Finance Analyst

Positive Employment is currently recruiting for a Finance Analyst for our client, a local government organisation based in Wembley, London. The client is seeking a highly analytical and commercially minded Senior Finance Analyst to support the organisation's Income and Debt Improvement Programme on a six-month fixed-term basis. This is a unique opportunity to apply advanced analytical skills to one of the organisation's key financial priorities, helping to improve income collection, reduce outstanding debt and strengthen decision-making across a range of services The successful post holder will work with large and complex datasets, to analyse debt portfolios, recovery activity and customer behaviour to identify trends, risks and opportunities for improvement.

They will be responsible for developing insight-led recommendations, producing high-quality management information and supporting the delivery of targeted interventions across areas including Council Tax, Adult Social Care debt, Housing Benefit Over payments and Sundry Debt. The successful candidate will combine excellent analytical capability with strong stakeholder management skills and the ability to translate complex data into clear, actionable recommendations. This role is a temporary contract with an initial contract length of 6 months with the possibility to extend.

Hybrid working with 3 days per week in the office. Duties and Responsibilities but not limited to:
Make a positive contribution to the delivery of the service. This will include working flexibly and positively to achieve the objectives of the organisation. Manage and lead staff to achieve high performance and effective operational delivery, including developing and improving staff capability. Manage a customer-focused service and the effective use of resources. Ensure that the organisation’s overall vision, values and ethos are central to the requirements of the service.

Support effective working relationships and act as an ambassador and advocate with external organisations. Keep up to date with developments in service delivery and best practice to ensure the service performs effectively and to the highest standards. Act as a professional role model to junior staff in the department and to senior managers across the organisation, keeping expert professional knowledge up to date at all times.

Mentor and support apprentices and lead professional training for the department within own area of responsibility. Supervise the day-to-day work of junior staff and lead project teams within the department and across the organisation. Be the senior professional financial advisor in respect of a significant (e.g. gross budgets in excess of £100m) area of the organisation's budget (for example, housing, schools, social care or other business areas of similar scale and complexity).

Carry out, independently, unit costing exercises and value for money reviews in order to improve financial performance and play a significant role in the setting and monitoring of substantial budgets. Be the organisation's professional accounting lead for a major area of technical financial accounting complexity (e.g. capital finance, collection fund etc.) and co-ordinate complex corporate financial processes for the organisation.

Appoint and manage specialist financial advisers as may from time to time be necessary for particular projects. Lead in statutory financial reporting within own area of responsibility, ensuring that annual accounts, government returns and similar statistical submissions are completed promptly and accurately, and that the financial implications of the information contained therein are understood and acted upon. Draft financial implications for formal committee reports,…