Head Of Finance

Important Information for Current Barnet Council EmployeesWhere possible, employees who have access to Oracle are encouraged to apply via the Opportunity Marketplace (Internal Career Site). This helps to ensure applications are correctly identified as internal and avoids potential delays during the recruitment process.
 About Barnet CouncilBarnet is a borough with much to be proud of. Our excellent schools, vibrant town centres, vast green spaces and diverse communities all help make it a great place to live and work. As a council we want to build on these strengths as we move into the future. We are growing and developing as an organisation to meet the challenges facing our borough and we are committed to working with partner organisations and residents to make Barnet even better. As an organisation, our staff are committed to Our Values: Learning to Improve, Caring, Inclusive, Collaborative – which drive everything we do.

About FinanceWe are committed to delivering for our residents by supporting our service areas to make sound financial decisions and utilising our resources in a sustainable way to ensure the high-quality services offered in Barnet can be maintained. 

We do this by hiring talented customer focused staff, investing in continuous development and creating a culture that empowers our people.  We believe by doing this our staff will ultimately support residents by being sound financial stewards, create value to customers as trusted advisors and lead in continuous improvement within the department and wider Council. Finance in Barnet is diverse department includes Business Partnering, Exchequer, Treasury and Pensions, Financial Planning to name a few. 

 About the roleThis is a high-profile leadership role at the heart of one of London's largest authorities. As Head of Finance for Communities, Adults and Health, you will lead a professional finance business partnering service supporting some of the Council's most significant and complex budgets, including Adult Social Care, Public Health and Community Services. Working closely with Directors, Members and senior leaders, you will provide strategic financial advice, drive financial sustainability, support transformational change and help shape the future delivery of services. As part of the Finance Leadership Team, you will contribute to the Council's overall financial strategy while leading a high-performing team committed to delivering excellent financial stewardship and value for money.
 Please click here to download the Job description for this role. (Right-click and select “Open in new tab” so you can keep the job description open while completing your application)

 About you

• You will be a fully qualified CCAB accountant (preferably CIPFA) with significant post-qualification experience in a senior finance leadership role. 

• You will have extensive knowledge of local government finance, governance and statutory requirements, together with a strong understanding of the challenges facing Communities, Adults and Health services.

• You will have a proven track record of leading medium-term financial planning, budget setting, forecasting and financial recovery within a large and complex organisation. 

• You will be a trusted adviser to senior leaders, able to provide strategic financial advice, challenge and insight that supports effective decision-making and financial sustainability.

• You will be a strong and visible leader with experience of developing high-performing teams and driving continuous improvement. 

• With excellent communication and influencing skills, you will be able to translate complex financial issues into clear, practical advice that supports informed decision-making and delivers positive outcomes for residents.

   

What we offer 

• 31 days annual leave, plus public and bank holidays

• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, which provides a valuable guaranteed income in your retirement together with security for your dependents

• A comprehensive Flexible Working Policy which supports work-life balance by empowering staff and management to make decisions around when, where, and how work is done

• A vast range of lifestyle discounts from major retailers, supermarkets, energy suppliers and more

• Broad range of payroll benefits including cycle to work, eye care vouchers, travel and gym membership

• Excellent training and development opportunities

• Employee well- being training programs including confidential employee assistance 

   

How to apply Read the job description and person specification before clicking ‘Apply’ to commence the online application form. If you would like any further information about the role before applying, please contact Junaid Niazi - Assistant Director of Finance, junaid.niazi@barnet.gov.uk. 
 System notice: Some dates shown on our online application system (such as “Apply Before”) appear in US date format (MM/DD/YYYY) due to Oracle system settings.
 Artificial intelligence (AI) can be a useful tool to support your application as a reasonable adjustment, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn, escalated to counter Fraud for further investigation and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
 Barnet Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Barnet operates stringent safer recruitment procedures, this may include AI Detection Screening, Biometric ID/Right to Work Checks, Qualification and Registration Checks, Up to 6 years of Employment Data and Insights to Accelerate Screening (Konfir), Up to 5 years of Employment History References, DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) Checks, Credit Checks and Social Media, Sanctions and Occupational Health Screening.
 To deliver Barnet Council’s commitment to equality of opportunity in the provision of services, all staff are expected to promote equality in the workplace and in the services the Council delivers. As such we value diversity and welcome applications from all backgrounds.Barnet Council embraces all forms of flexible working (including part-time, compressed hours, and hybrid working) and is committed to offering employees a healthy work-life balance. Candidates are encouraged to talk about relevant requirements and preferences at interview. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking.
 Barnet Council is a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply 
 All posts with the council are subject to a probationary period of six months, during which time you will be required to demonstrate to the council satisfaction your suitability for the position in which you will be employed.  Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts we may close vacancies before the stated closing date if sufficient number of applications are received. Therefore, please apply as soon as possible.  Please ensure you regularly check the email account (including JUNK MAIL folders) that you use to submit your application, as any further communication regarding your application will be sent electronically. Should you not hear from us within four working weeks of the closing date for this post, then regretfully in this instance, you have not been shortlisted. 

Responsibilities