Head of Financial Strategy - Permanent

We're seeking an exceptional strategic finance leader to take ownership of medium and long-term financial planning, providing trusted advice and challenge at the highest levels of the organisation. Working closely with senior leadership, elected members and finance colleagues, you'll help shape how resources are allocated, services are transformed and organisational priorities are delivered. At the heart of this role is the challenge of balancing financial sustainability with ambition, ensuring that strategic decisions today create a stronger and more resilient authority for the future.

The Opportunity

You'll lead the development and delivery of the organisation's Medium-Term Financial Plan, budget strategy and long-term financial sustainability agenda. Operating as a key adviser to senior leaders, you'll provide the financial insight, modelling and analysis needed to support major decisions, transformation programmes and future investment priorities.

This is a highly visible role with significant influence across the organisation. You'll work closely with leaders from across multiple services, connecting policy, performance and finance to ensure resources are aligned to organisational objectives. You will be joining during a pivotal period of change, you'll help navigate future financial challenges while building on recent progress in strengthening financial resilience and organisational performance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development and delivery of the Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP).
• Provide strategic financial advice to senior executives and decision-makers.
• Lead long-term financial planning, scenario modelling and forecasting.
• Support transformation, service redesign and organisational improvement programmes.
• Shape budget strategy and resource allocation decisions.
• Identify and evaluate alternative funding opportunities.
• Work closely with capital, treasury and operational finance leaders to support an integrated financial strategy.
• Lead and develop a high-performing strategic finance team.

About You

You will be a CCAB-qualified finance professional with significant experience providing strategic financial leadership within a large and complex organisation.

You will bring:

• A proven track record of leading medium and long-term financial planning.
• Experience advising executive leadership teams on complex financial decisions.
• Strong financial modelling, forecasting and analytical capability.
• Excellent understanding of local government finance and financial governance.
• Experience supporting transformation and organisational change programmes.
• Outstanding communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to translate complex financial information into clear strategic advice. 

Why Apply?

This is a senior leadership opportunity where you will influence major decisions, support transformational change and help secure the long-term financial sustainability of a large council on an improvement journey. For an ambitious strategic finance leader, this is an opportunity to leave a lasting impact on both the organisation, and build a broad set of skills which support your long term progression.

If you are an accomplished Financial Strategy leader looking for your next step, we'd be delighted to hear from you.

For a confidential discussion or further information, please apply below or contact me directly - luis@ambientpeople.co.uk