Finance Head jobs in United Kingdom

Application Deadline: 14 July 2025

Department: Corporate Services

Location: Torbay Council

Compensation: £27,711 - £30,060 / year

Description

Job Description & Person Specification >

There has never been a better time to join our team at Torbay Council. We have a real momentum building and have a shared sense of purpose and ambition. Torbay is a fantastic place to live, work and visit, offering unrivalled quality of life for individuals and families.

We are looking to appoint an enthusiastic and motivated individual to the role of PA to the Director of Finance and Director of Corporate Services. This role will bring you to the heart of our organisation working directly with our Director of Finance and Director of Corporate Services and their Teams.

We want to see a healthy, happy and prosperous Torbay, if you do too join us.

If you like a role that offers variety and each working day to be different, then this job is for you. We are a small unitary authority which means we can make things happen quickly and there’s always something new and interesting happening.

You will need to be an experienced PA who is organised, has excellent written and verbal communication skills and be flexible with a positive and warm approach. Working with our Director of Finance and Director of Corporate Services, as well as the Chief Executive and other directors, will provide you an insight into how a local authority operates and provide an immense sense of job satisfaction at the end of each day.

You won’t be alone, you’ll be part of our Governance Support Team, working alongside a team of PA’s working together.

This role can accommodate office based or hybrid working depending on your preference. We have a whole host of benefits such as a flexible working scheme, a commitment to your wellbeing and the Local Government Pension Scheme. Sometimes there might be the need for you to work after traditional office hours, but our flexi scheme means you’ll be entitled to take those hours back at a later date.

If you are interested, we would love to hear from you.

If you are viewing this advert on a job board, you can access the full job description by placing the below URL into your browser:
https://www.torbay.gov.uk/council/jobs/job-descriptions/pa-to-director-of-finance-and-director-of-corporate-services/

For an informal chat please contact Teresa Buckley on 01803 207013 or teresa.buckley@torbay.gov.uk.

Interviews are expected to be conducted during the week commencing 27th July 2025.

Our adverts do sometimes close early - even where there's a published deadline - so if you're keen, please apply as soon as possible.

Skills

Essential:

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, together with a positive, warm and flexible approach. Persuasive, discreet and able to communicate effectively with a wide range of people, including high profile partners in the private and public sectors and senior representatives of the Council as well as members of the Public.
• Ability to work with challenging, conflicting and tight deadlines, and to determine appropriate priorities with a flexible approach and ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities to ensure tasks are completed on time without supervision.
• Highly proficient in the use of Information and Communication Technology including MS Office and other relevant systems, as well as excellent keyboard skills.
• Ability to maintain good relationships with colleagues and customers and forge effective working relationships.
• Commitment to providing high level of customer service.

As this post meets the requirements of the Immigration Act 2016 (part 7), the ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.

Knowledge

Essential:

• A broad understanding of local government structures.
• Highly proficient working knowledge of Microsoft Office and associated programmes.
• An in-depth knowledge of a range of specialist administrative and organisational procedures, e.g., production of reports, speeches, letters, presentations, travel arrangements and organisation of meetings and events.
• Ability to quickly understand the relevant terms of reference for meetings within the Council’s constitution to ensure that appropriate constitutional advice can be provided to participants.
• Full understanding of the role of Personal Assistant.
  
  

Experience & Qualifications

Essential:

• Experience of providing high levels of professional support, e.g., diary management, production of letters, speeches, presentations and other correspondence.
• Experience of providing high level customer service and working with clients who may be challenging.
• Experience of supporting meetings, documenting minutes and ensuring actions are recorded.
• Educated to NVQ Level 4 standard or equivalent.
• ECDL or equivalent experience.