Job title: Business Change Delivery Lead (Sundry Income/Finance Operations)

Salary: PO6 £49,764 - £52,805

Hours: 37

Contract: Permanent

Location: Civic Hall, Leeds, with opportunity for hybrid working

Internal vacancy. Applications will only be considered from existing Leeds City Council employees.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.

About you:

We are looking for someone who is self-motivated and passionate about business improvement, has at least 3 years’ experience of working with a finance operational team (including Sundry Income collection) who has a good understanding of how digital solutions can improve ways of working coupled with practical experience of supporting digital change.  The detailed job description is attached.

About the role:

An exciting opportunity has arisen to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team involved in improving operations within the Sundry Income Team.  The successful postholder will be involved in supporting the successful implementation and adoption of MS Dynamics F&O and be instrumental in identifying and driving improvements that will enable the service to work in more modern and efficient ways.  The successful candidate will be based in the Sundry Income Team but also work in partnership with the CBT project team and IDS colleagues to ensure successful adoption of the new solution; working with colleagues and end-users to ensure successful implementation of the new Finance system and achieve ongoing business change to achieve more efficient ways of working. The successful postholder will also work with other areas of the service to aid continuous improvement.

The role will involve managing and undertaking activities involved in implementing a new system i.e. solution design, test management, data migration validation, training development and supporting the archiving of historical data.  It will also involve working with the Digital Skills Team to support ongoing development and delivery of training for colleagues and end users across the Council, ensuring the system and process change is successfully embedded. The successful postholder will be responsible for ongoing reviews of business processes and operations to ensure the full potential of the new digital solution is maximised, working with Heads of Service and the Head of Business Change (Finance) and IDS colleagues to identify opportunities for further development and utilisation of Microsoft Dynamics F&O and Power Platform products (e.g. Power Apps).

How to apply

Please complete the online application form.

Read our guidance for further advice. Please check your information carefully and ensure you complete all sections before submitting your application.

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the role please contact Carolyn Jolley, Head of Finance – Business Change, Call - 0113 37 87821 or email – Carolyn.Jolley@leeds.gov.uk

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six-month probationary period.

This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Job Description

Job Purpose: Working as part of the Core Business Transformation Programme Team who are responsible for achieving transformation of the Council’s core business functions (i.e. Finance, Procurement, People, and Payroll) including the design and implementation of new integrated cloud technology.  The post-holder will model the Council’s values and behaviours to help us achieve our ambition of being the best council in the country. You will be expected to play an important role in contributing towards achievement of the Councils priorities by ensuring successful delivery of the aims of the programme.

The business change lead will work positively and collaboratively with all stakeholders across the Council to identify opportunities for transformation, delivering service improvements relating to the Core Business Transformation Programme (including researching service-user feedback, alternative practices and benchmarking data).

The post-holder will work creatively and pro-actively to drive and deliver the activities required to achieve business change and the overall aims of the programme.  You will be responsible for identifying opportunities to realise savings and efficiencies from a range of opportunities, including but not limited to, reviewing and improving core-business related activities across the Council, simplifying and standardising business processes (using user-centred design principles), reviewing service delivery and operating models and the potential for sharing resources where it makes sense, exploiting current and new technology including design and delivery of integrated cloud ERP technology enabling a digital channel shift through use of self-service capabilities and other digital solutions (e.g. telephony, power apps/mobile apps). 

Responsibilities for Grade:

• Deliver the change activities articulated in work package definitions aimed at bringing about required business change, regularly reviewing progress and adapting workplans as required
• Work with affected services to ensure change is effectively embedded to ensure sustained improvement
• Work collaboratively and creatively with all stakeholders to drive and deliver transformational activities associated with various workstreams of the CBT programme
• Establishing and maintaining relationships with stakeholders and other organisations and gather insights and intelligence that can aid benchmarking and inform good practice
• Undertake ‘AS-IS/current state assessments’ to identify opportunities to improve and transform business operational activities and deliver the activities outlined in work packages that will deliver the identified business change and transformation using user-centred design principles
• Contribute to the development of business cases by identifying opportunities for savings and efficiencies
• Work as part of the team procuring external suppliers/consultants who will work with the CBT programme team to design and implement integrated cloud technology and associated business transformation
• Develop and implement a risk-based approach to change delivery; identifying, managing and mitigating risks that support delivery of more cost-effective business processes and/or service delivery models
• Provide progress updates to the CBT Board, assist with development of work package descriptions, business cases and job descriptions for approval where additional resource requirements are needed as we progress through the programme
• Contribute to development and delivery of stakeholder engagement and communications plans and activities
• Be responsible for ensuring that due regard is given to equality matters in planning and delivery of plans and activities
• Be responsible for ensuring that assigned risks and dependencies are appropriately addressed or managed

