Lead Finance Manager (Finance Operations)

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Lead Finance Manager (Finance Operations)

Application Deadline: 31 March 2026

Department: Finance & Procurement

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Birmingham, England, United Kingdom; Leeds, England, United Kingdom

Description

Contract type: Permanent
Hours: 37.5

Salary: circa GBP 90k depending on experience

Location: Leeds city centre OR Birmingham city centre

WFH policy: Employees are required to attend the office 2 days/week

Flexible working: Variety of flexible work patterns subject to line manager discretion e.g. Compressed 9-day fortnight.

Reports to: Head of Finance & Procurement
Deadline Note: We reserve the right to close the advert before the advertised deadline if there are a high volume of applications.

Role Summary:The role reports to the Head of Finance. The Finance Manager is responsible for overseeing all transactions, processes and reporting that relate to the operational costs of the business. The role will lead a team (currently 7 FTE) which includes Management Accounts and Finance Business Parter sub teams.

The Finance Manager will liaise with a number of internal stakeholders (including Heads of Teams, Senior Leadership team) and external stakeholders (DESNZ, DfT and DfE). The role will be responsible for overseeing the month end process (including associated month end reporting with insightful commentary), Accounts Payable and Receivable, and budgeting/forecasting related exercises (including the funding arrangements).

The Finance Manager will be responsible for driving continuous improvement in the Finance Operations team in collaboration with Financial Controller and Finance Systems Manager.

Key Responsibilities

1. Oversee all processes, transactions and reporting linked to operational costs of the business though leadership and oversight of Finance Operations team (Management Accounting and Finance Business Partners) ensuring the business have timely information to make decisions and effectively manage resource.
2. Responsible for enabling team to make continuous improvements to processes.
3. Responsible for overseeing control framework for Finance Operations side of the team.

Detailed responsibilities

The key responsibilities of the role are outlined below, covering both LCCC and ESC. However, this is an overview of the role and is not exhaustive. As the size and number of different schemes continues to grow, the dynamic nature of the role may lead to further enhancements. LCCC recognises the evolving nature of the responsibilities and reserves the right to assign other duties commensurate with the role as required.

Team leadership and development

• Responsible for managing a growing team, ensuring team is structured to allow uninterrupted delivery of tasks, continuous improvement and efficient growth.
• Foster a high performing team environment with effective monitoring of team performance.
• Responsible for linking Management Accounting and Business Partnering teams.
• Responsible for structuring and leading the team to provide the business and budget holders with timely, accurate financial information to enable them to make decisions and helping them manage their resourcing appropriately.
• Responsible for team that guides business through funding cycles and processes across all Government and levies.
• Responsible for leading team that provide Financial Support and processes to all employees (e.g. payroll support to People team, Expenses, PORs, Credit cards).
• With oversight of Finance Operations team, accountability for accurate allocation of resources and costs to the appropriate funding sources across actuals, forecasts, and budgets.
• Process efficiencies - Oversee process efficiencies through system integration and/or configuration to replace manual processes. This should be done in collaboration with Financial Controller and Finance Systems Manager.
• Risks - Identify and monitor risks impacting the Finance Operations side of the team ensuring controls and mitigations in place.
• HMRC - Oversee HMRC statutory obligations ensuring that LCCC compliant with VAT, PAYE and any other tax obligations.
• Finance Reporting Letter - Responsible for creation and updating of Finance Reporting letter(s).
• Deputise for Head of Team when applicable.

Management Accounting

• Financial controls - Responsible for ensuring that internal controls and procedures are in place for LCCC/ESC's financial operations.
• Month end process - Responsible for overseeing the delivery of month end process in line with reporting timetable, coordinating with Finance Settlements team to ensure all accounts reconciled and monthly submissions made to DENSZ on time.
• Month end close - Oversee the closing of Sage month end close.
• Operational banking - Oversee management of operational cost bank accounts for existing and new schemes, including the salaries bank account.
• Cost allocation - Manage process for allocating costs across schemes and internal recharges efficiently and accurately linking Management Accounting and Finance Business Partnering work.
• Chart of accounts - Manage chart of accounts in Sage X3 (ERP) efficiently and ensure all solutions are scalable to new funding streams.
• Annual Report - oversee the preparation of the annual financial statements model and associated DESNZ submissions.
• Accounts payable - Oversee accounts payable function ensuring vendors paid promptly and accurately. Integrate with the Procurement and Supply Chain Manager to deliver efficient, transparent procure to pay process.
• Policies - Oversee improvements to Finance documentation, internal policies and processes impacting Finance Operations.
• Accounts receivable - Manage the raising of grant-in-aid invoices and capital drawdown and securing swift settlement by DESNZ.
• Management Reporting - Oversee external management reporting to Shareholder and other Government bodies ensuring monthly submissions of actuals and forecast are accurate, on time and adhere to reporting as set out in the Finance Reporting Letter (s).

Business Planning

• Leadership of Business Partners - Oversee growing Finance Business Partner team and function delivering business insight to internal and external stakeholders.
• Business planning - Oversee quarterly forecast process and annual business planning cycles including the Spending Review and Operational Cost consultations ensuring appropriate funding in place for LCCC and ESC to manage all identified schemes. Work with DESNZ to ensure the delegation letter is finalised swiftly following business planning.
• Workforce planning - Oversee the Finance element of Strategic workforce planning ensuring forecast remains in line with workforce planning with roles being funded and approved.

Skills Knowledge and Expertise

Essential

• Fully-qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with post-qualified experience.
• Experience leading a growing Management Accounting or Finance team.
• Experience of process and data management including how technology can be deployed to deliver efficiency, effectiveness and control to meet the defined business requirements.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage technical and non-technical audiences and communicate complex ideas in simplified terms.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including cross-functional collaboration.

Desirable

• A graduate or higher degree

Employee Benefits

As if contributing to and supporting work that makes life better for millions wasn't rewarding enough, we offer a full range of benefits too. Key benefits that may be available depending on the role include:

• Annual performance based bonus, up to 10%
• 25 days annual leave, plus eight bank holidays
• Up to 8% pension contribution
• Financial support and time off for study relevant to your role, plus a professional membership subscription
• Employee referral scheme (up to GBP 1500), and colleague recognition scheme
• Family friendly policies, including enhanced maternity leave and shared parental leave
• Free, confidential employee assistance, including financial management, family care, mental health, and on-call GP service
• Three paid volunteering days a year
• Season ticket loan and cycle to work schemes
• Family savings on days out and English Heritage, gym discounts, cash back and discounts at selected retailers
• Employee resource groups