Finance Manager | Pensions

Lancashire County Council; Lancashire; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

26 days annual leave

LGPS from day one

Flexible working opportunities

Job summary

Lancashire County Council is recruiting a qualified accountant to lead the day-to-day financial operations of the Lancashire County Pension Fund. Based in Preston with hybrid working, you will oversee year-end accounts and respond to audit queries, liaising with external partners and local authorities.

You will report to the Head of Pension Fund and work with stakeholders across the fund, ensuring timely financial reporting and strong controls. Proficiency in Excel and Oracle is essential.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (CIPFA/ACCA or equivalent)
• Experience using accounting and finance systems.
• Strong Excel skills and proficiency with Microsoft tools.

Responsibilities

• Prepare monthly and quarterly posting of Oracle journals.
• Conduct detailed reconciliations of Fund income and expenditure.
• Produce budget monitoring reports and analyse variances.
• Lead production and publication of the Statement of Accounts.
• Maintain Fund Oracle chart of accounts.
• Produce cash flow statements.
• Respond independently to external queries.

Skills

Excel

Ledger systems

Microsoft packages

Education

CIPFA/ACCA or equivalent

Tools

Oracle

PCR System

Job description

Job Description

Salary £47,665 - £53,051 per annum | Permanent, Full Time 37 hours per week | Preston/Hybrid

Please note that we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role

We are seeking a qualified accountant (or equivalent experience) to lead on the provision of high‑quality financial services to the Lancashire County Pension Fund.

Lancashire County Pension Fund is the 5th largest of the 86 Local Government Pension Funds in England & Wales. The Fund has assets valued at over £12 billion and provides a pension fund to more than 205,000 scheme members.

This role is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to broaden their experience within a large and complex public‑sector organisation.

The Pension Fund provides a pension service to over 350 employers across the county. The Pension Fund will remain unchanged regardless as to any future decision relating to Local Government Reorganisation within Lancashire giving stability to the team and this post.

About The Role

Based within the Lancashire County Pension Fund Team, you will lead the day‑to‑day financial operations of the Fund whilst also being responsible for the production of the year‑end financial statements of the Fund and respond in a timely manner to audit queries. You will report directly to the Head of the Pension Fund and work closely with a wide range of external stakeholders, including:

• Local Pensions Partnership Investments (pooled investment company)
• Local Pensions Partnership Administration (pensions administration services)
• Local authorities, banking institutions, and the Pension Fund’s custodian
• Pension fund employers
• External auditors
• Specialist advisers and service providers

You will play an important role in ensuring the effective flow of financial information, maintaining strong financial controls, and supporting accurate and timely financial reporting.

The position requires strong skills in Microsoft Excel and ledger systems. The Fund relies on an internally developed Pensions Contributions Remittance System (PCR), used to collect membership data and contributions from employers.

Key Responsibilities

• Preparation of monthly and quarterly posting of Oracle journals
• Detailed and regular reconciliation of key items of Fund income and expenditure
• Production of the budget monitoring report and analysing variances.
• leading on the production and publication of the Statement of Accounts.
• Maintenance of Fund Oracle chart of accounts
• Production of cash flow statements
• Respond independently to queries often from outside bodies

About You

• is a qualified accountant e.g. CIPFA, ACCA or equivalent experience
• At least 2 years' experience working as an accountant
• experience of using accounting and finance systems.
• experience using Microsoft packages, including excel with use of formula

Reasons to join us

• We offer flexible working opportunities.
• Great annual leave entitlement of 26 days per financial year, which increases with length of service. 2 additional days leave are provided the Christmas / New Year period
• As an employee of Lancashire County Council, you will be enrolled into the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) from your first day of employment, giving you access to a high‑quality, defined‑benefit pension scheme
• Great career development opportunity

For more information about this post or for an informal discussion, please contact Pete George, Head of Pension Fund on 07542 510568

Closing Date

09/10/2026

Please ensure you have uploaded and attached your supporting statement to evidence how you meet the criteria outlined in the person specification for this role. The panel may be unable to shortlist you for interview without this evidence.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications.

Local Government Reorganisation

The Government has confirmed that local government across Lancashire will be reorganised, with the current 15 councils being replaced by four new unitary councils covering North, South, East and West Lancashire from April 2028.

If you are successful in your application, you will initially join Lancashire County Council. However, as part of the planned transition, your employment will transfer to one of the new unitary councils from April 2028, subject to the implementation of the reorganisation and relevant employment legislation.

Throughout this period, our focus remains on delivering excellent services to our communities. By joining us now, you'll play an important role in shaping the future of local government and helping to build a strong new organisation that will serve residents for years to come.