Director of Finance and Commercial Services
Pivotal to our goals of being a Good council and delivering high quality services to all is ensuring we are deploying our resources in an impactful way, and that we are driving financial sustainability through all that we do.
We are looking for a talented individual to join us as Director of Finance and Commercial Services and to help shape our approach to achieving these bold ambitions.
We are undergoing a transformation. We are shaping and building a leadership team that will act as a catalyst to operating as a modern, 21st century, public service organisation. At the core of this will be a modern, agile, and enterprising approach that sees colleagues of all professions working collaboratively to achieve our ambitions. As our Director of Finance and Commercial Services, you will be at the heart of this, working alongside services to unlock their potential, driving effective decision making and looking at how we deploy our finances to maximum effect. You will bring a positive approach that empowers services to take accountability for their budgets, to hep translate our MTFS into reality and to drive our cross-cutting transformation programme forward in a way that sees the whole organisation improve.
At the core of this will be ensuring our financial stability and sustainability. As with many in the sector, our financial situation is challenging. We have a budget gap of around £53m for 2023/24 and in recent years we’ve had overspends that have placed additional pressure on our budget. Sheffield’s population is growing in both numbers and diversity and we need to make sure the council can meet the needs of its residents. With inflation and increasing demand, it is important that we stabilise our financial position and our recently approved transformation programme will not only help us achieve financial stability but achieve our goal of being a good council that provides high quality services to all.
Heading towards the new financial year, we have an agreed budget and a clear transformation programme. You will arrive at a time to influence and shape our MTFS, and will set about working with colleagues to deliver against this. You will join soon after the appointment of our new Chief Operating Officer and be part of the Council’s senior management team with a platform to have your views and thoughts heard.
About You
We are seeking an ambitious and forward-thinking finance professional that understands what it takes to be the s151 officer in a core City. Whether you are already a s151 officer, or you are currently operating as a Deputy s151, you will know what it takes to drive sustainable finances across the full breadth of our services and how to work effectively with colleagues and Members.
We are open to different backgrounds and career histories within local government finance. We are after a strategic leader who is able to influence and work alongside colleagues to empower effective management of our financial resources. You will share our ambition to transform and improve the Council and our values will naturally resonate with you. You will bring insight into what a modern 21st century local authority looks like, and how you translate bold ambitions into reality.
We are seeking someone who is excited to work within a multi-stakeholder environment, happy interfacing with colleagues across the Mayoral Combined Authority, our health partners and private sector partners, all who are critical in our ambitions for Sheffield as a City to live and work within.
This is an exciting and demanding role, suited to someone who genuinely cares about local communities and the lives of Sheffield residents. We are seeking professionals that embody the principles of a 21st Century Public Servant, someone that is innovative, conscientious, and driven to work with colleagues to help us achieve our ambition to be a Good council that provides high quality services to all.
