Finance Professional

Colbern Limited; Lowestoft; Hybrid; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Colbern Limited, on behalf of East Suffolk Council, is seeking an experienced Support Accountant to provide temporary cover in the Finance Planning team. The role focuses on budget monitoring, forecasting, year-end support, and financial reporting across service areas.

The successful candidate will work in a hybrid setup (Melton office base with 2 days on site) and collaborate with Finance Business Partners, budget holders, and service managers to ensure robust financial management and

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering accounting services within a finance environment.
• Experience supporting non-financial managers with financial information.
• Good understanding of accounting principles and budgetary control.
• Experience of financial systems and strong Excel skills.
• Ability to explain financial information to non-finance stakeholders.
• AAT qualified with relevant post-qualification experience or significant demonstrable experience at a similar level.

Responsibilities

• Support Finance Business Partners with revenue and capital budget monitoring.
• Assist with annual budget setting processes.
• Support development and delivery of financial forecasts.
• Produce and analyse financial reports.
• Support year-end closure activities and preparation of working papers.
• Undertake reconciliations and resolve discrepancies.
• Support periodic reviews of fees and charges.
• Provide financial advice to service managers and budget holders.
• Assist with Government and statutory returns.
• Support development of financial awareness across service areas.

Skills

Proven accounting experience

Good Excel skills

Budget monitoring

Financial forecasting

Reconciliations

Analytical thinking

Education

AAT qualification

Tools

Excel

Financial systems

Job description

Support Accountant

Lowestoft

Contract

£19 per hour PAYE or £25 per hour limited paid via umbrella company inside IR35

Our client is looking for an experienced Support Accountant

Hybrid (Melton office base, 2 days on site)

A support-level accountant who can assist Finance Business Partners with:

• Budget monitoring
• Revenue and capital budget reporting
• Budget setting
• Year-end accounts support
• Financial forecasting
• Reconciliations
• Fees & charges reviews
• Financial advice to service managers
• Government/statutory returns
• Financial systems administration/support

East Suffolk Council is seeking an experienced Support Accountant to provide temporary cover whilst a permanent recruitment process is undertaken.

The successful candidate will sit within the Financial Planning team and provide support to Finance Business Partners across a range of Council service areas. The role will involve supporting budget setting, budget monitoring, financial forecasting, year-end activities and financial reporting, whilst also providing advice and guidance to service managers and budget holders.

Key Responsibilities

• Support Finance Business Partners with revenue and capital budget monitoring.
• Assist with annual budget setting processes.
• Support development and delivery of financial forecasts.
• Produce and analyse financial reports.
• Support year-end closure activities and preparation of associated working papers.
• Undertake reconciliations and resolve discrepancies.
• Support periodic reviews of fees and charges.
• Provide financial advice and support to service managers and budget holders.
• Assist with Government returns, statutory returns and other data collection exercises.
• Support financial management projects across the Council.
• Ensure correct accounting treatment of grants and maintain supporting documentation.
• Assist with reserve administration, overhead apportionments and staffing budget exercises.
• Support development of financial awareness across service areas.
• Support administration and development of financial systems where required.

Essential Requirements

• Proven experience delivering accounting services within a finance environment.
• Experience supporting non-financial managers with financial information.
• Good understanding of accounting principles and budgetary control.
• Experience of financial systems.
• Good Excel skills for financial analysis and reporting.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to explain financial information to non-finance stakeholders.
• AAT qualified with relevant post-qualification experience or significant demonstrable experience working at a similar level.

Desirable

• Local authority finance experience.
• Experience supporting budget monitoring and forecasting.
• Experience preparing management reports for senior stakeholders.
• Experience of year-end accounts processes.
• Experience delivering training or guidance to non-finance colleagues.

Suitable Backgrounds

The manager is looking for candidates operating around:

• Support Accountant
• Assistant Management Accountant
• Management Accountant
• Assistant Accountant
• Finance Officer (with management accounting exposure)

Candidates should have experience of:

• Budget monitoring
• Forecasting
• Financial reporting
• Reconciliations
• Supporting budget holders
• Month-end / year-end activities

Additional Notes

Local government experience is desirable but not essential.

Public sector experience (NHS, education, housing associations etc.) would be considered.

Private sector candidates with strong management accounting backgrounds will also be considered.

The hiring manager is looking for somebody who can provide practical support to Finance Business Partners and hit the ground running quickly.

Colbern Limited along with our clients are an equal opportunities employer