Assistant Accountant

Scottish Environment Protection Agency; Holytown; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

35 days annual leave

Wellbeing time off

LGPS

Family friendly policies

Training & development

Job summary

SEPA is seeking a dedicated Assistant Accountant to join our Finance team on a permanent basis. This role supports month-end close, reporting, budgeting, and internal controls within a public sector framework, offering hybrid working and generous leave allowances.

You will work to deliver timely financial insights, collaborate with budget holders, and assist with audits and process improvements, while developing in a purpose-driven environment focused on Scotland’s environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum HND in Accounting qualification or equivalent.
• Previous relevant accounting experience ideally in a public sector environment.
• Excellent IT and advanced Excel skills, with experience delivering timely monthly management accounting reports under tight deadlines.
• Ability to communicate complex financial information in plain English to non-financial managers.

Responsibilities

• Financial Closing & Reconciliation: Process journals, accruals, prepayments, and complete balance sheet reconciliations for month-end and year-end.
• Management Reporting: Prepare monthly management accounts and maintain accurate financial records.
• Budgeting & Variance Analysis: Support budgeting and forecasting while monitoring performance and investigating financial variances.
• Stakeholder Support: Provide financial information and analytical guidance to budget holders.
• Audit & Compliance: Support internal and external audits, ensure compliance, and drive process improvements.

Skills

Accounting experience

Communication

Advanced Excel

MS Office

Education

HND in Accounting

Tools

Excel

Finance systems

MS Office

Job description

We are recruiting a full time Assistant Accountant on a permanent basis

Your passion has never had a greater purpose

Here at SEPA, we’re connected by a passion that drives us to be purposeful in every action we take – to protect our environment. Through our expertise, we lead projects that make a difference for Scotland, and our workplaces are grounded in respect for that expertise.

That’s why, when you join us as Assistant Accountant, you’ll discover enriching benefits, meaningful support, and opportunities to learn every day. That’s what it means to be Passionately Purposeful – for our environment, and for your career.

Work that goes beyond your desk

Experts at what we do, we work in a professional way towards our shared goals, knowing the work we do makes a genuine, lasting difference on the environment. As a Assistant Accountant, that involves:

• Financial Closing & Reconciliation: Process journals, accruals, prepayments, and complete balance sheet reconciliations for month-end and year-end
• Management Reporting: Prepare monthly management accounts and maintain accurate financial records
• Budgeting & Variance Analysis: Support budgeting and forecasting while monitoring performance and investigating financial variances
• Stakeholder Support: Provide financial information and analytical guidance to budget holders
• Audit & Compliance: Support internal and external audits, ensure compliance, and drive process improvements

Respect for your expertise

This is a highly important role within our Finance, Modernisation and Digitalportfolio, which means you’ll need:

• Minimum HND in Accounting qualification or equivalent
• Previous relevant accounting experience ideally in a public sector environment
• Proficient skills in the application of Microsoft packages, particularly Excel or relevant financial management systems
• Excellent IT and advanced Excel skills, with experience delivering timely monthly management accounting reports under tight deadlines
• Ability to communicate complex financial information in plain English to non-financial managers

Support that goes beyond the workplace

We’re cultivating a workplace that supports not only your passion and your professional lives, but your personal life. So, you’ll find benefits that make a difference at work and at home. Such as:

• Hybrid and Flexible working opportunities
• Up to 35 days annual leave and 7 additional public holidays each year (pro rata)
• Paid time off to support your Wellbeing and enable you to Volunteer in your community
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Progressive Family Friendly policies
• Training & development to enablecolleagues to improve their skills, competencies and knowledge to perform at their best.

Plus, many more lifestyle benefits such as 24/7 access to an online employee discount platform, credit union facilities and access to a Cycle to Work Scheme.

Passionately you. Purposefully supportive

SEPA is committed to promoting equality, diversity, and good relations in everything it does – as a community leader, as a provider and commissioner of services, and as an employer.

Passionately Purposeful about Scotland’s environment – and your career.

Protecting our environment, promoting our work, and supporting our people, working at SEPA means being part of an organisation that’s grounded in respect for your expertise – and your wellbeing. So you can be your best, and make the biggest impact.

We support flexible workingarrangements to help you maintain a healthy balancebetween career and homelife. This includes workingpart time, reduced hours, job sharing, working remotely.As a flexible first employer we are open to havingconversations about flexible working arrangementsthat work for you and SEPA from day 1 of youremployment with us.

Weareproudtobea'DisabilityConfident'employerandwillworktoidentifyandimplementreasonableadjustmentsandequipmenttosupportyou in the role that you do.

Applicants with a visual impairment can request job descriptions and application forms in Braille, large print or on tape.

For the security and wellbeing of our colleagues, successful candidates willundergo Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) pre-employment checks including a level one Disclosure Scotlandcheck.