Shape the Future of One of London’s Most Ambitious Boroughs
Brent is one of London’s most vibrant and diverse boroughs, home to the iconic Wembley Stadium and a community rich in culture, innovation and opportunity. With a significant programme of regeneration, investment and service transformation underway, this is an exciting opportunity for an exceptional finance leader to make a lasting impact.
Brent Council is delivering ambitious investment across housing, infrastructure, public realm improvements, town centre regeneration, climate action and corporate transformation. To support this agenda, we are seeking an experienced and commercially astute Head of Finance to provide strategic financial leadership across our Neighbourhoods & Regeneration and Finance & Resources directorates.
Contract: Until end of March 2027
Location: Wembley Park, HA9
Payrate: £650 per day Umbrella (Inside IR35)
Working hours: 36 hrs per week – 3 days per week in the office
The Opportunity
As a key member of the Council’s senior leadership community, you will act as the lead financial adviser to Directors, senior stakeholders and elected Members, helping shape strategic decisions across a broad and complex portfolio.
This is a highly visible leadership role responsible for ensuring financial sustainability, driving value for money, supporting transformation programmes and influencing major investment decisions across critical front-line and corporate services.
Your portfolio will include services such as:
- Neighbourhood Services
- Environmental Services
- Waste, Recycling and Street Cleansing
- Property and Asset Management
- Regeneration and Climate Action
- Corporate Finance
- Human Resources and Organisational Development
- Governance and Corporate Resources
Key Responsibilities
- Lead strategic financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and medium-term financial strategy across budgets of significant scale and complexity.
- Partner with Directors, senior managers and Members to provide expert financial advice that supports informed decision-making.
- Provide financial leadership for major contracts and commercial arrangements, ensuring robust performance management and value for money.
- Drive financial sustainability through service transformation, efficiency programmes and income generation opportunities.
- Identify and manage financial risks, pressures and opportunities across diverse service areas.
- Ensure compliance with statutory requirements, governance frameworks and financial regulations.
- Lead and develop a high-performing finance team, fostering professional excellence and continuous improvement.
- Contribute to the wider corporate leadership of the Council and deputise for the statutory Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer) when required.
About You
We are looking for a strategic finance professional who combines technical excellence with strong leadership and stakeholder management skills.
You’ll bring:
- CCAB qualification (ideally CIPFA) with substantial post-qualification experience.
- Proven success operating at senior finance management level within a large and complex organisation.
- Strong experience in financial planning, budgeting, management accounting and financial control.
- The ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders, directors and external partners.
- Experience leading transformation, efficiencies and financial improvement initiatives.
- Excellent commercial awareness and contract management understanding.
- Strong people leadership experience, managing and developing teams through change.
- The credibility and confidence to operate across political, corporate and operational environments.
Experience within local government or similarly complex public sector environments will be highly advantageous.
Why Apply?
This is a rare opportunity to step into a strategic leadership role at the heart of one of London’s most ambitious local authorities. You’ll play a pivotal role in shaping financial strategy, supporting major regeneration programmes and influencing decisions that directly impact local communities.
If you’re an experienced senior finance leader looking for your next high-profile interim challenge, we’d love to hear from you.
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