Chief Accountant - Bexley20 - Interims

PACER GROUP; England; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading public sector organization in the UK is seeking a Chief Accountant to oversee financial accounting functions. The role involves managing the production of the Council's accounts, providing expert advice on financial regulations, and liaising with external auditors. Candidates must have a CCAB qualification and experience in team management. This hybrid position requires office attendance once a week and participation in evening meetings as needed.

Qualifications

• Experience managing financial accounting functions within a medium to large organization.
• Strong understanding of financial controls and regulations.
• Proven experience liaising with external auditors at a senior level.

Responsibilities

• Manage production of Single entity and Group accounts.
• Advise on financial accounting regulations to statutory officers.
• Ensure key reconciliations are produced in a timely manner.
• Manage end-of-year capital and asset accounting processes.
• Support budgeting and financial modeling for major business cases.

Skills

Financial accounting regulations

Team management

Relationship management with auditors

Financial reporting

Education

CCAB qualification

Job description

Job Title: Chief Accountant

Team: Finance & Technical Accounting

Management Group: Finance and Corporate Services

Reports to: Deputy Director of Finance and Property

Responsible for: This role has overall responsibility for managing staff up to 10 FTE

Main Purpose of the Job

• 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.

This is a hybrid role and the postholder will be required to come to the office once per week plus attendance at evening meetings as required.