Head of Finance

Organisation: West London Waste Authority (WLWA)

Salary: £70,000 – £85,000 per annum, inclusive of London Weighting (dependent on experience)

Hours: 36 hours per week, hybrid

Location: West Drayton (UB7), with time at Authority and contractor sites as required

Reporting to: Director of Finance & Corporate Resources

About West London Waste Authority

West London Waste Authority (WLWA) manages the disposal of household waste for 1.7 million residents across Brent, Ealing, Harrow, Hillingdon, Hounslow and Richmond upon Thames. It is recognised as one of the most cost-effective waste authorities in the country. Prudent financial management has kept costs below inflation and allowed the Authority to return significant savings to its boroughs, giving it strong foundations to build on.

WLWA is now entering its most ambitious chapter yet. It has committed to halving residual waste by 2035 and eliminating avoidable waste by 2042, while leading West London through the biggest legislative change the sector has seen in a generation. Through a new Strategic Borough Partnership Board, WLWA is directing significant capital investment into a programme that includes:

• an £8m reserve-funded upgrade of Household Reuse and Recycling Centres
• new Circular Economy Hubs
• a £2m upgrade of the Victoria Road food waste facility
• a joint municipal waste strategy for West London

Strong financial leadership will be central to this future, and the Head of Finance role sits at the heart of it.

The Role

This is a newly elevated, senior role at the heart of WLWA's finance function. As Head of Finance, you will lead the Authority's financial reporting and give strategic financial insight to the Senior Leadership Team, Members and budget holders. You will lead the Senior Accountant and the wider finance team. You will also hold delegated responsibility, alongside the Director, for corporate expenditure budgets of around £13m, and deputise for the Director when required.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading the production and publication of the annual Statement of Accounts, and managing the external audit relationship
• Leading budget setting with the Director, including calculating and apportioning the statutory levy to the six boroughs, and supporting development of the Medium-Term Financial Plan
• Delivering high-quality monthly financial and performance reporting to SLT and Members, covering forecasts, KPIs, variance analysis and emerging risks
• Designing financial models, dashboards and investment appraisals that inform major capital and partnership decisions, setting out affordability, risk and return on investment
• Strengthening financial controls, governance and assurance in line with the CIPFA Financial Management Code
• Overseeing Whole Government Accounts returns, asset accounting, financial due diligence and benchmarking against other waste disposal authorities
• Driving automation and continuous improvement in finance systems and processes

About You

• A qualified CCAB accountant (CIPFA, ACCA, ACA or CIMA) with evidence of ongoing CPD, or qualified by experience
• A proven track record of delivering statutory annual accounts to tight deadlines, and of budget setting in a complex environment
• Experience of financial modelling through to reporting at Board or Member level
• Able to explain complex financial issues clearly and influence senior stakeholders
• An inspiring leader who develops and motivates finance teams
• Commercially astute, with experience of delivering savings through process improvement
• Desirable: experience of ERP systems (e.g. Agresso), digital transformation in finance, and project management

What's on Offer

• Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme and benefits
• Hybrid working for flexibility and work-life balance
• The opportunity to shape the finances of a high-performing, forward-looking Authority during a period of significant investment and change

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