Chief Accountant

Morgan Law; City Of London; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in London is seeking a Chief Accountant for a 6-month hybrid position. This role involves managing the production of accounts, overseeing financial controls, and liaising with external auditors. The ideal candidate must have a CCAB qualification, significant experience in financial accounting, and strong relationship management skills. This position offers competitive daily pay rates and requires someone with expertise to provide financial advice and ensure compliance with regulations.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in financial accounting and management.
• Ability to liaise with external auditors effectively.
• Strong analytical and reporting skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage production of Council's Single entity and Group accounts.
• Serve as primary financial accounting regulations expert.
• Oversee financial controls and key reconciliations.
• Liaise with external auditors at a senior level.
• Manage end of year capital and asset accounting.
• Present financial matters to directors and councillors.
• Provide financial advice to budget holders.
• Complete VAT returns and provide corporate VAT advice.
• Oversee Balance Sheet management.
• Improve financial system reporting capabilities.

Skills

Financial accounting expertise

Relationship management

Budgeting and financial modelling

Education

CCAB qualification

Job description

I am recruiting for Chief Accountant within a local authority based in London. The role will be a temporary position for 6 months paying 700 p/day+. The role will be hybrid working.

Key duties include

• To manage the production of the Council's Single entity and Group accounts.
• To be the primary expert on financial accounting regulations and be the primary advisor on this subject matter to the Council's statutory section 151 Officer.
• To hold the day-to-day responsibility for the Council's system of financial controls, ensuring that all key reconciliations are produced monthly, quarterly or yearly depending on their importance and the regularity.
• To regularly liaise and manage relationships with the External Auditors at a senior level.
• To manage the end of year capital and asset accounting processes.
• To manage the financial accounting function and present to directors and councillors on the matter, where appropriate.
• To ensure that the team provide specialist financial accounting advice to budget holders and officers in other parts of Finance to support decision-making and financial modelling of major business cases.
• To manage the completion of VAT returns and corporate advice on VAT issues
• To have overarching responsibility for the Balance Sheet.
• To manage system improvements in the Council's core financial systems and improve reporting capabilities, as the day-to-day system owner.
• CCAB qualification required.

If you are interested in this role, please apply