Principle Accountant

Our client is seeking a Principle Accountant to join their Corporate Finance team on a permanent basis. The successful candidate will be supporting the Strategic Finance Manager and Finance Managers for Revenue. They are looking for someone who has a good understanding of financial accounting and excellent communication skills.

Principle Accountant key responsibilities include:

• Providing technical financial advice
• Supporting the delivery of the Statement of Accounts and working with internal and external audit
• Ensuring strong policies and procedures are in place to deliver sound financial practices and controls
• Identifying opportunities for continuous improvement and modernisation
• Supporting preparations for the implementation of the new finance system

• Provide support for the annual budget setting process and medium-term financial planning process.
• Assist with the preparation of detailed revenue and capital expenditure and income budgets in conjunction with Finance Managers, that meet corporate and departmental objectives
• Develop appropriate financial models and analytics to determine the financial impact of future service demands, changes in legislation and other factors affecting resource requirements
• Instigate, develop and support the attainment of alternative sources of funding that contribute towards identified funding gaps

• Support the efficient and effective provision of a comprehensive financial management function, including all aspects of the annual estimates process, budget maintenance, monitoring and control
• Support the preparation, analysis and provision of accurate financial management information, including budget monitoring reports and forecasts, promptly highlighting any risks and trends
• Prepare journals and the supporting documentation as required

• Assist with the efficient and timely completion of specific tasks within the annual closing of accounts process. Ensure information presented in the financial statements complies with the CIPFA Code of Practice and reporting standards
• Support effective liaison with external and internal audit, including the efficient filing and retention of documentation, maintaining appropriate audit trails for subsequent retrieval as and when required
• Complete statutory and other returns, supported by clear and appropriate workings, in-line with statutory requirements, and liaise with government departments and agencies as required
• Assist with the production and presentation of complex and diverse financial information to members and other senior stakeholders, that informs service and corporate decision making

• Ensure that all activities within the service comply with the constitution, financial regulations, health and safety and safeguarding responsibilities and that effective systems operate within the service to manage performance and risk
• Interpret and implement legislative and regulatory requirements relating to the CIPFA Codes of Practice, Treasury Guidance and relevant financial legislation, and proactively keep up to date with changes in requirements
• Support an effective system of financial controls across the organisation, including preparing timely reconciliations, and procedure notes.

Skills required:

• CCAB qualification (or CIMA).
• The ability to proactively seek and identify commercial opportunities that generate income and provide innovative solutions to service delivery challenges.
• The ability to lead on the successful delivery of a specialist area including on-going demonstrable improvements, as required by the Finance Manager.
• The successful transfer of knowledge and the development of staff to improve and enhance the quality and effectiveness of the finance service.
• Leading a review and evaluation of corporate and depart mental systems and procedures and implementation of decisions to deliver a successful outcome.
• Covering at the appropriate senior level in the absence of or on behalf of the Finance Manager.
• Assisting in the development, implementation and review of change management programmes to deliver continuous improvement.
• Delivering in a key role as part of a major/specialist project involving a multi-disciplinary team and taking responsibility for delivering key outcomes.
• Leading a small team (via direct or matrix management) in projects to improve processes and ways of working across the finance team and council wide budget holders.
• Striving for excellence in service delivery and a record of delivering successful service improvements.
• Providing expert specialist advice and acting on behalf of the council on high-level complex matters, ensuring the provision of advice and guidance to all levels of staff, which is appropriate, accurate and timely, in relation to all aspects of the finance function in accordance with the council’s policies and procedures and to promote awareness of good financial practice and control.