Senior Recruitment Consultant - Senior Finance

Hays Recruitment - Senior Recruitment Consultant

Interim Senior Finance (Local Government)

£37,670-£40,000 + uncapped commission

Base location: Oxford

Desk coverage: South West

Specialism: Interim CFO, S151, Finance Director appointments

We're expanding our market‑leading Interim Senior Finance team and are looking for an experienced Recruitment Consultant to specialise in Local Government.

This is a high‑impact, consultative role, operating at the very top end of the interim finance market. You'll partner with local authorities across the South West, supporting them through restructure, transformation, and financial recovery programmes.

This is not a transactional interim desk. You'll be trusted to advise senior stakeholders during some of the most complex change programmes in the sector.

What you'll be doing:

• Building trusted relationships with Interim CFOs, Section 151 Officers, Finance Directors, Heads of Finance and CEOs
• Leading the delivery of senior interim finance assignments supporting: Organisational restructures, Service redesign, cost reduction and financial sustainability and recovery programmes
• Advising local authorities during periods of: Transformation and operating model change, Statutory challenge, improvement planning, Heightened political and external scrutiny
• Managing sensitive, business‑critical processes involving multiple stakeholders, elected members and regulators
• Negotiating complex interim terms and ensuring the right solution is delivered at pace
• Developing and maintaining a strong network of senior interims with proven turnaround and transformation experience

What we're looking for:

• Experience as a Recruitment Consultant (or above), ideally with interim expertise
• Proven success in business development, delivery and fee generation
• Confidence and gravitas to influence senior Local Government stakeholders
• Understanding of Local Government finance, restructures and transformation drivers
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple concurrent mandates
• Resilience, commercial awareness, and motivation to work on high‑profile, complex programmes

What you'll get:

• Ownership of a business‑critical Interim Senior Finance desk
• Exposure to some of the most complex and high‑profile transformation programmes in Local Government
• Support from a highly experienced interim finance team, regionally and nationally
• Strong leadership and management backing
• A clear pathway to further elevate your career and market reputation in senior interim recruitment

What you'll get in return:

• A culture built on rewarding success, collaboration and high performance
• Industry‑leading technology and a renowned training programme to support rapid career progression
• Flexible hybrid working patterns
• Your birthday off!
• Opportunity to take your career globally
• Incentives and rewards recognising performance locally, regionally and nationally
• A broad range of wellbeing initiatives and benefits
• Referral bonus scheme
• Internal support networks and communities
• Paid volunteering days through our Working for Your Tomorrow initiative
• Life at Hays offers growth, varied career paths, exciting challenges and a culture of inclusion that celebrates diversity.

If you're looking to operate at the highest level of interim recruitment, partnering with local authorities when delivery really matters, we'd love to talk.

At Hays, we share a passion for creating a culture where there are opportunities for our people to flourish and succeed, whatever your background. We know that diversity of perspective and an inclusive approach, which encourages those experiences and views to be heard, is great for business and therefore your career with us.