Job title: Interim Strategic Director of Finance and Deputy Chief Executive (s151 Officer)
Job Category: Interims
Hours per week: 22.50
Location: County Hall, High Street, Newport, Isle of Wight, PO30 1UD, Isle of Wight Council
Pay: £672.57 per day
Likely to be a weekly presence required onsite due to statutory Section 151 obligations.
We need an individual for 3 days per week who will be available from mid July 2026 (possibly earlier).
Whilst some work will be able to be carried out remotely in an agile way, the nature of this role (Section 151) requires in person attendance at meetings here on the Isle of Wight so the successful candidate should expect to spend significant time here.
Service Area: Finance
Job Purpose
To provide strategic leadership and oversight of the council’s finance function, ensuring financial stewardship, robust governance, financial resilience and value for money in all council activities.
Responsibilities
As the designated Section 151 officer, ensure the discharge of statutory responsibilities for the proper administration of the council’s financial affairs, including pensions, as the council is a pension administering authority for its LGPS fund. Deputyise for the chief executive, assuming full responsibilities of head of paid service in their absence, including organisational leadership and emergency decision making. To play a key role in the overall leadership of the organisation, working collaboratively with Members and partners and serving as an ambassador for the island while fostering a higher‑performing, motivated and engaged workforce committed to service excellence.
The candidate will need to lead on:
* Financial policy, strategy and management
* All duties as the Council's statutory Section 151 Officer
* Implementation of transformation and improvement plansManagement accounting and financial planning
* Strategic procurement
* Treasury management
* Internal audit and risk assurance
* Local Government Pension Scheme
Qualifications and Skills
Required skills include
* Fully qualified CCAB accountant with substantial post‑qualification experience.
* Sound understanding of the Local Government Act 1972, specifically Section 151, and financial regulations governing local authorities.
* Extensive experience of development and delivery of a medium‑term financial strategy for a council with a gross budget exceeding £300m.
* Successfully deliver balanced budgets despite funding reductions.
* Ability to support 'whole council transformation' to deliver significant efficiency savings.
* Can think commercially, innovatively and creatively about how funding is best deployed to support growth.
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