Chief Financial Officer

The West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) is transforming the region, driving economic growth, creating jobs, delivering new homes, and improving journeys. Central to our work is the West Midlands Growth Plan, launched by Mayor Richard Parker in 2025, a 10-year blueprint to boost prosperity, create high-quality jobs, and raise living standards. By connecting national strategy with local delivery, we invest in people, businesses, infrastructure, and communities to maximise impact.

Our goal is clear, grow the regional economy by £17 billion, positioning the West Midlands as a national leader in innovation, advanced manufacturing, and clean growth. We prioritise local needs, ensuring access to secure employment and safe, affordable housing. Every pound of public funding must deliver results, from major transport schemes to community grants, speed, efficiency, and inclusivity are essential.

The Role:

As Chief Financial Officer, you will be WMCAs principal financial adviser and statutory Section 73 Officer, providing strategic leadership and stewardship of public funds. You will translate the Growth Plans ambitions into actionable financial decisions, supporting delivery teams, the Portfolio Management Office, and Strategy & Policy functions. Strong regional relationships are essential, enabling collaboration with local authorities, businesses, and public agencies.

Your leadership will ensure finance drives transformation, delivers public value, and maintains the highest standards of governance while remaining bold, innovative, and forward-looking.

Key Accountabilities:

Act as the designated Section 73 Officer, providing authoritative financial leadership and ensuring statutory and internal compliance. Oversee sound financial stewardship, including accurate statutory reporting and transparent financial disclosures. Shape and implement financial strategy aligned with organisational goals and public priorities. Lead planning, setting, and monitoring of the annual budget, ensuring compliance with regulatory, government, and grant requirements. Direct strategic financial planning and performance management, optimising budgets and productivity.

Provide insight and scenario modelling to inform high-level strategic decisions. Advise on risk management, investment, and new commercial ventures. Oversee financial operations, ensuring systems, processes, and teams are agile, commercially aware, and aligned with priorities. Collaborate with the Mayor, Members, and senior leaders to ensure robust governance and agile responses to economic, legislative, and political changes. Champion digital transformation within finance and across the organisation to enhance efficiency and transparency.

Inspire and lead a high-performing, inclusive finance team, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Promote financial literacy across the organisation, equipping leaders with tools and insights for informed decisions. Build strong relationships with financial leaders across constituent authorities and stakeholders, promoting shared learning and best practice. Shape and influence organisational strategy, contributing to sustainability, innovation, inclusive growth, and digital transformation initiatives.

Present assurance to ARAC and Overview & Scrutiny Committee on financial management and controls. The Successful Candidate Will:
Be a fully qualified accountant with membership of a recognised professional body and a relevant postgraduate qualification. Possess significant experience in a senior statutory finance role, ideally as a Section 73 or Section 151 Officer, with responsibility for financial leadership, governance, and stewardship of public funds Have extensive knowledge of local government statutory frameworks. Demonstrate highly developed leadership skills, managing and shaping high-performing teams to deliver excellent outcomes.

Have experience reporting to Senior Leaders and Elected Members. Be skilled in navigating sensitive political environments and managing diverse stakeholders. Possess extensive public sector financial management experience across finance, investment, and…