Director of Finance (Deputy Section 151 Officer) Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Kingston - Hybrid
Job Type: Permanent
The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames is London’s oldest Royal borough – a place shaped by a thousand years of civic leadership and still defined today by ambition, culture and community. With a population of 168,000 and a bold vision for inclusive growth, regeneration, climate action and financial resilience, Kingston offers a platform for senior leaders who are driven by purpose, partnership and lasting civic impact.
This is a borough of contrast and opportunity – from thriving town centres and world-class education to significant regeneration programmes and a rich, diverse community with global heritage, including the largest Korean population in the UK and a vibrant Sri Lankan Tamil community. Kingston is also a place of financial responsibility and reform, where resilience, transformation and accountability underpin strategic decision-making at every level.
As Director of Finance and Deputy Section 151 Officer, you will be one of two senior leaders shaping the direction, ambition and performance of the Shared Finance Service (SFS), with responsibility for delivering Kingston’s financial strategy including excellence in performance and governance.
Acting as the deputy to the Section 151 Officer, you will take strategic leadership for Kingston’s core finance function – driving excellence in financial stewardship, ensuring integrity of financial reporting, shaping the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), and positioning the Council to meet both current and future challenges.
You will play a central role in advising Members, the Chief Executive and senior leadership team on complex financial, regulatory and commercial matters, while leading a broad portfolio spanning financial planning, business partnering, external audit, pensions, capital & treasury, revenues & benefits and financial inclusion.
As Director of Finance, you will act as the deputy to the S151 Officer and have stewardship and oversight of:
A net revenue budget of c.£193m (General Fund), plus HRA, DSG and Pension Fund investments
A finance workforce of over 160 FTE across the shared service structure
Full production of Kingston’s annual accounts and audit reporting
Responsibility for financial resilience, statutory controls and assurance
Strategic leadership of capital, treasury, pensions, revenues & benefits and financial inclusion
Supporting corporate transformation and major change programmes
Shaping a future-ready, data-driven and commercially aware finance function
We are seeking an exceptional senior finance leader with the credibility, resilience and drive to influence strategic decision-making at the highest levels.
Be a CCAB or CIMA qualified accountant and eligible to deputise for the S151
Have significant senior leadership experience within local government or a comparable complex public body
Be able to operate politically, shaping financial strategy alongside Members and senior stakeholders
Bring strong technical assurance expertise (accounts, audit, pensions, treasury, governance)
Inspire, influence and lead through change, building high-performing, future-ready finance teams
Have a commercial, outward-facing mindset with the ability to drive innovation, transformation and value
Technical interviews (virtual): Tuesday 2 December 2025
121 with Executive Director of Corporate Services (Section 151 Officer)/Stakeholder panels: