Head of Financial Planning and Business Partnering

Permanent Opportunity
Local Government | Senior Finance Leadership

£63,280 to £75,805 plus service manager special allowance of £5,769

Are you an accomplished finance leader looking for an opportunity to shape the financial future of a forward-thinking local authority?

We are seeking an exceptional Head of Financial Planning & Business Partnering to lead the organisation's financial planning, budgeting and business partnering functions. Reporting directly to the Chief Finance Officer, you will play a pivotal role in delivering the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), leading the annual budget-setting process, and providing high-quality financial advice to senior leaders and elected Members.

The Role

As Head of Financial Planning & Business Partnering, you will:

• Lead the annual revenue budget process from planning through to Council approval.
• Develop medium-term financial forecasts and support the delivery of the Medium Term Financial Strategy.
• Drive robust financial planning, budget monitoring and forecasting across all service areas.
• Lead and develop a high-performing team of Finance Business Partners, providing strategic financial support to directors and budget holders.
• Identify financial pressures, savings opportunities and service improvements to support organisational priorities.
• Oversee revenue budget monitoring, financial reporting and statutory returns.
• Lead the revenue closedown process and work closely with Corporate Finance colleagues to support the production of the Statement of Accounts and external audit.
• Build strong relationships with senior stakeholders, elected Members and external partners, providing clear financial insight to support informed decision-making.

About You

We're looking for a strategic and collaborative finance professional who can demonstrate:

• A recognised professional accountancy qualification (ideally CIPFA, although other CCAB qualifications will be considered).
• Significant senior finance leadership experience within local government or a similarly complex public sector environment.
• Extensive knowledge of local authority budgeting, financial planning and financial management.
• Experience of leading Finance Business Partnering teams and influencing strategic decision-making.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to develop, motivate and inspire high-performing teams.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, including experience of presenting to senior leadership teams and elected Members.
• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to translate complex financial information into clear, practical advice.

Why Apply?

This is an outstanding opportunity to join a progressive finance leadership team where you'll have genuine influence over strategic financial planning and organisational performance. You'll play a key role in helping the authority navigate financial challenges while supporting the delivery of high-quality public services.

If you're a commercially minded finance leader with a passion for public service and strategic financial management, we'd love to hear from you.

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.