Finance Manager

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

This is an exciting opportunity to join Sheffield City Council at a pivotal point in the development of our finance function.

We're looking for an experienced and ambitious finance leader who can help us strengthen the way we coordinate, deliver and continuously improve finance services across the organisation. As councils face increasing financial complexity and growing demands for better insight, efficiency and accountability, finance has never been more important. This role will be at the centre of that challenge.

Working across the Accounting Team and wider Finance function, you will help shape how key finance activities are managed, coordinated and delivered. You'll play a leading role in improving processes, increasing organisational resilience, supporting our people and embedding modern ways of working that help the service operate more effectively and efficiently.

Most importantly, you'll have the opportunity to make a lasting impact on how finance supports decision-making, stewardship of public funds and delivery of services to Sheffield's residents.

This is not a traditional finance management role.

We are looking for someone who can combine strong financial management skills with a passion for improvement, systems, people development and organisational change.

The role will lead the coordination and continuous improvement of key corporate finance activities, helping ensure critical processes are delivered consistently, efficiently and to a high standard. You will work closely with managers and teams across Finance to improve reporting, strengthen controls, simplify processes and reduce reliance on individual postholders for key areas of work.

A major focus will be supporting the implementation and embedding of Mercur
, Sheffield's new Financial Planning and Analysis (FP&A) system. This is a rare opportunity to help shape how a modern finance system is adopted across a large and complex organisation, ensuring the benefits of improved forecasting, reporting, workflow management and management information are fully realised.

You will help teams embrace new ways of working, identify opportunities for automation, improve the use of data and technology, and support the development of more efficient and sustainable finance processes. Working across service boundaries, you'll bring people together around a shared goal of delivering a modern, resilient and high-performing finance function.

Alongside this, you will support capability development across the team, strengthen knowledge sharing, improve documentation and help create an environment where continuous improvement becomes part of everyday practice.

We're seeking someone who enjoys making things better.

Whatever your background and current finance specialism, you'll be someone who can see the bigger picture whilst also driving practical improvements that make a real difference.

You'll bring:

• Strong financial management and leadership experience.
• A track record of improving services, processes or systems.
• Experience managing complex programmes of work and delivering through others.
• Excellent organisational, communication and stakeholder management skills.
• The ability to influence, engage and bring people with you through change.
• A passion for developing individuals, teams and organisational capability.
• An interest in technology, automation, data and modern finance systems.
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with operational delivery.

Most importantly, you'll be someone who thrives on challenge, enjoys solving problems and is motivated by delivering better outcomes for the organisation and the communities we serve.

This role offers a unique opportunity to influence the future direction of finance at Sheffield City Council.

You'll work on high-profile transformation activity, help embed one of the most significant changes to our finance systems in recent years and play a leading role in improving how finance…