Head of Account Management

Key leadership role within the senior management team. Lead financial strategy, optimise performance, and shape the future direction.

About Our Client

Working for South Yorkshire Police doesn’t have to mean patrolling the streets; our police staff work side by side with uniformed officers. A strong team of professional support staff work behind the scenes in many different areas of our organisation, including in finance. We need skilled people, like you, to join our police family to keep our South Yorkshire communities safe. We have an annual budget in excess of £300 million and employ over 3,000 police officers and 2,200 support staff. South Yorkshire Police are committed to attracting, selecting, hiring, retaining and developing a diverse and professional workforce that is reflective of the communities we serve, enabling us to meet and exceed our corporate finance goals and objectives.

Like most organisations, South Yorkshire Police is transforming the way we deliver our services and run the organisation to meet ever more demanding challenges. We have a Medium-Term Resource Strategy underpinned by a draft recovery plan to help achieve our mission. The Finance department is very much at the centre of delivering this strategy working collaboratively with all senior leaders across the organisation and our external partners. Therefore, as part of this we are looking for talented individuals who are experienced finance professionals, resilient and driven to achieve change.

Job Description

The Head of Management Accounting will:

• Lead financial management and reporting for Districts/Departments, ensuring timely and accurate financial information for the Senior Command Team and Business Executive Leaders including revenue, grants, and capital income/expenditure.
• Produce and monitor budgets in line with Force timetables, providing assurance to the Senior Command Team and Business Executive Leaders on financial integrity.
• Strategic lead on the delivery of financial management, financial reporting and financial advice to the Districts/Departments budget holders and providing financial information to Senior Command Team and aligning financial decisions with the Force's goals and addressing financial risks.
• Responsible for all aspects of producing accurate and timely financial information for budget monitoring and budget setting in line with the Force's periodic timetable.
• Working closely with the Head of Finance and Chief Finance Officer to provide assurance to the Senior Command Team regarding the integrity of the Finance's finance position.
• Driving efficiencies across with the team through ensuring that the line management responsibility model based on one to four/five ratio is fully embedded within the Finance Officers.
• Drive efficiencies by embedding a 1:4/5 line management ratio within Finance Officers, standardising procedures, and reducing reporting variability.
• Lead annual budget planning, working with senior leaders to ensure resource allocation aligns with strategic priorities.
• Challenge and support senior leaders to improve financial plans and achieve value for money.
• Implement performance frameworks, reviewing KPIs, and driving continuous improvement across the finance team.
• Manage the Management Accounting Team and Capital Accountant, prioritising tasks and fostering staff development.
• Promote teamwork and strong communication within the Finance team and with the Financial Accounting Team.
• Develop financial training for staff and senior leaders, improving financial literacy across the Force.
• Drive continuous improvement in financial management policies, procedures, and internal audit processes.
• Provide strategic financial support for key meetings, financial statements, and HMICFRS inspections.
• Oversee financial management of Grants, ensuring compliance with procedures and financial instructions.
• Lead benchmarking and networking to report financial data and identify efficiencies.
• Support financial management systems development, acting as the SME for the Oracle ERP system.
• Deputise for the Head of Finance on specialism areas and other duties as required.

The Successful Applicant

The successful Head of Management Accounting will be/have:

• Qualified Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (C.C.A.B.) or CIMA accountant.
• Significant experience in management accounting and strategic financial planning and working with a finance business partnering model to deliver the outcomes.
• Up to date with current accounting issues.
• Understand personal and professional strengths and development needs and be able to evidence the steps taken to enhance your continuing professional development.
• Ability to interpret complex or detailed legislation, policy or strategy documents to identify financial implications and provide insightful financial advice.
• Strong commercial acumen with the desire to help drive business performance and show the wider business how finance can add value on a day-to-day basis.
• Experience of advising, challenging, and negotiating with senior officers, managers, and budget holders in a confident manner.
• Ability to use a range of communication and influencing techniques to successfully negotiate, collaborate or effect change in relation to matters of a specialist/technical nature.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and experience of building robust working relationships and establishing personal credibility with senior officers, managers, and budget holders.
• Demonstrate IT literacy including advanced Excel, with extensive experience of large, complex ERP systems.
• Open to change, intellectually curious and able to challenge existing thinking to initiate and embrace innovation.
• Excellent analytical skills and a creative approach to problem solving.
• Experience of leading and managing a team of professional staff in a highly pressurised environment.
• Ability to contribute to financial governance, compliance, scrutiny matters.

What’s on Offer

• A highly competitive salary and access to a generous pension scheme.
• Generous annual leave allowance.
• A wide range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption leave.
• Flexible working arrangements including flexi-time and hybrid working.
• A transparent and collaborative team culture underpinned by our core values of Fairness, Integrity & Trust.
• Comprehensive range of development and leadership courses to develop your career with South Yorkshire Police.
• Employee Assistant Programme (accessible 24/7) offering confidential support and advice.
• Flexible lifestyle benefits such as: Blue Light Card, Company Shop, Cycle to work scheme.
• Committed to embedding sustainability: South Yorkshire Police Sustainability Strategy 2020-2025.
• Membership to the Sports and Social Club.
• Access to a wide range of staff support groups and networks.

Applications close on Monday, 5th May; however, we encourage early submissions as we may close the application process sooner if we receive a high volume of interest.