Job Title: Finance Manager – Accountancy (Children & Families)
Salary: £54,495 – £56,737 (pay award pending plus benefits)
Location: Redcar, with a hybrid working arrangement
Contract: Full-time / Permanent

As Finance Manager – Accountancy (Children & Families), you will act as a strategic business partner, working closely with senior officers and elected members to shape financial decision-making across a complex and demanding directorate. You will play a key role in ensuring that financial resources are aligned to service priorities, enabling the delivery of sustainable, high-quality services for children, young people and families.

Your work will directly influence how services are delivered to some of the borough’s most vulnerable children and families.

The Children & Families portfolio sits at the heart of the Council’s transformation agenda and carries significant financial and operational complexity. You will support a range of major initiatives aimed at improving outcomes while addressing financial pressures, including the development of more sustainable service models, investment in early help and prevention, and reducing reliance on high-cost external provision. Your role will be to bring clarity, challenge and insight to these discussions, ensuring decisions are underpinned by robust financial analysis and long-term planning.

Working as part of the wider finance leadership team, you will contribute to the strategic direction of the finance function, supporting the development and delivery of the Medium-Term Financial Plan and embedding strong financial governance across the organisation. You will work across directorates to influence decision-making, provide professional challenge, and help shape solutions to complex financial issues.

You will lead a team of finance professionals, creating a high-performing and supportive environment that promotes continuous development, strong professional standards and a culture of accountability. With an established team already in place, you will be well positioned to make an immediate impact, while also supporting the ongoing development of colleagues and strengthening capability across the service.

This is a role that offers both breadth and visibility. You will engage regularly with senior leadership and elected members, contribute to strategic programmes, and play a key role in managing financial performance in a high-pressure environment. It requires someone who is confident navigating complexity, able to influence at a senior level, and motivated to drive improvement and deliver outcomes that make a real difference.

Key aspects of the role include:

• Acting as a strategic finance lead for Children & Families, providing expert advice, challenge and insight
• Leading financial planning, including contribution to the Medium-Term Financial Plan and budget setting
• Supporting transformation programmes and identifying sustainable solutions to financial pressures
• Driving strong financial governance, controls and performance management
• Leading and developing a team of finance professionals, fostering a culture of continuous improvement

We are particularly keen to attract experienced finance professionals from the public sector (local government, education, health or similar), who can bring strategic insight and quickly establish credibility within a complex environment. Experience supporting Children & Families services within local government would be highly advantageous.

The authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children/young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment, and a basic disclosure & barring service check (DBS) will be sought for this role.

For more details, please see Job Description / Person Specification [doc. 87kb]

Salary: £44,075 – £46,142 (pay award pending plus benefits)
Location: Redcar, with a hybrid working arrangement
Contract: Full-time / Permanent

This is not a typical local government accountancy role, it is an opportunity to help shape the financial framework of a major regional infrastructure project. You will contribute to a once-in-a-generation infrastructure programme that will transform how waste is managed across the Tees Valley.

As Accountant – Directorate Support, you will play a central role in supporting the financial management of Tees Valley Energy Recovery Limited (TVERL), a multi-authority partnership delivering a major waste infrastructure project that will ultimately serve around 1.5 million people across the region. This is a high-profile and evolving programme, offering the chance to be involved from an early stage as systems, processes and reporting frameworks are developed and embedded.

A significant part of your role will involve supporting the development of robust financial reporting and governance arrangements for TVERL. As the project progresses towards full operation, you will help shape how financial information is captured, analysed and reported to senior leadership and programme boards. This provides a rare opportunity to help build a financial framework from the ground up, rather than simply maintaining an established one.

Alongside this, you will support wider directorate activity across areas such as growth, infrastructure and corporate services, ensuring a varied and engaging workload. You will work with budget holders to provide analysis, challenge and advice, enabling informed decisions and supporting the delivery of key Council priorities.

Working closely with senior stakeholders, you will act as the key link between finance and service areas, ensuring high-quality financial information is translated into meaningful insight that supports decision-making. You will contribute to all aspects of financial management, from budget monitoring and forecasting through to business case development and financial planning, helping services to operate effectively and sustainably.

The role also offers exposure to a broader range of technical accounting areas than typically found in local authority finance, including aspects of company accounting and taxation, as well as involvement in capital programmes, external funding and financial modelling.

