Interim Financial Transformation Lead (Adults Commissioning)

The Opportunity

This role will lead a focused programme of financial recovery and transformation across adult social care commissioning. The client has identified significant outstanding debt linked to commissioned services delivered on behalf of health partners and requires a clear plan to recover this income while strengthening the systems and processes that underpin financial management.

This is not a traditional finance role. The Council is seeking a leader with a strong commissioning-led transformation background who can shape and deliver a system-wide approach to financial recovery and improvement. While support is available from the in-house finance team on technical areas such as accountancy, debt recovery and financial controls, the postholder will be expected to operate independently in driving change.

Key Responsibilities

You will take ownership of:

• Developing the overall policy and approach to financial recovery and financial management within commissioning

• Designing and embedding operational processes and infrastructure to support effective financial control and performance

• Leading debt recovery activity, working with Integrated Care Board and Health partners to reconcile and recover outstanding funding

• Building strong, effective relationships with operational teams and system partners to ensure alignment and collective ownership

• Establishing a clear, time-bound delivery plan, providing assurance to senior leadership and auditors

• Embedding sustainable changes that reduce the risk of debt reoccurring in the future

Context and Challenges

The client is managing a significant level of outstanding debt relating to commissioned services. While the issue is not inherently complex, progress has been limited by a lack of structured delivery, ownership and system alignment. The broader challenge is to move beyond short-term recovery and address the underlying system issues that have contributed to the position.

This will require a transformation mindset, with the ability to influence across organisational boundaries, shape new ways of working and embed lasting change. Given the scale and system-wide nature of the issue, success will rely on strong partnership working, clear leadership and the ability to deliver at pace while bringing others with you.

Person Profile

You will bring:

• Strong experience in commissioning-led transformation within local government or a comparable public sector environment

• A proven track record of designing and embedding systems, processes and ways of working that drive performance improvement

• Experience of working across organisational boundaries, particularly with health partners

• The ability to operate independently, shaping approach and driving delivery with pace and clarity

• Strong stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the credibility to lead system-wide change