection performance.
• Identifying commercial opportunities and strengthening the Council's approach to commercial income, fees and charges.
• Identifying and assessing opportunities for investment that improve financial returns, service efficiency and value for money.
• Evaluating performance challenges that may require targeted investment and developing financially robust business cases.

Strategic Financial Planning

• Providing financial oversight and analysis of regeneration programmes, investment commitments and future development proposals.
• Supporting financial profiling of restructuring activity, workforce planning and reviews of agency staffing arrangements, ensuring opportunities for both efficiencies and invest-to-save initiatives are fully evaluated.

Governance, Procurement and Transformation

• Supporting the introduction and development of a Procurement Board.
• Supporting the work to review existing contracts, procurement pipelines and contract management arrangements to maximise value and reduce financial risk.

You will be a qualified finance professional (CCAB/CIPFA or equivalent) with substantial experience of leading complex financial improvement programmes within a large and politically accountable organisation.

You will be able to demonstrate:

Essential Experience

• Significant senior-level financial management experience.
• Experience of budget recovery, financial sustainability planning and transformation programmes.
• Developing and delivering Medium-Term Financial Strategies.
• Managing financial risks, overspends and recovery plans.
• Leading organisational change and service transformation initiatives.
• Strong commercial and investment appraisal experience.
• Experience of working with senior stakeholders, elected Members and governance boards.
• Contract, procurement and commissioning knowledge.
• Workforce and organisational restructuring financial assessment.

Essential Skills and Knowledge

• Excellent strategic financial planning and analytical skills.
• Strong programme and project management capability.
• Ability to influence and challenge senior leaders constructively.
• Strong commercial awareness and business acumen.
• Excellent report‑writing and presentation skills.
• Ability to work at pace, manage competing priorities and deliver outcomes within challenging timescales.

Desirable

• CIPFA qualification.
• Experience leading financial improvement within a council facing significant financial challenges.
• Knowledge of regeneration financing, capital programmes and investment strategies.

This role requires a resilient and pragmatic leader who can quickly understand complex issues, establish credibility with stakeholders and drive meaningful improvements. You will have a proven track record of delivering financial recovery, transformation and sustainable change in a challenging environment.

Basildon Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults, and expects all employees, contractors and volunteers to share its commitment to prevent abuse, harm or exploitation. The Council applies a robust recruitment vetting process. If you are successful you will need to undergo a Pre-employment Vetting Procedure.