Director of Finance (Deputy S151 Officer)

Key Responsibilities

As Director of Finance and Deputy Section 151 Officer, you will be one of two senior leaders shaping the direction, ambition and performance of the Shared Finance Service (SFS), with responsibility for delivering Kingston’s financial strategy including excellence in performance and governance.

Acting as the deputy to the Section 151 Officer, you will take strategic leadership for Kingston’s core finance function – driving excellence in financial stewardship, ensuring integrity of financial reporting, shaping the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), and positioning the Council to meet both current and future challenges.

You will play a central role in advising Members, the Chief Executive and senior leadership team on complex financial, regulatory and commercial matters, while leading a broad portfolio spanning financial planning, business partnering, external audit, pensions, capital & treasury, revenues & benefits and financial inclusion.

As Director of Finance, you will act as the deputy to the S151 Officer and have stewardship and oversight of:

• A net revenue budget of c.£193m (General Fund), plus HRA, DSG and Pension Fund investments
• A finance workforce of over 160 FTE across the shared service structure
• Full production of Kingston’s annual accounts and audit reporting
• Responsibility for financial resilience, statutory controls and assurance
• Strategic leadership of capital, treasury, pensions, revenues & benefits and financial inclusion
• Supporting corporate transformation and major change programmes
• Shaping a future-ready, data-driven and commercially aware finance function

Qualification & Requirements

We are seeking an exceptional senior finance leader with the credibility, resilience and drive to influence strategic decision-making at the highest levels.

You will:

• Be a CCAB or CIMA qualified accountant and eligible to deputise for the S151
• Have significant senior leadership experience within local government or a comparable complex public body
• Be able to operate politically, shaping financial strategy alongside Members and senior stakeholders
• Demonstrate a track record in leading MTFS and budget-setting processes
• Bring strong technical assurance expertise (accounts, audit, pensions, treasury, governance)
• Inspire, influence and lead through change, building high-performing, future-ready finance teams
• Have a commercial, outward-facing mindset with the ability to drive innovation, transformation and value

Benefits

As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we’re committed to helping you fulfil your potential and will offer you a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment to grow and develop your career and skills. We’re constantly striving to improve our ways of working so putting your ideas across however big or small; will be fully encouraged and supported by your colleagues and our dynamic and experienced management team.

Employees have access to a wide range of benefits to enable staff to achieve a work life balance, some of which include:

• A generous annual leave entitlement of 31 days plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time working hours apply)
• Enhanced Maternity, paternity, shared parental, adoption and dependents leave
• Two volunteering days per year
• Flexible Working – Smarter Working Scheme (dependent on the role)
• Adjustable and agile working arrangements using Google Chromebooks
• Learning and development portal offering a range of courses
• Discounts on a range of local shops, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres
• Interest free season ticket loans
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme
• Zip car scheme
• Confidential health & wellbeing and counselling support