Strategic Finance Lead — Budgeting & Performance

Bradford Corporation; Bradford; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Bradford Council's Finance Department is seeking a Senior Finance Officer to join the management accounting team. The role supports the council's strategic plans and financial sustainability, working closely with finance managers to deliver a best‑in‑class service.

You will contribute to financial planning, budgeting, and year-end processes, support training and development, and help drive continuous improvement across a diverse city.

Responsibilities

• Work with Budget Managers to assist with costing and help identify and confirm areas of potential pressures and savings.
• Listen to service customers and provide timely information and advice, offering solutions as required.
• Anticipate and identify financial issues affecting the business, help managers to ensure net expenditure is within budget, and elevate any business issues not resolved by Service Managers.
• Contribute to regular monthly meetings with business areas to challenge and scrutinise (offer critical evaluation of) monitoring figures.
• Undertake service analysis to support the year-end position and the Accounts.
• Contribute to financial modelling of new services or changes to existing services, and work with business areas and/or third parties to enhance financial and business performance.
• Provide support to Budget Managers during budget preparation, monthly monitoring, year-end and closure of accounts, and help them to understand the financial information required and processes to be followed.
• Ensure that all cashbook, budgeting and year-end accounting procedures are complied with, including the operation of financial policies and controls, Financial Regulations and Standing Orders.
• Prepare, analyse and interpret financial and other service performance information to influence and enable managers to make the correct operational decisions.
• Ensure the Council’s income and expenditure is correctly accounted for in line with legislative requirements and Council policies and procedures.
• Support service departments and budget holders by providing a comprehensive financial support service which will include budget profiling and forecasting with links to performance management information.
• Prepare and present reports as required.
• Represent the Strategic Finance Manager and Finance Manager on internal working groups and project teams.
• Organise, deliver and participate in training events to improve the skills, knowledge and understanding of financial and non‑financial managers.
• Undertake supervision of finance officers and apprentices as and when required.
• Promote continuous improvement by maintaining knowledge of relevant guidance, ensuring quality and consistency of financial information and promoting governance and risk management awareness and the maximising of resources to improve value for money.

Job description

Bradford Council's Finance Department is seeking a Senior Finance Officer to join the management accounting team. The role supports the council's strategic plans and financial sustainability, working closely with finance managers to deliver a best‑in‑class service.

You will contribute to financial planning, budgeting, and year-end processes, support training and development, and help drive continuous improvement across a diverse city.