Director of Finance

Main Activities:

The main duties and responsibilities associated with the role include the following:         

Service Delivery

• Leading and continuously developing a professional finance function that adds value to the effective operation of the organisation.
• Assuming lead responsibility for managing and delivering the organisational budget, currently £1.2 billion. Leading and directing Spending Review exercises in order to secure governmental funding.
• Developing and implementing short and medium term financial plans in order to ensure the allocation of resources against organisational priorities.
• Developing and maintaining the financial strategy, policies and regulations.
• Assuming lead responsibility for the Management Statement and Financial Memorandum.
• Continuously improving the quality of financial management information, systems and processes, ensuring the operation of strong internal controls. 
• Preparing and delivering the Annual Report and Annual Accounts to the Northern Ireland Assembly.
• Providing specialist finance and accounting advice to corporate improvement programmes and other corporate initiatives.
• Overseeing the delivery of the full range of financial services, including payroll, pension, payments, treasury management, reporting, budgeting, economic and advisory services.
• Acting as lead advisor on Corporate Governance and overseeing the work of Internal Audit. 
• Ensuring sound and appropriate governance and risk management at both organisational level and in the Finance function.

Business Management

• Ensuring strong links with District and Departmental senior management teams on financial and business issues. Identifying good practice in financial management and driving the efficiency agenda.
• Ensuring effective governance, risk management and systems of assurance, organisational wide.
• Developing and maintaining tailored service level agreements enabling the provision of a range of quality financial services to internal users

Stakeholder Engagement

• Reporting to the Senior Executive Team on a monthly basis on budgetary, forecast and financial information.
• Challenging and supporting senior decision makers with respect to financial affordability and value for money.
• Providing specialist advice and presentations to the Service Executive Team on strategic financial and accounting issues.
• Generating and presenting innovative, creative and feasible proposals for cost reductions across the organisation.
• Participating as an integral member of key governance boards, for example, the Finance Delivery Group and the Audit and Risk Committee, in actively reporting on emerging strategic issues.
• Maintaining collaborative working relationships with the Department of Justice, Department of Finance and Northern Ireland Policing Board at a senior level on financial matters.
• Proactively engaging with both internal and external auditors and applying relevant learning.
• Reporting and providing evidence to external oversight bodies, including the Northern Ireland Policing Board and other committees as required.
• Benchmarking with senior external stakeholders to keep abreast of national developments, share best practice and network with those responsible for Finance within other organisations.

Budget and Resources

•   The Director of Finance, as a budget holder, is directly accountable for approximately £890 million (including pay and pensions). The role holder has authority to influence spend and must comply with government accounting rules, including the preparation of business cases and driving value for money.

•  The Director of Finance has full autonomy for ensuring that resources that all resources (human and financial) are appropriately directed to meet operational demand and to achieve departmental objectives and targets.

This Job Description reflects the main duties and responsibilities associated with this position. It is not intended to be exclusive or exhaustive.