Help shape the future of one of England’s most exciting Town Councils
If you’re an experienced local government finance professional who enjoys more than simply balancing the books, this could be the opportunity you’ve been looking for.
Weymouth Town Council is one of the country’s largest Town Councils, serving around 54,000 residents and welcoming more than 1.25 million visitors each year. We manage a budget of over £4.2 million, employ up to 80 staff and work with 25 elected Councillors to deliver a remarkably broad range of services – from parks, open spaces, play areas and allotments to cemeteries, public toilets, Weymouth beach, and a busy programme of events.
We’re looking for an exceptional Deputy Town Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer (RFO) to join our Senior Leadership Team and play a key role in the Council’s continued development.
This is finance with a difference
As our RFO, you’ll have responsibility for the Council’s financial health and sound financial management, including budget setting and monitoring, year-end accounts, audit, VAT, investments, procurement, debt management, insurance, internal controls, and risk management. But this role goes considerably further.
You’ll provide strategic financial advice to the Town Clerk, Councillors and the organisation, clerk the Finance and Governance Committee, oversee procurement and information governance, and lead or contribute to projects across the Council.
You’ll also line manage two of our five service managers, giving you the opportunity to shape services and support people to do their best work. Importantly, you’ll deputise for the Town Clerk when required, carrying out the statutory and delegated responsibilities of the Town Clerk in their absence.
In other words, this is a senior role for someone who wants to use their professional expertise to influence how a Council works, rather than simply manage a finance function.
Who are we looking for?
You’ll need substantial experience of budget preparation, monitoring and year-end closure, together with a strong understanding of local government finance, accounting, and audit.
We’re looking for someone who can take complex information, understand what really matters, and turn it into clear, accurate advice to support proper decision making.
You’ll be comfortable working with Councillors and understand the importance of political sensitivity, discretion and diplomacy. You’ll be able to build strong relationships with colleagues, Councillors, partners and the public, while remaining calm and constructive when things get challenging.
You’ll also need to be an experienced manager who can lead people well, take the initiative, solve problems, and get things done.
AAT, CCAB part-qualified or equivalent is essential. A relevant degree or professional qualification is desirable, as is CiLCA. Experience of local government financial systems such as GovFinance would be an advantage.
Why Weymouth?
We’re a Council with ambition, not only that but we’re a Council with an award winning beach! Each year we welcome over 1.25 million visitors to our town, and we have a key role in ensuring we remain a destination of choice.
We work closely with our communities, Dorset Council and local organisations to make Weymouth a great place to live, work, play and visit. We value commitment, innovation and challenge, and we’re proud of our reputation for doing things differently and continuing to improve.
If you’re looking for a role where your financial expertise will genuinely influence the direction of an organisation – and where you can make a visible difference to a town and its communities, we’d love to hear from you.
And if the prospect of doing all that while working somewhere as inspirational as the Jurassic Coast sounds appealing, even better.
What we offer
- Salary of £59,025 – £63,218 (SCP 45–48), depending on qualifications and experience
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Employee Assistance Scheme
- Opportunity to progress linked to qualifications gained
- Permanent, full-time employment
- Hybrid working and flexi-time
- Term-time variations and compressed hours possible to help your work fit your life.
- A varied and influential senior management role
- The opportunity to work closely with elected Members, communities and partners
- The chance to help shape the future of a thriving and ambitious Town Council
- The opportunity to eat your lunch on an award winning beach every day
Regular Wednesday evening working is required.
If you’re ready for a role where finance, leadership, governance, and local community impact come together, we’d love to hear from you.
Please read the full job description and person specification carefully when completing your application. Shortlisting will be based on the evidence you provide against the requirements of the role.