Assistant Director, Finance (Shared Services)

We are looking for an exceptional finance professional who will lead our finance and shared service provision for multiple councils and stakeholders, playing a pivotal role in shaping our future at Publica as we approach our tenth birthday. You will bring extensive experience and be highly skilled in strategic and transactional finance, and shared service provision incorporating Council Tax, Business Rates and Benefits Administration across councils and third parties, which will complement the strong technical expertise already in place across the organisation. You will be committed to delivering high-quality, value-driven services that leverage the best of both public and commercial environments. You will work directly with senior leaders, elected members and Board-level stakeholders, providing strategic advice and guidance to ensure we have robust governance arrangements, drive innovation, improve performance and shape long-term strategy within a complex and evolving environment. As part of the senior leadership team, you'll be trusted to challenge thinking, bring fresh ideas and shape the future of the finance and shared service provision, as well as representing Publica, its services and operating model in both Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire to help prepare for the outcomes of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). We are in a period of significant change in the Public Sector, so you will need to be a leader who can take people on the journey, create clarity and inspire confidence during this period of transformation and opportunity as we seek to re-wire local government services with our partners This is a rare opportunity to combine strategic influence with hands-on leadership in a highly visible role, offering significant scope to shape organisational direction while gaining career-defining experience. The position also presents a clear pathway for progression to a Board-level Executive role. Some of the key areas of responsibility and projects include:

• Driving the continued evolution and improvement of our shared services across our partnership
• Leading finance systems modernisation, including ERP transformation and automation initiatives
• Preparing services and people for the potential delivery of LGR (or other outcomes), and representing Publica and its operating model in LGR programmes across Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire
• Improving service performance, efficiency and customer experience across finance and other transactional services
• Providing strategic advice and guidance to the Board, senior leaders, and Council Section 151 Officers
• Leading multidisciplinary teams across finance, revenues & benefits, treasury and transactional services
• Embedding a culture of innovation, continuous improvement and high performance
This role offers a unique combination of strategic influence, operational leadership and transformational impact, providing an outstanding opportunity for an ambitious leader looking to shape the future of public sector services.

We are looking for a credible, commercially minded and forward-thinking finance leader who can operate confidently within a complex environment and build strong relationships across a wide range of stakeholders. You will bring:
• A recognised professional accountancy qualification (CCAB/CIPFA or equivalent)
• Significant senior-level finance leadership experience, preferably in the public sector
• Experience operating at executive, board or committee level
• A strong track record of leading transformation, improvement and change programmes
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills
• The ability to balance strategic leadership with operational delivery
• A collaborative and resilient leadership style
• Strong commercial awareness and a focus on outcomes and continuous improvement
Special conditions:
• Ability to travel
• BPSS
• This post designated as politically restricted in accordance with the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Politically restricted post holders are restricted from canvassing on behalf of a political party or for a person who is, or seeks to be, a candidate for election to a local authority, the House of Commons, or the European Parliament.