Director, Local Government Finance

Job summary

As Director for Local Government Finance at MHCLG, you will be at the centre of the Government's agenda to rewire the relationship between central and local government, and place councils and strategic authorities on a sustainable footing for the long term.

The Local Government Finance Directorate (LGF) oversees £83.5bn worth of annual funding to the sector for the delivery of essential services, including adult and children's social care, SEND, and homelessness, and holds responsibility for the overall financial sustainability of local government.

The Directorate is also responsible for ensuring that the core elements of the local government finance system operate effectively. This includes delivering the annual Local Government Finance Settlement; overseeing the local tax system, including council tax and business rates; and running the operationally complex business rates retention system - as well as addressing financial risk within the sector, including through the provision of Exceptional Financial Support.

LGF leads on fiscal events for local government, working with HM Treasury and other government departments to agree funding that enables councils to deliver high-quality, effective services and meet growing demand pressures. The Directorate works closely with the Cabinet Office, the Department of Health and Social Care, the Department for Education and other departments whose policy objectives rely on effective local government delivery - shaping public service reforms and working to develop long-term funding solutions.This includes supporting cross-government work on adult social care reform via the Casey Commission.

The Directorate has led landmark reforms - including the Fair Funding Review 2.0 and reforms to the local tax system. This role offers a unique opportunity to shape and deliver a far-reaching programme of further reform, working across both the finance directorate and devolution directorate. The postholder will lead on the future of local taxation and fiscal devolution alongside HMT and No10 North, including reforms to business rates, development of new fiscal powers for Strategic Authorities and Mayors, and measures that strengthen local accountability while supporting economic growth. The role will also oversee the development and implementation of new fiscal initiatives, including reforms linked to the Overnight Visitor Levy, mayoral revenue-raising powers and wider devolution finance reforms, helping to place English devolution on a more sustainable long-term footing.

Job description

The postholder will also provide strategic leadership for the Government's ambitious programme of Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) reform, overseeing reforms that improve fairness, access and outcomes for scheme members while ensuring the Local Government Pension Scheme remains sustainable and fit for the future. The role will lead work to modernise the scheme's governance and regulatory framework and drive the next phase of pooling reform, bringing together pension fund assets at greater scale to improve efficiency, strengthen investment capability and support the Government's growth agenda.

The postholder will also lead LGF's dedicated Grants Delivery Unit, which supports targeted local growth and regeneration investment in places across the UK - managing programmes across many departmental priorities from inception and delivery through to closure. The GDU is also working across the department to standardise, simplify and improve the efficiency of all grants through a transforming grants programme.

The Directorate comprises approximately 200 staff, including the local government analysis function, and is located primarily in London and the Darlington Economic Campus - with colleagues working across the Department's wider office network.

Working in Local Government Finance provides a unique insight into one of the most important parts of the public sector and offers the opportunity to shape the future funding arrangements and financial sustainability of councils across England.

The postholder will be responsible for leading the Department's overall approach to local government finance, ensuring councils have a sustainable funding framework that enables the delivery of public services and supports Government priorities.

The role is central to the Department's relationship with local government and provides strategic leadership across local government funding, local taxation, financial sustainability, capital frameworks, fiscal events and wider reform of the local government finance system.

The postholder will lead the Local Government Finance Directorate of over 200 staff, ensuring effective leadership of people and resources. This includes managing the Directorate's paybill and budget, maintaining high levels of staff engagement, enhancing an inclusive culture and playing an active corporate leadership role across MHCLG.

This is a high-profile leadership, policy and delivery role, offering significant opportunities to shape the future financial relationship between central and local government. The postholder will work closely with Ministers, senior officials across Whitehall and be a visible leader across the local government sector.

The role has substantial external visibility and requires the ability to build strong and productive relationships with local authorities, representative bodies, professional
organisations and other government departments.

Person specification

Key Responsibilities

The successful candidate will:

• Provide strategic leadership on local government finance across Government, shaping funding policy and ensuring the effective allocation of resources to local
  authorities
• Lead the delivery of the annual Local Government Finance Settlement, determining the level and distribution of funding for local government
• Lead the Department's work on assessing and monitoring the financial sustainability of local government, including preparation for fiscal events and spending reviews
• Oversee policy relating to council tax, business rates and wider local taxation arrangements
• Lead work on local government finance reform and the development of future funding arrangements where required, including on fiscal devolution (business rates reform, overnight visitor levy, etc.)
• Modernise and oversee the local government capital framework, ensuring councils can invest effectively while maintaining value for money and financial sustainability
• Work alongside colleagues across Local Government and Communities to support authorities experiencing financial challenges and requiring exceptional financial
  support
• Provide strategic leadership on the Local Government Pension Scheme
• Sponsor the Valuation Tribunal Service for England
• Work closely with colleagues across MHCLG to support wider departmental priorities, including local growth, devolution, public service reform and community outcomes
• Oversee the receipt and payment of significant grant funding to local authorities
• Build and maintain strong relationships across central government, local government and the wider public sector
• Lead, motivate and develop a large, geographically dispersed Directorate, promoting
  inclusion, wellbeing and high performance

The Person

This role is ideal for someone with a strong background in policy, public finance, strategy or delivery, who can operate confidently in a complex and politically sensitive environment.

The successful candidate will be an engaging, visible and credible leader, capable of working across organisational boundaries and influencing at the highest levels of government.

