Deputy Head of Finance

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, Finance Department
- Service Headquarters, Sadler Road, Winsford

37 hours per week

Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service, Finance Department
- Service Headquarters, Sadler Road, Winsford

Scale SM2: £62,335.77 to £66,725.88 per annum

9:00am on Monday 9 November

Permanent

Help shape how Cheshire Fire & Rescue Service manages its resources and makes informed decisions for the communities it serves.

We are looking for a qualified accountant to lead the day-to-day delivery and continued development of our Finance Department, working closely with the Head of Finance and Treasurer.

This is a practical senior leadership role. You will bring together financial reporting and control, budget planning and business partnering, and finance operations. You will strengthen accounts and audit evidence, provide clear professional review and priorities, and develop a team whose advice is trusted across the Service.

You will connect the Finance work programme to the Community Risk Management Plan, help managers understand the financial consequences of service choices and support a sustainable medium-term financial position. A key part of the role will be improving how Technology One, financial data and agreed workflows support effective controls and reporting.

Lead and coordinate the integrated Finance work programme, including budget monitoring, budget setting, accounts, treasury, statutory returns and assurance.

Line manage the three Finance leads, setting clear objectives, balancing workloads and supporting performance, development, succession and resilient cover.

Direct accounts preparation and recovery activity, reviewing material reconciliations, accounting judgements and the audit trail from the ledger to the financial statements.

Quality-assure revenue and capital forecasts, the annual budget and medium-term financial plan, challenging assumptions, risks and affordability.

Maintain and improve the financial control framework, including authorisations, journals, reconciliations, system access, segregation of duties and audit actions.

Act as Finance business owner for Technology One process and data improvement and coordinate financial input to business cases, savings, benefits and value-for-money reviews.

Support clear reporting and advice to senior leaders and Members, and deputise for the Head of Finance and Treasurer on specified professional and management matters.

You must be a recognised CCAB-qualified accountant with current professional membership and evidence of continuing professional development. You will have significant experience of leading public‑sector finance delivery, including responsibility for financial statements or major elements of accounts closure and effective work with external audit.

You will combine strong public‑sector accounting, budgeting, capital and treasury knowledge with inclusive leadership, sound judgement and the ability to explain complex financial issues clearly. Experience of improving finance systems, data quality, controls and audit evidence is important. CIPFA membership, substantial local government or fire authority finance experience, and experience of Technology One or governed Power BI reporting would be advantageous.

The postholder is expected to be separately nominated as Deputy Section 151 Officer, subject to holding the required professional qualification and completion of the appropriate governance arrangements. This designation is personal to the nominated postholder and is not conferred automatically by appointment to the role.

The role is based at Service Headquarters in Winsford. Attendance at meetings across…