Head of Finance Business Partnering (Adult Social Care)

Job Title: Head of Finance Business Partnering (Adult Social Care)

Grade: I

Directorate: Finance

Responsible to: Director of Finance

Last Review Date: June 2026

We are delighted to be supporting Thurrock Council to continue to build their Finance function, with the appointment of a Head of Finance Business Partnering (ASC).

Reporting to the Director of Finance this role will support the Adult’s directorate covering both Adult Social Care and Public Health. The successful candidate will be expected to build relationships with senior stakeholders in the service, providing challenge where needed and helping the service drive through savings and efficiencies; and supporting them to improve.

The role is integral to the development of the Adult Social Care Medium Term Financial Strategy and financial modelling, producing associated Cabinet and Committee reports, and developing and maintaining financial models relating to demand, cost of care and service sustainability.

As a member of the council’s senior management team, to contribute proactively to the collective leadership for the council, working collaboratively with Members, services across the council, partners and stakeholders to deliver the council’s objectives and priorities.

The postholder will demonstrate a strong commitment to the values of Adult Social Care, including supporting vulnerable residents, and an understanding of the financial, demand and workforce challenges facing the sector.

Values & Accountabilities

Key Service Accountabilities:

• To oversee and deliver a comprehensive, high quality and professional finance business partnering service with assigned service department (s) or other agencies. Lead on the closure of accounts for the relevant service, ensure that income and expenditure accounts are accurate, all balance sheet items are reconciled and all holding accounts cleared on a regular and timely basis; ensure achievement of full monthly or quarterly closedowns of relevant areas; ensure production and presentation of financial management information, budget monitoring, trading reports, financial models etc which are accurate and timely, appropriate to the audience.
• Foster a high-performance culture including carrying out internal service reviews to improve value for money, efficiency and ensure the service is at the leading edge of service delivery and development and deliver an efficiency savings target for their service to be determined by the Director of Finance’s Management team annually.
• Lead on developing complex financial projects with service departments. Negotiate with a wide variety of external contractors, partners, government departments and suppliers, investment banks and brokers and other organisations’ financial advisers as required; lead on developing complex financial models, commercial agreements on multi-million pound contracts securing funding for the Council, investigate innovative financing and funding methodologies and representing the Council on national working groups.
• Be an effective lead on finance improvement projects including leading a team of staff, developing a project initiation document and a project plan ensuring projects deliver agreed outcomes successfully and on time; drive a planning and programme and project management culture and lead on post implementation reviews.
• Rapidly assess the implications of all emerging and potential issues / new policies and ensure the Chief Finance Officer is promptly and fully briefed.
• To undertake any other duties within the team commensurate to the post, as required, and to be rotated to other posts within the department as required in line with the business needs of the department.

 

Person Specification

Essential Criteria

• CCAB/CIMA (Or Overseas Equivalent)
• Degree Qualified
• Evidence of CPD
• Proximity to Thurrock (2 Days a week in the office)
• Demonstrable interest in Adult Social Care and an appreciation of the complexity, demand pressures and statutory responsibilities within the sector.

 

For the full job description, please see the Head of Finance Business Partnering Job Description.

 

If you would like to be considered, please send across an application below, or contact luis@ambientpeople.co.uk for further information.