Finance Business Partner - Children's Services

We have an exciting opportunity for a motivated and experienced Finance Business Partner, to join us on a 2 year fixed term contrat as a key member of the Council’s Finance team.                                     

The role will report to the Finance Business Partner for Children’s Service, providing strategic support on all financial matters relating to SEND and High Needs Block, including timely and high quality financial advice to a range of budget managers and to the Safety Valve Programme.

To be successful in this role you will have proven experience of finance in a complex organisation and share a commitment to continuous improvement. The ideal candidate will have a background in schools finance with a good working knowledge of SEND and High Needs Block funding arrangements and the challenges that brings.

Wokingham Borough Council offers excellent employment benefits including flexible working, an enhanced local government pension scheme, generous annual leave entitlement and much more. The finance team currently operate a hybrid working arrangement, with time split between home and Council’s offices.

Key Duties, Responsibilities & Accountabilities:

• Lead on budget setting, budget monitoring, year-end closedown and statutory returns
• Provide support and advice to a range of stakeholders, promoting strong financial governance
• Preparation and presentation of reports to senior leadership team(s) and elected members
• Prepare and present reports to Schools Forum
• Provide advice and support on legislative and guidance changes
• To be the Finance representative on multi-disciplinary groups, in particular for the Council’s Safety Valve Programme
• Assisting with delivery of training, such as to budget managers / other council colleagues

Skills, Attributes & Experience required: 

• Qualified accountant, or able to demonstrate ‘qualification by experience’
• Good working knowledge of DSG / High Needs Block finance
• An outstanding track record in delivering a customer focused service
• Excellent verbal and written skills
• Excellent IT skills, including Microsoft Teams, Excel, Outlook, Word and PowerPoint
• 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: Emma Shrimpton at Emma.Shrimpton@wokingham.gov.uk

Closing date: 18^th June 2023, 11pm
Interview date: Week commencing 19^th June 2023

Please note, we will be reviewing applications daily, and if suitable candidates are identified this advert may close before the closing date.

Whilst this is a fixed term contract appointment, for anyone already employed by Wokingham Borough Council this would be classed as a secondment if successful.  Therefore, the usual permission requests for secondments apply and you must speak to your line manager in the first instance before applying.