You will be part of a collaborative and supportive finance team, where flexibility and teamwork are key. The role requires someone who is comfortable working across multiple priorities, able to engage with a wide range of stakeholders, and motivated to continuously improve processes and ways of working.

Key aspects of the role include:

• Supporting financial planning, monitoring and reporting across directorates and major projects
• Providing clear financial insight and advice to budget holders and senior stakeholders
• Contributing to business cases, project appraisal and capital programme activity
• Supporting the development of financial systems, controls and reporting frameworks
• Assisting with statutory requirements including final accounts and compliance work

We are particularly keen to attract experienced finance professionals from the public sector (local government, education, health or similar), who can bring strategic insight and quickly establish credibility within a complex environment. Experience supporting Waste management services would be highly advantageous.

For more details, please see Job Description / Person Specification [doc. 78kb]

Life in Redcar and Cleveland is shaped by its stunning coastline and access to open countryside. The borough is home to one of the UK’s longest stretches of sandy beach, ideal for walking, cycling, water sports or simply enjoying fresh sea air. Redcar Beach, with its promenade and iconic pier, provides a vibrant seaside experience and a focal point for community life.

Beyond the coast, residents benefit from proximity to the North York Moors National Park, offering hiking, cycling and breathtaking scenery. Parks such as Locke Park and Coatham Marsh nature reserve provide accessible green spaces for everyday relaxation and outdoor activity. This balance of coast and countryside creates a lifestyle that is both active and restorative.

Redcar and Cleveland’s culture reflects its maritime and industrial heritage, alongside a growing contemporary arts and leisure scene. Attractions such as the Zetland Lifeboat Museum the world’s oldest surviving lifeboat and Kirkleatham Museum bring local history to life. Historic sites like Guisborough Priory add further depth to the area’s cultural offering.

The borough hosts a lively calendar of festivals and events, including the Redcar Kite Festival and the “Between the Tides” arts festival, which showcases theatre, music and community creativity. Redcar Racecourse, local cinemas, leisure centres and a growing mix of cafés and restaurants ensure there is always something to enjoy.

Looking ahead, regeneration projects such as the Redcar Town Deal are introducing new leisure hubs, cultural venues and public spaces, enhancing the vibrancy of the town centre and supporting a modern, family‑friendly environment.

The area offers a comprehensive education system, with a wide range of primary and secondary schools across the borough, as well as specialist support services for learners.

Further and higher education opportunities are anchored by Redcar and Cleveland College, which is investing in future-focused skills, particularly in renewable energy and emerging industries such as hydrogen technology. The development of a Clean Energy Education Hub reinforces the borough’s commitment to equipping residents with skills aligned to evolving industry demands.

With nearby universities and colleges in Teesside and Middlesbrough, residents also have easy access to a broader regional education network.

One of Redcar and Cleveland’s strongest advantages is its affordability. Average house prices are around £156,000 (March 2026), significantly below the UK average, making home ownership more accessible. Rental properties are also competitively priced, with a variety of options ranging from seafront apartments to family homes in residential neighbourhoods.

The housing stock is diverse, including traditional terraces, semi-detached and detached homes, as well as newer developments, catering to families, professionals and retirees alike. Many properties benefit from gardens and proximity to green or coastal spaces, enhancing quality of life.

Redcar and Cleveland is well connected within the Tees Valley and beyond. A comprehensive network of road, rail and bus services supports commuting and travel for work, education and leisure.

The area has strong links to major nearby centres such as Middlesbrough and Newcastle, while Teesside International Airport offers growing national and international connectivity. Ongoing investment in transport aims to improve reliability, sustainability and ease of access across the region.

The borough is undergoing significant economic transformation, with major investment in sectors such as renewable energy, advanced manufacturing and clean technologies. Developments including Teesworks and offshore wind manufacturing are creating thousands of jobs and positioning the area as a hub for green industry.

This evolving economic landscape offers an attractive proposition for professionals seeking career opportunities alongside a high quality of life.

Above all, Redcar and Cleveland stands out for its strong sense of community. Residents benefit from a friendly, close‑knit environment, regular local events and an inclusive atmosphere that appeals to families, young professionals and retirees.

With its affordable living, coastal charm, cultural vitality and growing economic prospects, Redcar and Cleveland presents a compelling vision of a place where people can thrive both personally and professionally.