Head of Local Government Finance

Job Introduction
**Job Purpose**:

- To lead London Councils’ work on influencing local government finance policy, working with colleagues across the organisation to ensure this contribution is integrated with other London Councils’ policy development.
- To manage the day-to-day operation of London Councils’ finance policy team - overseeing technical analysis, policy development, and influencing work in areas relating to local government finance.
- To liaise with a wide range of stakeholders across local government in London and nationally, central government, Whitehall, the GLA, press and media, researchers and consultants, business groups, VCS groups and other policy stakeholders.
- To support the Deputy Chair of London Councils, as portfolio holder for Finance and Resources, and other individual Portfolio Holders (Councillors from member authorities) and the forums they chair as

Main Responsibilities
- To lead London Councils’ work on influencing local government finance policy, working with colleagues across the organisation to ensure this contribution is integrated with other London Councils’ policy development
- To manage the day-to-day operation of London Councils’ finance policy team - overseeing technical analysis, policy development, and influencing work in areas relating to local government finance.
- To build effective working relationships and be an ambassador for the organisation with borough treasurers, service directors and other officers, civil servants, GLA officers, business and voluntary sector groups, opinion formers and other partners to advance London Councils’ policies and positions.
- To identify, lead and commission research and analysis that can augment London Councils’ lobbying in order to influence decisions made by Government on local government finance issues.
- To draft reports for consideration by London Councils’ Leaders’ Committee, Executive, Portfolio Holders and other forums of London Councils, and strategic submissions and consultation responses to Government and other national bodies.
- To provide detailed technical and strategic advice on complex local government finance policy and funding matters to colleagues in London Councils, leading members and London borough officers.
- To provide members, officers, MPs, journalists and others with appropriate briefings on local government finance issues on a timely basis.
- To support appropriate member and officer regional networks.
- To effectively manage financial and other resources for projects under their control ensuring that these are delivered on time and within budget.
- To support the Strategy Director: Local Government Finance & Improvement in ensuring that the Corporate Management Team is fully informed of relevant finance policy issues, and deputise in their absence.
- To represent London Councils on policy discussions with stakeholders ensuring the needs of member authorities are represented in discussions with Government Departments and external bodies.
- To act as a communications champion, supporting the work of the Communications team and London Councils’ wider communications strategy across all areas of London Councils activity.
- To provide leadership to allocated teams of staff, managing, recruiting and developing teams, directly supervising the Finance policy team, and supervising the work of staff allocated to other projects and programmes.
- To develop staff, working with the Strategy Director: Local Government Finance & Improvement, using coaching and other activities to support the development of team members, providing feedback to staff through appraisal and other supervisory activities.
- To encourage the development of service and employment policies and practices which reflect and value the diversity of London’s communities and promote an inclusive society.
- To adhere to London Councils’ corporate policies, procedures, regulations and protocols.
- To take care at all times to uphold health and safety at work for self and others. To observe London Councils’ Health and Safety policy and related procedures at all times.
- To uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct in line with the expectations of a local government officer and to lead staff to adhere to such standards in order to uphold the reputation of London Councils and local government in London.

**Qualifications and experience**
- Experience of working in local government finance or equivalent understanding of local government finance and accounting;
- While an accountancy qualification is not essential it would be beneficial;
- Experience of leading a team;
- Experience of creativity in policy development;
- Experience of successfully managing and delivering major policy projects;
- Experience in analysing and presenting complex data and statistics, to both a technical and non-technical audience;
- Experience of working on major projects involving co-ordination between different divisions within the orga