The role will work closely with:

• Ministers
• The MHCLG Executive Committee and Senior Leadership Team
• HM Treasury
• Cabinet Office
• No10 North
• Department of Health and Social Care
• Department for Education
• Other Whitehall departments
• The Local Government Association
• CIPFA
• The National Audit Office
• External auditors
• Local authority chief executives, finance directors and representative bodies
• The Valuation Tribunal Service

Essential Criteria

Strategic leadership in complex public policy, finance or delivery environments - A proven track record of leading large, complex and high-profile policy, finance or operational portfolios, setting strategic direction and delivering outcomes in politically sensitive environments. Experience working in collaboration with multiple stakeholders, where responsibilities, accountabilities, funding and objectives are shared across multiple organisations.

Public finance and funding expertise - Significant experience of managing or shaping major public funding, fiscal, spending or financial frameworks, with the ability to apply strong financial judgement to support ministerial priorities and deliver value for money.

Influencing at the highest levels - A demonstrable ability to build trusted relationships and influence senior stakeholders, such as Ministers, senior officials, local government leaders and external organisations, or C-suite-level or equivalent leaders, often where interests are competing and outcomes are contested.

Leadership of major reforms - A strong track record of leading large-scale financial or operational reforms, managing significant risks and complexity while maintaining momentum under sustained scrutiny.

Exceptional judgement and political awareness - The ability to provide clear, evidencebased advice on complex issues, exercising sound judgement in highly sensitive and politically complex situations, whilst balancing local, departmental and cross-government priorities.

Inspirational and inclusive leadership - Experience of leading, developing and inspiring large, diverse teams through change, encouraging an inclusive, high-performing culture and building leadership capability at all levels.

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £105,000, Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government contributes £30,418 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).At MHCLG we offer many benefits that range from tailored career pathways and flexible working to MyLifestyle Staff Benefits Scheme and Cycle to Work Schemes. For more information, please click here.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

How to Apply - To apply you will need to submit a CV and Statement of Suitability via the Be Applied link. Your CV (up to two pages) should set out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years. Your Statement of Suitability (up to two pages) should explain how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability for the role, with reference to the essential and desirable criteria for the role.

Equal Opportunities - We encourage candidates to complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Data via Be Applied. The data will be treated in the strictest confidence and used for monitoring and statistical purposes only.

Interview Schemes - MHCLG is a Disability Confident employer and is committed to protecting and promoting the physical and mental health of all colleagues and applicants. We also operate the Great Place to Work for Veterans and Redeployment schemes. Applicants applying under these schemes who meet the essential criteria, will be invited to interview.

The Panel - Chris Pilgrim - Civil Service Commissioner, Brendan Threlfall - Director General and Hiring Manager, 1 other panel member TBC.

Additionally, the panel may be joined by one of our staff representatives from a pool of volunteers as part of our commitments to diversity and inclusion.

Shortlist - Applications will be sifted after the closing date and shortlisted candidates will be invited to the next phase of assessment and interview. Your CV and Statement of Suitability will be assessed against the essential criteria, these will also be used to form the basis of the panel’s final interview questions. Desirable criteria will only be used to determine the merit order of candidates who rank evenly against the essential criteria.

Assessment - Shortlisted candidates may be invited to attend a Staff Engagement Panel, designed to provide insight into how you engage and interact with your team. Feedback from the session is passed to the panel for consideration alongside your final interview.

Candidates may also be invited to meet with a Senior Stakeholder. This is not a formal part of selection, but an informal chance to find out more about the role and organisation.

Shortlisted candidates may also be invited to give a short presentation or complete an exercise at interviews - further details will be provided when invited to interview.

Feedback - This will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Salary​ - For external appointments, remuneration for this role is advertised at £105,000 pa plus a bonus opportunity depending on performance (within the normal Civil Service pay arrangements) and attractive pension.

For existing civil servants, the usual policy on level transfer and promotion will apply and is non-negotiable. If appointed on promotion you would get the higher of 10% uplift or the new minimum for SCSPB2 – Director. Please also note that, if successful, any existing specialist allowances you currently receive will not automatically transfer or be retained upon moving to this role.​

Future pay awards will normally be made in line with current SCS performance-related pay arrangements.​

Eligibility​ - This post is advertised on level transfer or promotion to existing civil servants, and externally.

Full Information & Benefits - Find out everything you need to know before applying here.

You must review the following information from the MHCLG Career's Site before submitting your application. This step is essential to ensure your eligibility for the role and that your application is completed correctly.

• Security Clearance Requirements

• Civil Service Nationality Requirements

• Right to Work

• Civil Service Code and Recruitment Principles

• CV Declaration

• Sponsorships

• Salary and Grade

• Existing Civil Servants

• Conflict of Interest

• Location and Flexible Working

• Fixed Term Contracts

• Internal Fraud Database

• Appeals and Complaints

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.

As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window).

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window).People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : SCS Recruitment
• Email : scs.recruitment@communities.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : scs.recruitment@communities.gov.uk

Further information

Appeals and Complaints:

If you are unsure about any part of the process or require additional information about the post to enable you to progress your application you should speak to the SCS recruitment team at SCS.recruitment@communities.gov.uk ​

​Candidates can appeal at any stage of the recruitment process if they believe there has been:​

a procedural irregularity;​

an infringement of the Civil Service equal opportunities policy; or​

exceptional circumstances which were not notified to the interview panel which might have affected performance on the day​

​It is important to note that these are appeals about the process not the decision. In the first instance, an appeal should be directed to the team at SCS.recruitment@communities.gov.uk. If the team is unable to satisfactorily resolve your complaint, you may contact put your complaint in writing to the Civil Service Commission, Room G8,1 Horse Guards Road, London, SW1A 2HQ or by Email to: info@csc.gov.uk ​