Strategic Financial Planning and Treasury Accountant

Robertson Bell; Sandwell; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A reputed recruitment agency is seeking a Strategic Financial Planning and Treasury Accountant for Sandwell Council. This permanent role will lead the medium-term financial strategy and budget processes while providing strategic insights. Ideal candidates will possess a full accountancy qualification and a thorough understanding of treasury and cash management, along with experience in a local authority setting. The finance team is focused on development and excellence, making this an exciting time to join.

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Support the Chief Accountant in managing the Financial Planning and Treasury Management function.
• Lead the Council’s medium term financial strategy and budget setting process.
• Oversee the forecasting and reporting of the Council’s key balance sheet items.
• Provide financial planning advice to budget holders and officers.

Skills

Customer focused attitude

Strong relationship building

Financial planning knowledge

Understanding of treasury and cash management

Experience within local authority

Education

Full accountancy qualification

Job description

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.

The Organisation

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, 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 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.

The Role

• 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 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 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.

Qualifications

• 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.

The closing date for applications is 1st February , with interviews due to take place the week commencing 9th February. Applications will be under continuous review before the closing date, so please submit your CV to our exclusive search agent Robertson Bell as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.