Head of Finance

Overview

We are delighted to bring forward two Head of Finance roles at Buckinghamshire Council.

• Head of Finance – 12-month fixed term or secondment supporting Reporting, Resources and Assistant Chief Executive Directorates
• Head of Finance – 18 months to 2-year fixed term or secondment supporting Education and DSG (including High Needs)

As Head of Finance, you will lead a significant finance service area, providing strategic financial leadership, insight and professional expertise to support the Council’s ambitions and priorities. You will play a key role in shaping organisational strategy, driving financial sustainability, supporting transformation and change, and ensuring that decision-making is underpinned by robust financial planning, management and reporting.

Working within a complex and large-scale environment, you will provide thought leadership and innovation, ensuring compliance with all statutory, constitutional and financial control requirements while helping to deliver efficient, effective and value-for-money services for residents.

As an active member of both the Finance and Directorate Senior Leadership Teams, you will share collective responsibility for leadership, performance and continuous improvement. You will lead and develop a high-performing finance team, work collaboratively across services and directorates, and champion a culture of strong financial management, partnership working and professional excellence across the Council.

As Head of Finance, you will report into the Assistant Chief Finance Officer for Financial Analysis & Business Partnering and you will be an integral member of the relevant Directorate Leadership Teams, working closely with the Corporate Director and s151 officer. Primary responsibilities include:

• Lead and manage the finance teams to deliver an effective finance service that works in partnership with the service to achieve excellent financial management
• Provide assurance around the delivery of the statutory s151 financial responsibilities.
• Provide professional support, advice and guidance to Members, Corporate Director, Schools Forum and other Senior officers.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

Our Finance team plays a vital role in delivering the Council’s strategic vision. We support the Corporate Management Team, Cabinet, and key committees with expert financial insight and guidance. From shaping long-term financial strategies and setting budgets, to business partnering, procurement support, and statutory reporting—we’re at the heart of sound financial decision-making across the organisation.

About the role

Head of Finance x1 - supporting Reporting, Resources & Assistant Chief Executive

As a senior finance leader at the heart of the Council, you will oversee financial reporting to the Corporate Management Team and Cabinet, ensuring clear insight into budgets, savings delivery and financial performance.

You will also lead finance support for the Council's central services, including Resources and the Assistant Chief Executive directorate, helping to drive sound financial management and decision-making across these areas.

Head of Finance x1 – supporting Education & DSG

This is a crucial role and exciting opportunity to drive forward our improvement journey within our financial services to Education, DSG and Schools teams and deliver key change activities such as our Children’s & Families improvement programme, alongside the Government’s SEND reforms. We are looking for an experienced Head of Finance to work in close partnership with and the Children’s Service Leadership team, Members, Senior Finance officers, and Schools Forum.

Please see the attached job summary for further information on these positions and the person specification criteria.

As a Finance team, we are committed to providing high quality professional services. Our team works collaboratively to manage and deliver an excellent service and despite this we continually strive for improvements, valuing innovation and a proactive approach to make the service the best it possibly can be.  Our vision is

“The vision for Finance Service is to use streamlined and cost-effective processes to support the delivery of Council objectives, inform decision making and deliver financial control.  The Finance Service has three key improvement principles: Simplify, Streamline, Standardise.”

Any-Desk:

As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

 

About you

To succeed in this role, you’ll need significant relevant experience in managing a professional financial service in a large local government organisation. You must be a CCAB or CIMA qualified accountant, with a strong track record as a Head of Finance or similar in a complex public sector setting.

Experience in Children’s Services and managing the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) in a large local authority is highly desirable for the Head of Finance supporting this area.

You’ll need to show that you can manage large budgets effectively and deliver services within agreed resources. Strong communication and presentation skills are essential—you’ll need to explain complex financial information clearly to a wide range of people.

We’re also looking for someone with proven leadership skills. You should be confident in managing and developing teams, building trust, and motivating others. A positive attitude, resilience, and the drive to achieve results are key to thriving in this role.

Other information

At Buckinghamshire Council, we follow a hybrid working model. As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital files and systems—but you can do this from home or from one of our offices.
You will be required to work as a minimum 2-days per week in the office, depending on your role and team needs, with the remainder working from home.

Closing date: 14th August 2026
Interview date: w/c 17th – 26th August 2026
Interview-type / process: In person

Salary - £84,120 - £88,500 per annum dependant on experience.

If you would like to have an informal conversation with the relevant recruiting manager, please contact:
Elspeth O’Neill (Assistant Chief Finance Officer, Financial Analysis & Business Partnering), 01296 382130 [email protected] or
Fiona Jump (Deputy Chief Financial Officer) [email protected]

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Service Area

Corporate Finance sets the overall financial strategy for the Council as well as the financial, risk and control assurance framework. The service is responsible for co-ordinating the Medium-Term Financial Plan, as well overseeing essential services, from statutory financial reporting and pensions administration to strategic procurement and supplier relationship management, as well as financial support for major projects.

Our expert staff work collaboratively to set a balanced budget and review the Council’s financial framework and procedures and to establish an appropriate assurance framework. Now is an exciting time to join Corporate Finance as we continue to play a key role in supporting all front-line services, ensuring that value for money is achieved and financial activities are directed towards the Council’s priorities.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/