Finance Analyst

The finance team at Milton Keynes City Council takes an active lead across the council as colleagues and partners deliver essential and best-value services to our growing city

We’re looking for an enthusiastic and inquisitive person to join us as a Finance Analyst in our Children and Families Services team. This vital part of the council includes corporate parenting, children’s social work, children and family centres, youth offending and safeguarding and has a budget of around £55m.

This is a fast-paced, volatile area where finance plays a key part. You will build relationships with Budget Managers, providing them with financial advice, support with business cases for change and representing finance at project boards.

In return you’ll join a dynamic, energised finance team and receive flexible working arrangements including working from home and an excellent range of in-house training and development opportunities.

We are AAT employer accredited and several colleagues are studying for professional qualifications. We offer career progression with the opportunity to progress to a more senior role on completion of professional qualification and experience gained.

The Finance Analyst will have responsibility for the following areas:

• Budget monitoring and reporting
• Medium Term Financial Plan (including ensuring proposals and business cases are robust)
• Year-end closure of accounts, including liaison with auditors
• Completion of government / statutory returns
• Provide support on key projects and guidance to Senior Managers

• AAT qualified (or equivalent) with update CPD (relevant to qualification).
• Comprehensive skills in all Microsoft Applications
• Experience of financial planning, control, and reporting
• Ability to explain complicated and technical information in a manner that can be understood by others
• Deliver solutions to complex challenges within Children’s Services

Milton Keynes is a diverse, welcoming, and expanding place, built on smart ideas with even bigger plans for the future. We have world class attractions, beautiful open spaces, and a great standard of living.

Milton Keynes City Council is one of the largest employers in the region, making a difference every day for local people. We’re responsible for all local government services in MK including education, housing, highways, and social services - around 240 services in all.

Our values are to be dedicated, respectful, and collaborative. If this sounds like you, join us for a stimulating and fulfilling career measured on results, and a rewarding work-life balance.

We are really proud of the benefits we are able to offer our staff here at Milton Keynes City Council, including:-

• Local Government Pension Scheme, considered to be one of the best employer contribution rates of 18.8%.
• 27 days annual leave per year in addition to statutory and public holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years. (From April 2023 this will increase to 28, and 32 days after 5 years)
• Holiday Purchase Scheme.
• Our Professional Development Centre provides access to courses such as in-house management development programmes endorsed by the Institute of Leadership, coaching and mentoring and access to our Smarter Learning portal
• Cycle to Work Scheme.
• Health Cashplan.
• MK Advantage benefits package – a range of savings on a wide range of retail, leisure and entertainment products and services such as Pizza Express, M&S, B&Q, John Lewis and Arriva Travel.
• Blue Light Card - Employees working within Social Care can qualify for a range of discounts from national retailers to local businesses in a wide range of categories including holidays, cars, days out, fashion, gifts, insurance, phones and much more!
• SmartGo – Aimed at encouraging low-carbon transport and healthy lifestyle with discounted travel e.g. Halfords, Arriva, Europcar, National Railcards and Stagecoach.
• Homebuy Scheme (for eligible roles).
• Smarter working which provides the opportunity to work from various locations including from home for a proportion of your role (subject to business needs).
• A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Paternity entitlements.
• Childcare Subsidy.