F&C 2844 - G3 Accountant

South Lanarkshire Council; Hamilton; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Hamilton is looking for 3 accountants to join the Strategy Team. Candidates should possess a Professional Accountancy qualification and experience in a financial management role. Responsibilities include supporting budgeting, financial forecasting, and providing advice to council departments. The position offers a salary of £50,622 - £51,370 per year and a range of benefits.

Benefits

Enrolment in local government pension scheme

Up to 33 days annual leave

Occupational sick pay

Employee discounts

Cycle to Work Scheme

Qualifications

• Experience within a financial environment, ideally public sector.
• Ability to challenge and improve existing business practices.
• Experience in project management and governance responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide quality advice and support to Council departments.
• Prepare financial statements and reports.
• Monitor performance against budgets.

Skills

Accounting knowledge

Financial forecasting

Budget management

Education

Professional Accountancy qualification

Job description

INTERNAL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY VIA OPPORTUNITY MARKETPLACE AND COMPLETE THEIR SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS EITHER VIA THE ME TAB ON FUSION PRIOR TO STARTING THE APPLICATION FORM OR BY CLICKING ON THE LINK AS PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS IN THE SECTION OF THE FORM TITLED "REVIEW SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS".

ACTUAL CLOSING DATE: Applications must be received by 12 November 2025 AT 11:55pm.

Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday
Salary: £50,622 - £51,370 per year
Vacancy: Permanent
Location: South Lanarkshire Council Headquarters

Job Description

South Lanarkshire Council is looking for 3 accountants. These posts are based in the Strategy Team – one within Community and Enterprise Resources covering Waste Services and two within the Finance Strategy team, supporting capital and strategic council investments and the council's financial strategy.

You will report to the Finance Adviser for the effective delivery of the finance provision in accordance with the Council's statutory responsibilities, policies and procedures. Your responsibilities include providing quality advice and support to Council departments, forecasting, setting budgets, monitoring performance against budgets, preparing year‑end accounts, preparing financial returns, preparing committee reports and maintaining general financial stewardship of the Council's financial resources.

The Individual

The successful candidate should have experience within a financial environment (ideally public sector) and evidence of technical job knowledge and expertise. You should demonstrate knowledge of the finance function within a specialist area and cross‑working within an organisation, and comply with professional codes of practice.

You will be required to challenge, support and improve existing business practices, report on their effectiveness, reliability and value for money, highlight risks and make recommendations for management. Involvement in project management with governance responsibilities and the ability to prepare and scrutinise financial reports, budgets, accounts and performance indicators is essential.

You must hold a Professional Accountancy qualification and membership of an appropriate professional body and/or demonstrate extensive experience in a financial management role to apply for this post. Candidates that do not provide evidence of this will not be progressed.

Application Requirements

When completing the application process please ensure that you cover the following areas:

• Please provide details of any experience you have working in a busy financial management environment
• Please provide details of your experience working with others and how that experience would make you a suitable candidate for this role?
• Please provide details of a time when you have used your initiative and implemented improvements to the financial management of an organisation
• Please provide details of your experiences of where, at work, you have encountered change, and how you responded to this

Please apply online - All correspondence will be via your email address.

Legislative Information

This post is excepted in terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 2003. Preferred candidates will be required to undertake a standard disclosure check prior to a formal offer of employment being made. For further information about the disclosure process and best practice see http://www.disclosurescotland.co.uk.

Preferred candidates identified after the selection event process will be required to assist the recruitment team, if need be, to ensure timely completion of recruitment checks. If recruitment checks are not completed within a reasonable timescale the applicant may be automatically withdrawn from this position.

Canvassing of Elected Members or employees of South Lanarkshire's Council directly or indirectly in connection with any appointment within the Council shall disqualify the applicant.

Overseas Criminal Records Check is required for applicants born outside the UK or who have lived or worked outside the UK for a continuous period of three months in the past 10 years. Applicants must provide evidence of the check, translated into English, including an official statement confirming no history of or pending criminal record proceedings. The check must be authentic and come from an official source.

Benefits

• Enrolment in award‑winning local government pension scheme
• Option to join the Salary Sacrifice Shared Cost AVC scheme to increase pension pot
• Up to 33 days annual leave and up to 10 days public holiday entitlement
• Occupational sick pay
• Family‑friendly policies – flexible working, leave, maternity/paternity and enhanced leave
• Employee discounts, including cinema
• Cycle to Work Scheme, physiotherapy and Employee Assistance Program

Equal Opportunities and Armed Forces Community Covenant

South Lanarkshire Council is an Equal Opportunities employer and encourages applications from all members of the community. As a user of the disability confident scheme, the Council guarantees to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum competency/behaviour requirements for the position. The Council is also committed to providing support to members of the armed forces, veterans and their families as set out in the Armed Forces Community Covenant, guaranteeing interviews for veterans who meet the minimum requirements.

About Us

South Lanarkshire Council is the unitary authority serving the South Lanarkshire council area in Scotland, with headquarters in Hamilton. The Council has 16,000 employees, a £1bn budget, and serves a diverse region that includes rural, market town and urban areas such as Lanark, Strathaven and Carluke, and the new town of East Kilbride.

Our vision, as set out in the Economic Strategy, is to have one of the strongest and most dynamic economies in Scotland, where businesses, communities and residents achieve their full potential and prosper.

We achieve this through three interrelated themes:

• People: skills, learning and employability
• Place: physical infrastructure and place
• Business: business development and growth

About the Team

The Strategy Team supports councilwide financial strategy. Within the team, the community and enterprise resources role focuses on waste services, while the finance strategy roles support capital and strategic investments.

Equal Opportunities and Armed Forces Community Covenant (Team)

Like the Council, the Team is an Equal Opportunities employer and guarantees interviews to disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements. The Team also supports armed forces, veterans and their families under the Armed Forces Community Covenant.