Financial Sustainability Consultant

Role: Financial Sustainability Consultant

Location: Remote Working - willingness to travel nationwide on occasion

Duration: 6 months minimum

Day rate: Salary - £68,720 as a starting point

Experienced Financial Consultant sought for a public sector organisation based in the South West of England and/or London, on an interim basis for a period of twelve months.

You will be experienced in making recommendations where financial management requires improvement. You will be responsible for aiding the delivery of and advising on significant savings through designing more streamlined and effective services.

The Financial Sustainability Consultant will be responsible for:

• Undertake a detailed review of financial/other data and modelling output relating to individual providers (on a case-by-case basis) where financial sustainability risk is greater
• Engage with senior management at individual providers, particularly financial directors (or equivalent) and accountable officers, on how they are managing financial risks, and preparing for risks crystallising. Ensure the organisation has an up-to-date understanding of providers' finances, contingency plans, and capacity to adapt to financial risks
• Provide expert advice, supported by evidence, about the financial management of providers in the context of financial risks
• Seek assurance over the capacity of individual providers to manage financial risks. Provide objective and expert review of the stress testing/scenario planning and the financial risk management plans at individual providers. Challenge the strength of these activities and the reasonableness of plans
• Make formal recommendations where financial management requires improvement (if necessary, creating new specific conditions of registration) and follow up to ensure those recommendations are implemented in good time
• Where appropriate, undertake reactive engagement and investigations in relation to [financial] reportable events or other incidents relating to the financial health of an individual.

In discharging these responsibilities, the post holder is expected to:

• Ensure that the organisation considers the principles of best regulatory practice, that regulatory activities should be (i) transparent, accountable, proportionate and consistent, and (ii) targeted only at cases in which action is needed.
• Deliver effective regulation in practice, implementing arrangements for effective decision-making on financial matters, setting risk appetite, and leading the development of regulatory capabilities within the team.

Management and governance

• Engage with and review the quality of management and governance of providers as it relates to the management of provider financial viability and sustainability. Seek assurance that there are sufficient skills and robust management/data systems to support providers in securing financial sustainability for the benefit of students
• Make appropriate recommendations for improvement and monitor improvement plans
• Consider the implications for condition D (financial viability and sustainability) assessment for individual providers.

Market Exit casework

• Provide expert financial advice in relation to market exit risks at relevant providers.
• Monitor and scrutinise financial plans at providers where market exit risk is greater, making recommendations where appropriate.
• Model the financial implications of market exit options as they relate to individual cases.
• Engage appropriately with relevant stakeholders, including government, funders, lenders, auditors, advisors etc, where appropriate.

The ideal candidate for the Financial Sustainability Consultant the role should ideally have:

Essential:

• Qualified Accountant and financial management (essential)
• Auditing/ financial interrogation
• Senior Management
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Relationship management.

Desirable:

• Good understanding of HE sectors and HE sector finances
• Corporate Governance
• Regulation
• Project management
• Restructuring experience
• Insolvency experience.

If you would like to apply for this Financial Stability Consultant role or would like to find out more, please apply online or contact Rebecca Dawson. Our client is looking for someone to start this role, ideally as soon as possible; we expect this to be around the beginning of November.

Sellick Partnership is proud to be an inclusive and accessible recruitment business and we support applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances. Please note, our advertisements use years' experience, hourly rates, and salary levels purely as a guide and we assess applications based on the experience and skills evidenced on the CV. For information on how your personal details may be used by Sellick Partnership, please review our data processing notice on our website.