Leeds City Council
Head of Finance Service Improvement
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Head of Finance Service Improvement
Head of Service Improvement
Salary: £70,210 to £77,020 (Directoral (Dir) 52.5% scale)
Role: Permanent | Hours: 37/week | Location: Hybrid, primarily Leeds Civic Hall and citywide
About The Role
Leeds City Council is seeking a finance leader to lead service improvement within Corporate Financial Services. You’ll champion transformational initiatives driving cultural change, greater automation, and standardised finance processes, reshaping the Finance ‘Delivery Offer’ and embedding new ways of working across the organisation to enhance service delivery and efficiency.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic & Operational Leadership
- Lead the design, standardisation, and automation of core finance and HR processes, integrating new Core Business Systems (Finance, HR, Recruitment, Procurement).
- Oversee the Core Business Transformation Team, managing cross-functional work-packages and delivering operational improvements.
- Partner with senior stakeholders across finance, HR, and procurement to implement best practice policies and processes, driving adoption and further development.
Financial Integrity & Support to Leadership
- Work closely with the Council’s Section 151 Officer to maintain the integrity of financial systems, procedures, and controls.
- Influence—and collaborate with—the Corporate Leadership Team to align business cases, investment decisions, and commercial strategies with organisational priorities.
- Build and manage partnerships internally (e.g., Directorate leads) and externally to deliver cross-service and cross-sector outcomes.
Change Delivery & Transformation
- Lead transformational programmes, including process redesign and workforce optimisation, while mitigating risks to deliver high-impact outcomes.
- Champion innovative, customer-focused solutions that drive value for money and operational efficiency.
- Embed new ways of working across teams, ensuring alignment with Leeds City Council’s strategic goals.
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Requirements
Leadership & Expertise
- CCAB qualification (or equivalent) and extended experience in senior finance leadership.
- A proven record of driving continuous improvement and delivering transformational change in complex environments.
- Experience shaping achievable strategy, policy, and governance frameworks—particularly in politically sensitive or large-scale transformations.
Strategic & Stakeholder Influence
- Strong track record in influencing sponsors, elected members, trade unions, and partner organisations to collaboratively resolve challenges.
- Exceptional prioritisation and risk management to balance competing demands and operational constraints.
- Ability to build trusted, collaborative relationships while maintaining credibility in decision-making.
Adaptability & Flexibility
- Cultural intelligence to adapt to fast-moving or conflictual environments.
- Supports scheduled out-of-hours meetings/events to deliver service requirements.
Working Arrangements
Primary Location: Leeds Civic Hall & selective office sites across the city. Flexibility: Handled through agreed Council policies, including remote working and mobility across locations. Hours: Standard Monday–Friday commitments, with occasional evening/weekend attendance as needed.
Our Values
Guided by Awarding Excellence, Leeds City Council’s values define our working culture:
- Working as a Team for Leeds (collaborative, responsive, accountable)
- Open, Honest & Trusted (transparency, integrity, performance-focused)
- Working with Communities (co-design principles, recognition of lived experience)
- Treating People Fairly (diversity championing, equity-centred service)
- Spending Money Wisely (maximising impact and adaptive innovation)
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We’re seeking leaders who model these values, embedding a service environment built on trust, inclusion, and high-performance outcomes.
Essential Eligibility
- Right to work in the UK under relevant home office criteria.
Applications + Guidance
- Closing: 23:59, 20 July 2026.
- Apply: [Online Portal](insert link).
- Supporting Statement must clearly align with key personal criteria particularly example-based evidence of:
- Leading transformational initiatives,
- Influencing senior stakeholders,
- Delivering measurable improvements.
For informal discussions: Carolyn Jolley – Head of Finance Strategic Email: Carolyn.Jolley@leeds.gov.uk | Tel: 0113 37 87821
--- ## Hayward Mark Tamp Collection Carex Distance Programme Agricultural Export Ch (Diversity Commitment) We actively elect for applications from and support underrepresented groups, including but not limited to, women, carers, veterans, LGBT+, BAME employees, disabled individuals, and care-experienced candidates. These identities are integral to our organisational strength and service excellence.
The specification is not exhaustive but reflects the level expected for a Director-scale Grade 5–7 bands role. Flexibility in scope will prioritise operational priorities without altering core responsibilities.
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