Job description

6 month contract role with a Local Authority

Job Summary:

• Interim Financial Improvement Project Manager supporting Slough Borough Council’s Finance Improvement Programme (circa 37 projects).

• Responsible for planning, delivering, and assuring multiple transformation projects aligned to the Council’s Corporate and Recovery Plan.

• Ensures strong governance, risk management, and benefits realisation across projects while working closely with senior stakeholders, Members, and external commissioners.

• Plays a key role in driving financial sustainability, service improvement, and organisational change within a complex local government environment.

Key Duties/Accountabilities (Sample):

• Define, plan, deliver, and close multiple finance transformation projects to agreed scope, time, and budget.

• Maintain programme plans, dependencies, critical paths, and risk mitigation strategies.

• Lead risk and issue management processes, ensuring timely resolution and escalation.

• Support recovery activity by identifying underperforming areas and implementing corrective actions.

• Produce high-quality reporting for senior stakeholders, including DLT, Corporate Leadership Team, and external bodies.

• Ensure compliance with statutory guidance, Best Value duty, and Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy standards.

• Track benefits realisation, audit recommendations, and programme outcomes.

• Maintain robust governance, audit trails, and documentation for assurance purposes.

• Provide mentoring and support to project management peers and teams.

• Engage effectively with internal departments, Members, and external partners.

• Support change management activity to ensure successful adoption of transformation initiatives.

• Contribute to business case development and strategic planning aligned to the Corporate Plan.

Skills/Experience:

• Proven experience managing complex transformation projects, ideally within local government or the public sector.

• Strong knowledge of project management methodologies (e.g. PRINCE2, MSP, P3O, APMP).

• Demonstrable experience in programme governance, assurance, and reporting.

• Experience working with senior stakeholders, including politicians and external regulators/commissioners.

• Strong financial awareness, with ability to manage project budgets and challenge financial assumptions.

• Experience in risk, issue, and dependency management across multiple projects.

• Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal.

• Ability to lead, influence, and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams.

• Experience supporting organisational change and cultural transformation.

• Knowledge of local government context, statutory requirements, and financial pressures.

• Ideally part-qualified or qualified accountant (desirable).

Additional Information:

• Bi-Weekly Payments.

• Contract: Interim (Agency).

• Location: Observatory House, Slough.

• Hours: 40 per week (09:00–17:30).