Accountant

Suffolk County Council; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in the UK is seeking an Accountant to join its Financial Management Teams. This hybrid role involves budget management and financial data analysis, requiring candidates to be AAT qualified or pursuing CCAB. The position offers flexible hours, competitive salary, and opportunities for professional growth. Ideal for someone passionate about making a positive impact within the community and capable of translating complex financial data into clear reports.

Benefits

Up to 29 days annual leave

Membership in the Local Government Pension Scheme

Travel and lifestyle benefits

Performance-related pay progression

Training and career development opportunities

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• AAT qualified or working towards CCAB.
• Experience working in finance.
• Good communication skills and a positive attitude.
• Ability to maintain accurate financial records.

Responsibilities

• Support effective budget management through data input and analysis.
• Translate complex financial information into clear language.
• Prepare reconciliations and statutory accounts.
• Maintain robust financial controls.

Skills

AAT qualified or working towards CCAB

Experience of working in Finance

Good communication skills

Proven ability to maintain accurate records

High levels of literacy and numeracy

IT skills

Education

AAT qualification

Working towards CCAB

Job description

• Suffolk County Council
• Address: Endeavour House, Ipswich IP1 2BX -Hybrid working
• Salary: £34,434 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week - flexible working options available
• Contract:Permanent

We're passionate about improving the future for our customers, our communities and the environment. If you are too, join us as an Accountant and make a huge and meaningful impact. Your innovation and drive will help us to continue improving and evolving. Our opportunities and support will enable you to make a difference and leave a positive, lasting legacy. Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

This is an exciting opportunity to join us as an Accountant in the Financial Management Teams that provides key support to directorates to ensure they can deliver their financial responsibilities.

In this role, you'll play a key part in ensuring the Council makes the best use of its resources by supporting effective budget management through accurate data input, analysis, and interpretation. You'll help translate complex financial information into clear, accessible language for colleagues, enabling informed decision-making across the organisation. Working closely with the finance team, you'll contribute to streamlining processes, identifying efficiencies, and maintaining robust financial controls. From preparing reconciliations and statutory accounts to developing and maintaining financial systems, you'll ensure data integrity and provide guidance to stakeholders on financial systems and reporting. Your work will directly support the Council's mission to use its limited resources wisely for the benefit of the people of Suffolk.

This is an interesting and diverse role where you will liaise and support budget holders and business support staff in one of the council's directorates in all aspects of financial management, as well as being an integral part of a supportive team within Finance.

You will need

• to be AAT qualified or working towards CCAB (e.g. CIPFA, CIMA, ACCA) or evidence of equivalent knowledge and skills
• experience of working in Finance
• good communication skills and a positive attitude
• Proven ability to maintain accurate records, interpret and reconcile financial information from multiple sources and systems and manipulate data to generate reporting information as well as high levels of literacy, numeracy, and IT skills.

This role supports hybrid working. It involves a balanced mix of working from home and the office to enable face to face collaboration with colleagues.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (Word). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

We are a diverse, supportive and enthusiastic team who will offer help and guidance to get you settled in. This role will offer you the opportunity to get involved and take responsibility for a broad range of financial and accounting work, providing you with stimulation and opportunities to broaden and deepen your experience and knowledge to enable you to develop your career further. Our structure chart demonstrates the wide range of senior jobs within the Finance Team giving potential opportunities for future career progression.

Empowering Everyone

We're big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Georgina Peck (she/her) or Michael Quinton (he/him)for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling:

Georgina on 01473 260745 or emailing [e-mail] or

Michael on 01473 265596 or emailing [e-mail] .

How to apply

1. Step 1 Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP) (Word).
2. Step 2 Click Apply Now to start your online application.
3. Step 3 Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template.
   1. 1. Tell us about a situation where you had to interpret and reconcile financial information from multiple sources. What steps did you take to ensure accuracy and completeness?
   2. 2. Describe your experience in providing financial advice and guidance to non‑financial audiences. How did you ensure your message was clear and understood?
   3. 3. Describe a situation where you had to collaborate with colleagues or stakeholders to achieve a financial or organisational goal. How did you ensure effective teamwork?
4. Step 4 Upload a CV (without name and personal details).

Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to the application process before the next selection stage, please contact our Recruitment Team by emailing [e-mail] or calling 03456 014412. If you are invited to the next stage of selection, you will have another opportunity to request adjustments for the next stages of the process.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 24 December 2025.

Interview date: W/C 12 January 2026.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you'll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk) .