Interim Strategic Finance Partner – SEND Reform

Ackerman Pierce Company; Westhay; On-site; GBP 104,000 - 136,000; Full time

Job summary

Ackerman Pierce is partnering with Somerset Council to recruit an Interim Finance Business Partner to support the SEND Reform Programme. The role focuses on designing and embedding a new financial operating model, strengthening budget management and delivering sustainable reform.

You will work with finance teams, programme leaders and senior stakeholders to ensure financial decisions are robust, transparent and aligned with education department expectations, while shaping the long-term financial

Qualifications

• Recognised professional accountancy qualification (CIPFA/ACCA/CIMA/ACA) or equivalent.
• Experience in financial business partnering or financial transformation.
• Knowledge of local government finance, education finance and DSG budgets.
• Experience building financial operating models, budget frameworks and long-term forecasts.
• Strong financial modelling, analysis and options appraisal capabilities.
• Ability to communicate complex financial matters to senior leaders and boards.
• Experience with SEND financial reform or deficit recovery programmes is valuable.

Responsibilities

• Design and embed a new SEND financial operating model.
• Develop budget-setting, monitoring and forecasting frameworks.
• Lead financial planning for the Experts at Hand grant and deficit management budget.
• Provide financial advice across SEND reform initiatives.
• Develop robust financial models and business cases for reform proposals.
• Prepare clear financial reports for programme boards and Department for Education meetings.
• Support SEND funding policy reviews and banding structures.
• Strengthen financial governance and evidence-based decision-making across the programme.

Skills

Financial modelling

Strategic finance

Stakeholder management

Communication to senior leaders

Education

Professional accountancy qualification (CIPFA/ACCA/CIMA/ACA)

Job description

Ackerman Pierce is partnering with Somerset Council to recruit an Interim Finance Business Partner to support the SEND Reform Programme. The role focuses on designing and embedding a new financial operating model, strengthening budget management and delivering sustainable reform.

You will work with finance teams, programme leaders and senior stakeholders to ensure financial decisions are robust, transparent and aligned with education department expectations, while shaping the long-term financial