Strategic Financial Planning and Treasury Accountant

Sandwell Council; Oldbury; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

A metropolitan borough council in the West Midlands seeks a Strategic Financial Planning and Treasury Accountant. In this key role, you will lead the development of the medium-term financial strategy, oversee budget processes, and provide strategic insights to support decision-making. The ideal candidate will have a full accountancy qualification and proven experience within a local authority. Join a growing finance team committed to excellence and professional development.

Benefits

Career development opportunities

A commitment to excellence in public service

Membership support for CIPFA

Qualifications

• Proven experience within a local authority.
• Desire to learn and experience in financial planning in a large and complex organisation.
• Thorough understanding of treasury and cash management.

Responsibilities

• Support the Chief Accountant in leading the financial planning function.
• Be the primary advisor on financial planning and treasury management.
• Lead the Council’s medium term financial strategy.
• Coordinate the annual budget setting process.
• Oversee the forecasting and reporting of key balance sheet items.

Skills

Customer focused attitude

Strong relationship building

Motivational leadership

Financial planning expertise

Treasury management knowledge

Education

Full accountancy qualification

Job description

• Support the Chief Accountant in the motivational leadership of the Financial Planning and Treasury Management Accounting function ensuring clarity of direction, effective communication and the development of employee's full potential.
• Be the primary expert on financial planning and treasury management issues and be the primary advisor on this subject matter to the senior finance management including Council's statutory Section 151 Officer.
• Lead on the Council's medium term financial strategy, ensuring changes in national and local government policy are incorporated within the financial models, and be responsible for assisting the Deputy Section 151 Officer to incorporate the outputs within the relevant Corporate Reports to Leadership Team and Councillors.
• Lead on the co‑ordination of the annual budget setting process including drafting of relevant reports for consideration by Leadership team and Councillors.
• Oversee the forecasting and reporting of the Council's key balance sheet items ensuring that budgetary decisions remain prudent.
• Ensure that specialist financial planning advice is provided to budget holders and officers in other parts of finance to support decision making and financial modelling of major business cases.
• Lead a team of three direct and six indirect reports, providing development and training opportunities.
• Full accountancy qualification.
• Thorough understanding of treasury and cash management.
• Desire to learn / experience in financial planning in a large and complex organisation.
• Customer focused attitude and the ability to build strong relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Proven experience within a local authority.
• Sandwell Council is partnering with Robertson Bell in the recruitment of a Strategic Financial Planning and Treasury Accountant on a permanent basis. This is a key role which will not only lead in the development of the medium‑term financial strategy and budget setting processes, but also in providing strategic insights across the authority to help inform decision making.

About Sandwell Council

Sandwell is a metropolitan borough in the Black Country, which is made up of six towns - Oldbury, Rowley Regis, Smethwick, Tipton, Wednesbury and West Bromwich. Located in the West Midlands, Sandwell borders Birmingham city, Dudley borough, Walsall borough and Wolverhampton city. The borough has excellent access to the national motorway network with five junctions feeding in to the M5 and M6 motorways serving the South West, South East and North West regions of the UK. Sandwell also benefits from a mainline train station - Sandwell and Dudley and the Midland Metro. The borough has 1,200 hectares of parks, playing fields and local green space, and over 30 miles of canals. Sandwell Council is on a powerful journey of improvement and transformation. Having become the fastest council ever to exit intervention, and shortlisted for Most Improved Council at the 2025 LGC Awards, they are proud of the progress they're making and the direction they're heading. The Finance team is growing and ambitious, with a strong focus on learning and development, supporting colleagues to build rewarding careers while helping shape outstanding public services. As they work towards becoming a CIPFA‑accredited employer, this is an exciting time to join a team that values talent, invests in people, and is committed to excellence.