West Berkshire Council, permanent
Job description, key responsibilities and experience
Salary: £73,294 to £79,974
Closing date: Thursday 29 May 2025
Are you an experienced and dynamic leader in financial management and service delivery, looking for an exciting opportunity to make a significant impact within a forward-thinking local authority?
West Berkshire Council is seeking a Service Lead for Financial Management, to join our Finance and Property Service, reporting to the Service Director Finance, Property & Procurement.
The Role
As the Service Lead for Financial Management, Revenues & Benefits, you will play a crucial role in ensuring the effective management and delivery of financial services across the Council. You will be responsible for leading a team of dedicated professionals, overseeing the financial management of key services including revenues, benefits, and payroll.
Your key responsibilities will include:
- Ensuring accurate and timely financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting
- Leading and motivating a team to deliver high-quality financial services
- Providing expert financial advice and guidance to service leads and senior managers
- Overseeing the operation of the revenues and benefits service, ensuring compliance with legislation and delivering excellent customer service
- Managing external relationships with HMRC and other relevant organisations
The ideal candidate will possess the following skills and attributes:
- Extensive experience in financial management within a local authority or similar environment
- A proven track record of leading and managing teams to deliver high-quality services
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and advise at all levels
- In-depth knowledge of financial legislation, regulations, and best practices
- Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities
West Berkshire Council offer excellent employment benefits such as:
- Flexible working wherever possible between the hours of 07.00-19.00
- Hybrid working wherever possible working 40% in the office
- Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities
- Generous Local Government pension scheme
- Family friendly policies
- A range of local discounts
- Wellbeing Programme including Employee Assistance Programme and employee benefits
- You will also be entitled to a generous annual leave entitlement starting at 30 days per annum (plus public holidays) Rising by an additional 5 days after 5 years’ service.
Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
This post is a Sensitive Post for the purpose of the Local Government Housing Act 1989 and the post-holder is therefore restricted from engaging in any prescribed political activities. In summary, this means that you are prohibited from holding political office and from involvement in any political activity within or outside the workplace. Full details of the restrictions can be found in the Council’s Policy and Guidance on Politically Restricted Posts.
Join us at West Berkshire Council and make a positive impact in our community while advancing your career.
How to apply
Apply via the Penna website.
For further information or a confidential discussion, please contact our retained consultant at Penna, Andreas Efthymiou, on 07546 415 794 or email Andreas.Efthymiou@Penna.com
Equal opportunities
The Council supports Equal Opportunity of employment and positively encourages applications from people who fall within any of the nine protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010.