QCTO Qualifications · Qualification programme
Occupational Certificate: Municipal Finance Manager
Financial management responsibilities within municipal administration.
The programme
Programme overview
Expanded indicative outline. The subject areas are described below; proposed activities and final delivery requirements are confirmed with Ratomac before booking.
Financial management responsibilities within municipal administration.
The programme brings together municipal financial planning, financial operations, governance and assurance and management information. The expanded outline below shows how these areas can be explored through explanation, discussion and the preparation of relevant work products.
A proposed workshop runs through the programme: A municipal finance function must advise on competing service priorities while maintaining financial accountability. Participants would examine the situation in stages, use the information provided and explain the basis of their decisions. The workshop is fictional and can be adapted when the final training plan is agreed.
The SAQA record has passed its registration end date. Confirm current enrolment or replacement arrangements with Ratomac.
Who should attend
Is this programme for you?
This outline is relevant to the following roles. Suitability and any formal entry requirements should be checked for the selected programme.
- Municipal finance professionals and learners pursuing senior finance responsibilities.
- Individuals preparing to take on responsibilities in this area.
- Teams seeking a shared approach to the work described in the programme.
Purpose of the learning
Intended learning outcomes
- Prepare a strategic budget-allocation brief.
- Review a fictional revenue, expenditure and asset-management scenario.
- Develop a governance and assurance action register.
- Present a financial-information pack for management decisions.
- Combine the module outputs into a reasoned response to the programme’s workplace scenario.
5 learning blocks
Detailed programme outline
01Municipal financial planning
This part of the programme examines municipal financial planning, with attention to budgets, strategy and capital decisions. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Budgets.
- Strategy.
- Capital decisions.
- Applied work: prepare a strategic budget-allocation brief.
Illustrative practical exercise
Prepare a strategic budget-allocation brief. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
02Financial operations
This part of the programme examines financial operations, with attention to revenue, expenditure, assets and liabilities. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Revenue.
- Expenditure.
- Assets.
- Liabilities.
- Applied work: review a fictional revenue, expenditure and asset-management scenario.
Illustrative practical exercise
Review a fictional revenue, expenditure and asset-management scenario. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
03Governance and assurance
This part of the programme examines governance and assurance, with attention to risk, audit and accountability. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Risk.
- Audit.
- Accountability.
- Applied work: develop a governance and assurance action register.
Illustrative practical exercise
Develop a governance and assurance action register. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
04Management information
This part of the programme examines management information, with attention to reporting, analysis and financial systems. The practical task connects the subject to the programme’s workplace scenario and gives participants a specific output to discuss.
Topics to explore
- Reporting.
- Analysis.
- Financial systems.
- Applied work: present a financial-information pack for management decisions.
Illustrative practical exercise
Present a financial-information pack for management decisions. Explain the information used, identify any assumptions and take part in a review of the proposed approach.
05Integrated workplace workshop
A municipal finance function must advise on competing service priorities while maintaining financial accountability. The final workshop connects the earlier work rather than treating each topic as an isolated activity.
Topics to explore
- Bring together the outputs from the earlier modules into one coherent response to the scenario.
- Check that the recommendation addresses the original problem and is supported by the information available.
- Identify responsibilities, dependencies and matters that require specialist input or further evidence.
- Present the proposed response and revise it after questions from the facilitator and other participants.
Illustrative practical exercise
Prepare a concise presentation for the fictional organisation. Include the proposed response, the evidence supporting it and the decisions still required. Finish with a reflection on which aspects could be relevant to your own work.
From discussion to application
How the programme could be delivered
The proposed learning approach combines facilitator-led explanation, discussion of the subject areas and guided work on the fictional scenario. Each module produces a practical output that can be reviewed and improved.
Participants can work individually or in small groups to compare interpretations, explain their decisions and identify missing information. Feedback focuses on the connection between the task, the evidence used and the proposed response.
The final workshop brings the module outputs together. Ratomac will confirm the delivery format, learning resources, entry requirements and any formal assessment or certification arrangements for the selected programme.
Discuss your requirements
Dates, duration & arrangements
Contact Ratomac to agree the final programme, duration and delivery format. Include your preferred timing, location and whether the enquiry is for yourself or a team.
Discuss this programme ↗Qualification content summarised from SAQA. Delivery and enrolment arrangements are confirmed by Ratomac. The expanded learning activities and workplace scenario are original proposals for discussion with Ratomac.