Senior Finance Specialist – Children’s Services

This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated and experienced individual to join us as a key member of the Council’s Finance team.                                     

The role reports to the Finance Business Partner for Children’s Service and acts as support on all financial matters relating to Children’s Services, providing timely and high quality strategic and technical financial advice.

To be successful in this role you will have proven experience of local government finance, in particular the complexities of Children’s Social Care, and share a commitment to continuous improvement.

Wokingham Borough Council offers excellent employment benefits such as flexible working, local government pension scheme, and a generous annual leave entitlement. We are currently working remotely and will continue to support more flexible working when we do return to the office post Covid.

Key Duties, Responsibilities & Accountabilities:

• budget setting, budget monitoring, year-end closedown and statutory returns
• provide support and advice to budget managers, promoting strong financial governance
• preparation and presentation of reports to Management Teams
• provide advice and support on legislative and guidance changes
• to be the Finance representative on multi-disciplinary groups, such as projects under the Council’s continuous improvement programme
• assisting with delivery of training, such as to budget managers and council colleagues

Skills, Attributes & Experience required: 

• qualified / part qualified accountant, or able to demonstrate ‘qualification by experience’
• experience of Children’s Social Care is essential
• have an outstanding track record in delivering a customer focused service
• excellent verbal, written and presentation skills
• excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Word, Outlook, PowerPoint and Excel
• ability to operate in large, complex and political organisations

Wokingham Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff, other workers and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks along with other relevant employment checks.

Wokingham is an equal opportunities employer.

Interested in the role and want to know more?

For an informal discussion please contact: Lynne Samuel, Finance Business Partner for Children’s Services; 07766998686 or lynne.samuel@wokingham.gov.uk

Closing date: 11pm, 14^th March 2021

Interview date: Tuesday 30^th March 2021