About the role

This is a great opportunity for someone with senior experience in local government finance to play a pivotal role in helping local authorities to understand their financial positions in their adult social care function, in supporting local authorities to achieve good outcomes and value for money within their resources, and in advising local and central government generally on the resources position in adult social care. You will be working closely with local government regions, with networks of finance and social care lead professionals, with the LGA policy and improvement functions, and with key departments of central government.

About you

We are looking for someone who has senior level experience of local government finance, who understands the issues around social care and how this interfaces with a local authority more generally, and who can engage and communicate with a wide range of people.

About us

The Local Government Association (LGA) is the national membership body for local authorities. We work on behalf of our member councils to support, promote and improve local government.

We are a politically led, cross-party organisation that works on behalf of councils to ensure local government has a strong, credible voice with national government.

We influence and set the political agenda on the issues that matter to councils to help them deliver local solutions to national problems. We also provide councils with the tools and resources to respond to challenges present and emerging, and support improvement across the sector.

We value diversity and encourage applications from all sections of the community to this high-profile role.

About the Partners in Care and Health programme (PCH)

The Local Government Association and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services are Partners in Care and Health (PCH) working with well-respected organisations. PCH helps councils to improve the way they deliver adult social care and public health services and helps Government understand the challenges faced by the sector.

To apply

If you would like to be considered for the role, please complete this offline application form which includes a supporting statement detailing how you meet the criteria of the role and email this to Recruitment@local.gov.uk before the closing date.

We are specifically assessing candidates against the following criteria:

1. Significant knowledge of both local government finance and adult social care.

2. Credibility with Council DASSs and Chief Finance Officers.

3. Qualified accountant (or if not qualified can demonstrate credibility through knowledge and experience of financial matters in local government)

4. Highly developed written and oral presentation skills with ability to present and articulate complex ideas in a clear and comprehensible way to an audience from across the health, local government, and voluntary sectors.

5. Strong understanding and commitment to the principles of sector-led improvement.

Closing date: 12 February 2025
Interview date: week commencing 24 February 2025

If you would like to discuss this role informally then please contact Simon Williams simon.williams@local.gov.uk or Hazel Summers hazel.summers@local.gov.uk.

Full Care and Health Improvement Adviser – Finance Job Description

We use anonymous recruitment, which is the practice of hiding candidates’ identities. This process involves removing any identifying information from candidates’ applications which includes names.

At the LGA we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Our recruitment decisions are based on fair, open competition, with appointment on merit.

The LGA are proud to be awarded a “Disability Confident Leader”. Please contact us via Recruitment@local.gov.uk if you require a reasonable adjustment, which is a change to the format or conditions of the recruitment process to accommodate any disability-related needs you may have.

Our benefits

LGA annual leave entitlement is 29 days, rising to 31 days after three years’ service and to 33 days after five years’ service, plus all UK public holidays (pro rata for fixed term and part time contracts).
Flexible & agile working – office-based staff are required to work in the LGA’s London office two days per week as a minimum, subject to business need and this may vary significantly between different roles and from week to week.
Future development – face-to-face and virtual courses are scheduled in line with developmental goals
The LGA offers 24/7 access to a free, confidential employee assistance programme managed by Health Assured. This service is also available for Dependants.
Family friendly policies

For more of LGA’s benefits and working with us, please view our webpage https://www.local.gov.uk/benefits-and-working-lga

Our values & behaviours

Our Values and Behaviours are there to give us an understanding of who we are as an organisation and who we want to be. They are a framework to help us understand:

how we work with each other
how we work with our members and stakeholders
our expectations for ourselves and each other

Our values are:

Inclusive - We ensure that our work is inclusive of all voices.

Ambitious - We are ambitious for councils and their communities and are committed to striving for excellence in all that we do to support our colleagues, our membership and the sector to deliver the best possible outcomes.

Collaborative - We bring together the expertise and skills needed, working as one team.