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Director of Corporate Services (Qualified Accountant) opportunity

Lancaster City Council

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Welcome

A place for innovation | A place for investment | A place for optimism

Lancaster - City, Coast & Countryside

Thank you for your interest in joining Lancaster City Council. Now is a very exciting time in our history and we are proud to be known as a forward thinking and innovative council with an aspirational vision outlined in our 2018-22 Corporate plan. The Director of Corporate Services will lead the vision to enhance the economy, the environment, neighbourhoods, and the wellbeing of the districts communities, whilst ensuring Lancaster thrives as a vibrant regional centre in the North West of England.

Lancaster is part of the Northern Powerhouse and boast a portfolio of assets stretching out across the Forest of Bowland with historic landmarks still in the possession of the British Crown as the Duchy of Lancaster. A major destination on the West Coast mainline between Glasgow, London and Manchester and in the strategically important M6 corridor. A city region crossed by canals and the River Lune, perfectly situated between two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty: within minutes of spectacular coastline, the open countryside of North Yorkshire and the mountains of the Lake District. This vital strategic role will provide visionary and effective leadership to the corporate services team within the council. You will lead the professional heads of service to ensure high quality corporate support and delivery of the ambitious agenda for change. Your collaborative leadership style will ensure you drive organisational performance, aligning services with the needs of clients and strengthening the offering to our districts.

Lancaster has received national attention as a growing economy, with a UK Top Ten University, continuing to attract exciting investment such as The Eden Project, making it an excellent place to do business, study, build a career, and raise a family.

I hope this introduction has given you a flavour of our ambitions and encourages you to consider a career with us. Our council is an excellent place to work and that is down to our people and how we collaborate.

Kind Regards
Lancaster City Council

Please click here to view our corporate plan

Employer OPS - About us

About us

The administrative area of Lancaster City Council is the largest of all the Lancashire authorities, covering 576 square kilometres. Lancaster is the county town of Lancashire and is at the heart of one of the fastest growing economic regions in the UK. The district is ambitious and is at the forefront of innovation and growth, embracing the changing face of industry and welcoming new business. It boasts a portfolio of assets stretching out across two areas of outstanding natural beauty, with historic landmarks still in the possession of the British Crown such as Lancaster Castle.

Lancaster is one of England’s most vibrant historic cities, where culture and heritage captivate and inspire visitors. The prospect of the Eden Project in Morecambe only adds to the momentum building in the region, as businesses and organisations recognise the potential on offer.

The city is now harnessing its many sectoral opportunities, to diversify its business base, to create more opportunities for local people and local businesses and to create a stronger, more sustainable economy. Characteristics of the Lancaster district economy.

4,585 enterprises in 2018
A skilled workforce – 36% of residents hold NVQ Level 4+ qualifications
Economic activity rate of 77.4%, higher than the North West
Significant growth in employment rates since the last recession
Employee jobs have increased from 52,000 in 2009 to 57,000 in 2017
Full-time employment has played a significant role in the growing base of jobs
Significant reduction in unemployment over the long-term, from 7.4% in 2004/05 to 4.7% in 2017/18

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Employer OPS - Benefits

BENEFITS

15.5% Local government contribution

34 days holiday plus Bank Holidays

Flexible working options

Employer OPS - Opportunity

The opportunity

Director of Corporate Services (Qualified Accountant)

Location

Lancaster

Salary

£81,600 - £89,760

A strategic role for a Qualified Accountant with vision and a commercial background.

Your new company

Lancaster City Council are half way through their Corporate Plan to enhance the economy, the environment, neighbourhoods, and the well being of the districts communities. The vision is for the district to thrive as a vibrant regional centre in the North West of England.

With key projects in the pipeline including The Eden Project and Canal Quarter there has never been a more exciting time to live and work in Lancaster - also home to some of the best educational establishments in the country, including a top ten UK University.

The Director of Corporate services is a key role within the senior team, and so if you are looking for a challenging role, with opportunity to add value, in a forward thinking organisation, working with a supportive and dedicated team of professionals from a variety of backgrounds- this role could be the opportunity you have been looking for!

Your new role

Reporting directly into the Chief Executive, this role will provide leadership to Finance, Human Resources, Organisational Development, Learning and Development, IT, Legal, Audit, Procurement. The role will ensure provision of high quality corporate support to enable delivery of the councils ambitious agenda. Working directly with the Executive team to shape strategy, innovation and transformation, this role would suit an aspirational professional with a strong finance background, looking for that next step.

Your track record will enable you to deliver services in a way which supports the agenda for change, and your strong leadership and collaborative approach will enable sustained continuous improvement and improved organisational performance. You will lead the team to align services with the needs of clients and provide expert and professional advice to a wide audience across the range of Corporate Service functions.

What you'll need to succeed

The ideal candidate would be required to have a professional finance qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) and already be working in a "Head of" or senior role, although not necessarily working in a Director position,as this role could be a great next step for an ambitious person who has exceptional leadership skills, whilst also possessing a strong understanding of complex accounting models.

Although experience of working in the Public Sector or Local government is desirable, the council has excellent training and support programmes to support candidates in professional development, and so applications from all candidates meeting the above criteria will be considered.

If you are considering relocating to Lancaster, it is a growing economy which homes City, Coast and Countryside, whilst also referred to as the gateway to the stunning Lake District, Yorkshire Dales & Cumbria. Transport links via road and rail are excellent in the area, including quick access on to the M6 North to Carlisle and Scotland, as well as South to Preston, Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham.

What you'll get in return

Compensation includes a starting salary of £81,600 - £89,760 per annum, as well as 15.5% pension contribution, 34 days holiday plus bank holidays, flexible working options and the ability to work from home.The status of the role does dictate flexibility to attend meetings and perform other duties related to the council outside of normal office hours, the standard working week is is 37 hours Monday-Friday.

You will also receive on going support and training throughout your career with Lancaster City Council, the team are collaborative and are committed to aligning services in a way that supports the agenda for change.

What you need to do now

If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV to Tanya Parry or call us now on 01524 532 330. I am happy to discuss the role in as much detail as you require to offer you the opportunity to make an informed choice before applying. This is a fantastic opportunity.

If this job isn't quite right for you but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career.

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