Interim Head of Financial Planning

Interim Head of Financial Planning for a large city council – 6 month assignment.

A fantastic opportunity has been registered for an Interim Head of Financial Planning (MTFP) within a Local Government Authority based in the West Midlands. This role offers the chance to shape and influence the financial future of a major council, reporting directly to the Director of Finance and acting as a trusted advisor to Members, the Corporate Leadership Team, and Directorate Heads of Finance.

Your new role as Interim Head of Financial Planning (MTFP) involves leading a team focused on providing insightful analysis, robust reporting, and strategic advice that supports both immediate operational needs and long-term ambitions. You will work closely with senior leaders to ensure that all financial planning activities, from budget setting to monitoring, are executed with precision and transparency. You will foster collaboration between directorates and drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance service delivery for residents. By developing forward-thinking financial strategies and maintaining strong governance frameworks, you will help secure sustainable funding streams while ensuring compliance with statutory requirements. Your expertise in stakeholder engagement will enable you to build productive relationships internally and externally, empowering communities through coordinated service delivery. Your success will be measured by your ability to deliver value for money solutions that underpin organisational resilience during periods of change.

Responsibilities

• Lead a dedicated team responsible for delivering comprehensive financial planning, reporting, control, support, insight, and advice for stakeholders across the council.
• Oversee the development and implementation of the Medium-Term Financial Plan as well as annual budget-setting processes and in-year budget monitoring activities.
• Provide expert support to the Section 151 Officer and Finance Leadership Team in achieving key financial objectives while maintaining commercial awareness on projects and partnerships.
• Shape strategic direction by contributing to the Corporate Plan and delivering finance plans that align with organisational goals.
• Drive continuous service improvement by championing constructive scrutiny and promoting collaborative working across finance teams and external stakeholders.
• Develop key financial strategies such as the Medium-Term Financial Strategy to ensure long-term sustainability and value for money.
• Maintain rigorous budgetary control systems that guarantee effective use of resources while supporting outcome-based commissioning initiatives.
• Promote good governance by ensuring integrity in financial systems through robust controls, accurate record-keeping, and timely reporting mechanisms.
• Engage proactively with senior stakeholders, including partner organisations, government departments, suppliers, banks, brokers and represent the council in national or regional working groups.
• Lead complex negotiations on contracts and funding agreements under the direction of the Deputy Section 151 Officer while investigating innovative financing methodologies.

What you’ll need to succeed

• Extensive background in financial planning and MTFS, including identifying funding sources, forecasting income streams, and managing large city council budgets effectively.
• Experience of leading a small financial planning team within large or complex organisations where advanced interpersonal skills have been used to inspire high performance levels among colleagues.
• Proven track record providing professional advice at a strategic level supporting decision-making processes through clear written and verbal communication.
• The ability to understand political processes alongside an appreciation for managing politically sensitive issues within local government environments.
• Experience translating strategic objectives into actionable operational targets while prioritising workloads under pressure in rapidly changing circumstances.
• Deep understanding of governance frameworks relevant to local government operations, including laws, regulations, statutory reporting requirements and their practical application.
• Capability to lead change management initiatives aimed at enhancing departmental performance whilst promoting efficiency improvements across services.
• Commercial awareness applied to projects involving partner organisations; adept at negotiating complex agreements that secure funding or deliver value-added outcomes.
• Commitment to upholding equity, diversity, and inclusion policies throughout all aspects of workforce planning and policy development activities.
• Possession of CCAB or equivalent professional financial accreditation demonstrating technical proficiency required for this senior post.

What you’ll get in return

The rate on offer for this role is £700 p/day, with potential flexibility for an outstanding candidate. The role is central to the council's future financial stability and involves high-level stakeholder engagement. There is a high degree of remote working available.

How to apply

If you’re interested in this role, click "+apply now" to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now. If this job isn’t quite right for you, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.