Assistant Accountant

Description:

We are recruiting to two permanent positions and one fixed term contract position. These roles sit within either the Economy, Investment & Public Health team (EIPH), or the Climate, Environment & Customer Services team (CECS). The workstyle for these roles allows for home / remote working with an expectation to typically attend the office two to three times a month in line with business needs. Although these are full time roles, we will consider part time / job share applications.

The Role

The Assistant Accountant is responsible for the preparation of high-quality financial advice, information, analysis and challenge to a number of budget holders across the financial cycle. You will be the Finance Contact responsible for a high-risk statutory service where you’ll need to deliver timely and accurate financial information and advice to front line budget holders to ensure effective management of their budgets and assist them in carrying out their financial duties.

You will support the Management Accountant in consolidating financial reporting to Heads of Finance and Functional Leadership Teams across the financial cycle and actively participate and contribute towards projects.

You will build effective relationships with internal budget holders and external partners and be able to influence, contribute and challenge at budget holder meetings to ensure financial forecasts and future budget plans are based on robust financial information.

You will be an AAT qualified professional with strong technical, excel and systems knowledge to actively contribute and support/instruct/advise budget holders in accordance with Financial Regulations and accounting standards.

Accountabilities

• Deliver timely and accurate information and advice to budget holders to ensure the effective management of budgets and value for money services.

• Supports budget holders to ensure they can develop financial plans and to carry out their financial duties.

• Provides analysis and interpretation of financial and performance data to ensure the business can underpin their decisions with robust financial information and advice.

• Supports budget holders sharing financial knowledge to ensure budget holders understand the implications of unit costs and interpret variances more robustly. In addition, accurately prepare, monitor and control estimates and forecasts.

• Develop a strong understanding of all financial management and reporting systems and processes in order to support the development and enhancement of system and process improvements.

• Deliver accurate financial estimates, forecasts and plans ensuring all identified risks are quantified and appropriately recorded together with assumptions used.

• Support the financial management of the Capital Programme.

• Supports and co-ordinates the timely delivery and preparation of information to ensure quality of financial information for both business cases or projects.

• Coordinate the delivery and deliver information to ensure the annual accounts closure programme can meet the agreed deadlines.

• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Minimum full AAT qualification or equivalent plus one years’ experience.

• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.

• Knowledge and understanding of financial management, financial planning and management for budgets and experience of providing financial advice to budget holders.

• Experience of working with a range of financial systems and processes.

• Advanced Excel skills.

• Evidence of working collaboratively and engaging with Senior Managers and finance colleagues, together with good communication skills.

• Experience of working in a large complex organisation and contributing to change.

• Experience of supporting multi-disciplinary teams to achieve service outcomes.