Job Purpose: 

Manage the financial and performance monitoring, reporting and compliance associated with the Council’s extensive programme of externally funded regeneration programmes and projects as set out in the Corporate Plan and Economic Strategy. Advise the Head of Service, Executive Director of Regeneration and s151 Officer as appropriate,on the appropriate and required development, maintenance and delivery of relevant policies, procedures, and financial and business processes associated with the corporate Accountable Body function for Council (including for the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal in England) and thereby ensuring that all secured external funding is spent and claimed in accordance with the Council’s financial procedures and the conditions imposed by the external funder.    To directly monitor and manage, on behalf of the Head of Service manage, all service revenue and capital budgets, including those considerable external funding streams secured by the Service itself.

Duties and Key Result Areas:

• Manage the Council’s Accountable Body function for regeneration and economy projects, including Borderlands Inclusive Growth, European Structural Investment Funds, North of Tyne Devolution Funds, and North East LEP funds.
• Lead on financial management, performance monitoring, reporting, and claims submission policies to minimize risk and ensure effective use of resources.
• Provide advice and support to the Borderlands Programme Management Office and project sponsors.
• Direct and manage a team to ensure service objectives are met, with a focus on performance management and appraisals.
• Ensure corporate policies and procedures are embedded across the Economy and Regeneration Service.
• Lead on setting and monitoring capital and revenue budgets, including external funding sources.
• Collaborate with the Head of Service, Executive Director for Regeneration, and s151 Officer to raise awareness of financial and performance policies.
• Attend cross-service meetings, advocate for the Council’s position on funding and policy, and prepare reports for Cabinet and committees.
• Manage responses to audit queries and provide advice on project and programme budgets.
• Foster relationships with regional partners (e.g., Borderlands Partnership, North of Tyne Combined Authority).
• Develop and deliver training on financial management, monitoring, and compliance.
• Promote staff development through appraisals and training.
• Ensure effective resource management to meet service objectives.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Monitor service effectiveness and implement continuous improvement initiatives.
• Participate in corporate planning and management processes and promote collaborative working.
• Represent the Council in external agencies to manage regeneration projects and programmes.

Candidates must have:

• Degree level or equivalent standard of general education
• Relevant professional qualification and membership of appropriate professional body Extensive understanding of financial management legislation, regulations, national policies and professional best practice in relation to public funding
• Significant knowledge of Public Sector Funding sources, finance procedures and performance monitoring requirements
• Knowledge of staff development and performance appraisal procedures within a public sector organisation.
• Recent extensive experience and proven achievement at senior management level within a financial and grant management service setting or organisation of comparable scope and complexity
• Extensive experience and a proven track in the financial and performance management of grant funded programmes within a Local Authority or public sector organisation of comparable scope and complexity
• Significant experience in development and implementation of financial and governance procedures within a project or programme environment.
• Significant experience of the operational and management requirements and regulations in respect of undertaking and Accountable Body function
• Significant experience and demonstrable success in the management of change and of securing the support of others in the process
• Comprehensive experience of financial & resource management within a comparable organisation
• A successful track record of engaging effectively with others at a senior level and building productive partnerships with key stakeholders.
• A corporate and collaborative commitment to tackling issues in a non-departmental manner.
• Able to exercise sound judgement and decisiveness
• Excellent IT skills
• Ability to identify priorities and manage and allocate work to meet tight dealines
• Logical & analytical approach to decision making.
• Numerate and skilled at analysing/reasoning with complex business related statistics
• Good time management and prioritisation skills.
• Politically astute.
• Financial and commercial awareness,
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent presentational skills
• Personality, conduct and credibility that engages and commands the confidence of colleagues, Council Members and other stakeholders.
• Superior ability to provide visible and supportive leadership, empowering, enabling, motivating and developing staff and fostering a positive organisational culture.
• Keen aptitude to operate effectively within the democratic process and to develop productive working relationships with Council Members that command respect, trust and confidence.
• Extremely astute and able to maintain a clear overview of the issues affecting the Council in general and the service in particular.
• Formidable analytical skills and an excellent aptitude for developing innovative solutions to complex problems.
• Ability to independently propose, develop and implement effective strategies in pursuit of agreed goals and to make clear, informed, appropriate and timely decisions.
• Very well developed networking, partnership, advocacy, negotiating and presentation skills that are persuasive and influential with others.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills to relate effectively to, and command the respect, trust and confidence of, colleagues, Council Members, and other stakeholders.
• Usually works from seated position with regular need to walk, bend or carry items. Periods of time visiting sites on the public highways and various meetings at client premises throughout the county, region and occasional national locations.
• Need to maintain general awareness with prolonged periods of enhanced concentration, particularly in meetings, high level negotiations, committees, public exhibitions and during cross examination at public forums.
• Frequent and lengthy contract with public/clients/agents in dispute with the Council.
• Proficient at the dispute resolution and able to balance conflicting demands. Adept and able to prioritise a high level of multi-service requests in a logical and rational manner.

Hybrid role, would consider remote working