Bradford is at a pivotal moment of transformation and opportunity. As one of the biggest, youngest, most diverse and enterprising districts in the country, we’re committed to building a modern, responsive Council that delivers exceptional services for our communities.

We’ve recently had our Best Value Notice lifted, secured a capitalisation direction of £127m for 2025/26 to support our 5-year financial strategy, and we’re in the midst of celebrating our prestigious City of Culture status. With major regeneration projects underway, including a new Southern Gateway, city centre transformation, and improved transport connections, Bradford is truly a place where you can make your mark.

About the Role
At Bradford, we are on an ambitious journey of transformation, and we want our finance service to be a leading-edge, high-quality service. As the Assistant Director of Finance (Corporate and Strategic), you will play a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction of the Council, working alongside senior leaders to drive forward change and innovation. You will deputise for the S151 Officer, providing exceptional leadership to ensure that the Council’s finance functions operate at the highest standard.

Working with the Director of Finance and the Assistant Director Finance (Management Accounting) you will provide the strategic vision for the future development of the service and your team. You will have the unique opportunity to be at the forefront of our staff development programme, working with colleagues to develop career pathways, succession planning and talent management frameworks, supporting your staff to achieve their full potential as part of a proactive, solution focussed financial service.

This is a key opportunity to influence the future of the Council’s finances. You will lead on critical corporate finance functions, including developing the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), overseeing budget development, and managing final accounts planning and closedown processes. You will have the chance to deliver a service that is both high-quality and highly responsive, working in partnership with colleagues across the Council and with our external partners.

Your role will also involve maintaining a strong relationship with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to ensure confidence in Bradford’s financial position.

As we continue our transformation journey, we want Bradford to be a modern, forward-thinking Council that reflects the dynamic rise of our city and district. In this role, you will help to embed innovative financial practices, ensuring that we deliver the best value for money for our residents, and that we remain at the forefront of public service delivery.

What We’re Looking For
Bradford is committed to transformation, driving forward positive change to secure the best outcomes for our district and our communities. We are looking for an ambitious, CCAB-accredited finance professional with a proven track record of achieving significant outcomes at a senior management level in a comparable organisation. Your expertise should be in leading change and making bold decisions that have a lasting impact.

You will be confident in navigating complex challenges and transforming strategies to achieve broader objectives. Your ability to build strong relationships with key stakeholders will be crucial, as you work collaboratively with elected Members, senior leaders, and colleagues across the Council to deliver exceptional services.

As part of the Council’s senior leadership team, you will be expected to contribute to the collective leadership, embedding the Council’s values and behaviours, and driving service transformation. You will have a key role in ensuring that the fantastic progress we’ve made on our transformation journey continues and accelerates.

If you are passionate about making a difference, have a strong strategic mindset, and are committed to delivering lasting change, we’d love to hear from you.

Join us and help shape the future of our district.