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION: Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific job purpose and responsibilities:  Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements

Skills Required

• Ability to develop effective working relationships with service managers and stakeholders to ensure business objectives are met; work proactively, independently or as part of cross-functional teams, to identify and deliver service improvements and business change that achieve efficiencies and savings
• Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills with good negotiation and influencing skills and the ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners / professionals
• Advanced problem solving and analytic skills, with ability to identify and overcome barriers and challenges
• Strong business analysis skills - detail-oriented with ability to collate and analyse data from different sources and re-design and implement best-practice business procedures and processes, and work collaboratively with staff and managers to successfully embed proposed changes
• Ability to design and implement a performance management framework that optimises service delivery and drives improvement at a service, team and individual level
• Ability to operate effectively in an environment of ambiguity, uncertainty and complexity and recommend and implement practical solutions
• Ability to design and deliver workforce planning and workforce development activities
• Ability to identify ways of improving processes and systems and of being able to evaluate and support the financial needs of long term/large scale projects
• Be able to attend and actively participate in key project boards and project teams within a Directorate or on a cross-cutting council theme.
• Ability to identify, manage and mitigate risks
• Ability to identify how to digital solutions can improve and transform business operations
• Ability to deliver change using Agile methodology is desirable

Knowledge Required

• Thorough understanding of business operations within at least one of the functional areas within the scope of the Core Business Transformation Programme (i.e. Finance, Payroll, Procure to Pay (including Contract Management), People)
• Thorough understanding and knowledge of change management and project management principles and methodologies (inc Agile approaches)
• Thorough understanding of principles and methodologies in relation to business operations and process improvement, and an understanding how technology can be exploited to optimise efficiency
• Thorough understanding on the benefits and practical application of performance management and continuous improvement processes
• Thorough knowledge of principles and methodologies in relation to staff and customer engagement and stakeholder management
• Knowledge of principles and methodologies in relation to workforce planning and workforce development
• Knowledge of principles and approaches in relation to business analysis and embedding business change
• Knowledge and understanding of how to identify, manage and mitigate risks to service delivery
• Good understanding of the Data Protection Act 1998 in relation to recording, retaining and maintenance of personal data due to the sensitive and confidential nature of the work undertaken
• Knowledge of approaches to business case development and solution implementation, including an understanding of financial and procurement procedures and IT resource commissioning routes.

Experience Required

• Significant proven track record of experience in embedding business change and digital transformation in service delivery to achieve savings and efficiencies
• Significant proven track record of experience in working collaboratively with key stakeholders, establishing and maintaining positive working relationships
• Experience of working within a function currently in scope of the core business transformation programme (i.e. Finance, Procure to Pay (including Contract Lifecycle Management), People).
• Experience of working independently, proactively and as part of cross-functional teams to deliver projects and improvements at a senior level in a large, public-sector organisation
• Experience of delivering business change activities i.e., business analysis, gap analysis, re-designing and implementation revised procedures and processes, stakeholder engagement and communication
• Experience of implementing service planning, performance management and continuous improvement frameworks, making recommendations for improvements based on insights gained from industry-related research and analysis of performance results
• Experience of designing and implementing workforce planning and workforce development strategies and plans
• Experience of identifying, managing and mitigating risks

Behavioural & other Characteristics required

• To demonstrate the council’s values, behaviours and manager habits in all aspects of your day-to-day work.
• To demonstrate an inclusive and engaging leadership style and positively promote the Council’s Equality & Diversity agenda
• To carry out all duties having regard to an employee’s responsibility under the Council’s Health & Safety Policies and Code of Conduct.
• To take ownership of your personal development planning and be willing to actively participate in learning and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge and skills

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