Job title: Senior Finance Manager

Salary: PO6 £51, 356 - £54,495 pro-rata

Hours: 18.5 hours per week (part-time Job Share)

Contract: Permanent

Location: Leeds City Council - Civic Hall 1-2 days a week (pro-rata) with hybrid working offered.

Leeds is made up of 812,000 people - from a diverse range of backgrounds, speaking over 175 different languages.  A city with a unique geography - a vibrant urban centre surrounded by towns, villages and more rural areas, each with their own distinct history and character. We are proud to be a welcoming city, where our rich culture and diversity is celebrated and accessible for all. Every person in Leeds counts and should have the opportunity to contribute their strengths to Team Leeds. 

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

As a Senior Finance Manager in Financial Services you’ll thrive on working in a professional, enthusiastic and supportive team, who care about making a difference through high quality service delivery and continuous improvement. 

We are seeking to appoint a Senior Finance Manager to support the strategic finance function to the Council.

About you

As a Senior Finance Manager:

• You must be a fully qualified accountant, holding a relevant CCAB or equivalent qualification, and have experience of working at a senior level within a finance setting.
• You can build credible, collaborative relationships with senior officers and other stakeholders, understanding their needs but providing challenge where needed.
• You have good analytical and communication skills and use these to present clear financial information and options to decision makers.
• You can work independently to solve problems, and plan and prioritise your work to meet deadlines.
• You can lead a small team of Finance Managers helping them to focus on the priorities and motivate them to fulfil their full potential
• You have a good knowledge of core finance processes required for a local authority
• Experience of capital accounting/ finance business partnering (desirable)

We are looking for an enthusiastic and proactive individual to join us as a Senior Finance Manager in our highly regarded Financial Services team.

About the Senior Finance Manager role:

You will work closely with a portfolio of services, providing high quality financial information and advice, using your business acumen to help senior leaders develop innovative transformation solutions.

You will be expected to build and manage strong relationships with Chief Officers who deliver front line council services, supporting them in developing, delivering and monitoring robust budget plans as well as providing professional guidance on sound financial management. The focus of this role is on the capital portfolio.

What we offer you

We take pride in offering the best employee experience, with benefits including:

• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further

We have a strong track record of helping people develop their Finance careers, alongside our commitment to improving diversity and wellbeing. In addition to training, development and mentoring, employees can also gain experience in our different Finance teams (the job description for this vacancy shows two different roles at the PO6 grade and reflects this flexibility).

You can also take advantage of our various flexible working patterns including our ‘hybrid’ working model. Staff within Financial Services at present have the option to work both in the office and from home, with an average of 1-2 days per week worked from the office depending on business need.

How to apply

In-person interviews scheduled for 18th and 21st November 2025

To give yourself the best chance of being shortlisted for interview, please ensure you describe how you meet the essential requirements for the role, using appropriate examples where appropriate.

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

If you have any queries or would like an informal chat about the roles, please contact:

• Sophie Bennet, Head of Finance Strategic 0113 535 2834 or email Sophie.Bennet@leeds.gov.uk

We welcome applications from everyone and actively seek a diverse range of applicants from all backgrounds and cultures. We particularly encourage applications from, but not limited to, women, carers, veterans as well as LGBT+, ethnically diverse, disabled and care experienced people. 

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, 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, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Ensure you are eligible before applying.

Job Description

Job Purpose: Working as part of the team providing a comprehensive financial management service to either directorate facing or central corporate functions, the post-holder will model the Council’s values and behaviours in order to help us achieve our ambition of being the best council in the country. By helping make sure that financial information is placed at the heart of decision-making, the Senior Finance Business Partner / Senior Finance Manager role plays an important role in ensuring that the council is both enterprising and efficient.   The Senior Finance Business Partner / Senior Finance Manager will support transformational programmes of work, working across organisational boundaries to deliver required outcomes.

The post-holder will report to a Principal Finance Business partner or Head of Finance and will directly line manage a small number of Finance Business Partners / Finance Managers in the delivery of a range of financial services including:

• Provision of expert financial advice and management information to officers and members in order to support effective decision-making.
• Collaboration with directorate senior officers and budget-holders to produce:
• Annual revenue and capital budgets.
• Budget Action Plans and Contingency Plans.
• Timely and accurate in-year budget monitoring reports and financial health reports encompassing both revenue and capital budgets.
• Service Plans/Business plans incorporating ‘rolling’ medium term financial forecasts that align with directorate operational plans and priorities.
• Provision of financial information and analysis to support investment/disinvestment decisions and the development of complex business cases
• Promoting the efficient and effective stewardship of assets and resources, for example by supporting directorate-based senior officers to implement the recommendations of Internal Audit
• Preparation of year-end accounts and other financial returns  

Responsibilities for Grade:

• Manage a small number of Finance Managers delivering a range of financial support services to a Directorate or a corporate finance function.
• Support the Finance Leadership Team to embed a strong culture of performance management.
• Display excellent customer focus and emotional intelligence, effectively role-modelling the Council’s core values and behaviours expected of senior managers.
• Develop and maintain professional working relationships with members and directorate-based senior managers, fulfilling the role of ‘Trusted Advisor’, challenging and influencing operational decision-makers to ensure that financial considerations are placed at the heart of decision-making.
• Co-ordinate month-end/year-end financial processes and reporting in line with organisational deadlines.
• Ensure there is appropriate alignment between directorate Service Plans and Medium Term Financial Plans.
• Provide strategic financial advice and guidance to elected members and Chief Officers, representing the financial management service at Directorate Leadership Team meetings as and when required.
• Evaluate existing service provision taking into account of feedback and broader external developments, to ensure innovative solutions are proposed to maximise service quality, efficiency and continuity.
• Work with managers, service representatives and partners to identify and apply cost effective means of delivering improvements to business processes and strategies.

Qualifications

Hold a relevant CCAB qualification and have experience of working at a senior level within a finance setting

Evidence of continuous professional development

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 role duties 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

• Strong written and oral communication and interpersonal skills with sound negotiation and influencing skills and the ability to work collaboratively with internal and external partners / professionals.
• Advanced problem solving and analytic skills.
• Ability to work in cross functional teams to deliver projects and support the development of complex financial business cases.
• Ability to develop effective working relationships with members and directorate-based senior managers and other finance professionals to ensure business and financial objectives are met.
• Ability to operate effectively in an environment of volatility, ambiguity, uncertainty and complexity and recommend practical solutions
• Ability to identify ways of improving financial 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 within the Directorate or on a cross cutting council them

Knowledge Required 

• Up to date knowledge of current financial and accounting developments.
• Thorough understanding of core financial business processes including budget planning, budget monitoring and reporting.
• Thorough knowledge and understanding of the specific financial and business context facing a service directorate.
• Have an understanding of and be able to support the implementation of new technology.
• Understanding of managers’ responsibility for health and safety

Experience Required

• Experience of working at a senior level in the finance function of a large organisation,
• Experience of leading, developing and motivating teams including the identification and delivery of improvements within the finance service, managing risks, conflict and changes appropriately.
• Experience of successful coaching, mentoring and developing staff.
• Experience of working in cross functional teams to deliver projects.
• Experience of working with non-finance teams and shared services to influence them to implement best financial working practices

Behavioural & other Characteristics required

• Take ownership of own personal development
• Understands how to inspire and motivate others
• Customer driven
• Can do positive attitude

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