Interim Finance Business Partner – Send Reform

Interim Finance Business Partner – SEND Reform | £650 Per Day

Somerset Council | Strategic Finance & Transformation

Location: Somerset
Daily Rate: £650 per day
Contract: Interim
Specialism: Strategic Finance | SEND Reform | Local Government

Ackerman Pierce is recruiting an experienced Interim Finance Business Partner to support Somerset Council's SEND Reform Programme.

Offering an attractive £650 daily rate
, this is an excellent opportunity for a commercially astute, strategically focused finance professional to help reshape financial planning, governance and sustainability across one of the Council's most important transformation programmes.

You will play a central role in designing and embedding a new financial operating model for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), strengthening budget management and providing the financial insight required to deliver sustainable reform.

Working collaboratively with existing finance teams, programme leaders and senior stakeholders, you will help ensure that financial decisions are robust, transparent and aligned with Department for Education expectations.

As Interim Finance Business Partner, you will provide specialist financial leadership, strategic challenge and technical expertise across the SEND Reform Programme.

This is a high-impact assignment requiring the ability to combine detailed financial analysis with wider organisational thinking, translating complex information into practical, sustainable financial decisions.

• Financial Operating Model: Design and embed a new SEND financial operating model, establishing robust processes, controls and reporting arrangements aligned with Department for Education expectations.
• Strategic Financial Planning: Develop and maintain effective budget-setting, financial monitoring and forecasting frameworks to support long-term SEND financial sustainability.
• Grant & Budget Management: Lead financial planning, monitoring and forecasting for the Experts at Hand grant and the residual Deficit Management Plan budget.
• SEND Reform & Transformation: Provide financial advice, constructive challenge and strategic support across reform initiatives, ensuring proposed changes are affordable, financially viable and sustainable.
• Financial Modelling & Options Appraisal: Develop robust financial models and business cases to assess reform proposals, investment decisions and potential financial risks.
• Senior Stakeholder Reporting: Prepare clear, accurate and timely financial reports for programme boards, Department for Education meetings, Schools Forum and elected members.
• SEND Funding Policy: Support the review and development of SEND funding arrangements, including banding structures and funding approaches across educational settings.
• Financial Governance: Strengthen financial accountability, transparency and evidence-based decision-making throughout the programme.

We are seeking an accomplished finance professional with the technical expertise, strategic judgement and stakeholder management skills to operate effectively within a complex local government transformation environment.

• A recognised professional accountancy qualification, such as CIPFA, ACCA, CIMA or ACA, or equivalent relevant experience.
• Significant experience in financial business partnering, strategic finance or financial transformation.
• Strong knowledge of local government finance, ideally including education finance, SEND funding arrangements or Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budgets.
• Experience developing financial operating models, budget frameworks and long-term financial forecasts.
• Excellent financial modelling, analytical and options appraisal capabilities.
• The ability to communicate…