Financial Accountant

Work For Scotland; Aberdeen City; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

FSS in Aberdeen is seeking a qualified Financial Accountant to lead the Financial Accounting team and drive robust internal controls. You will prepare annual accounts, manage treasury and supplier/customer payments, and ensure timely disclosures under FReM and IFRS.

You will work with the Head of Finance to optimise finance systems ( Oracle ) and support audits with Audit Scotland, delivering accurate financial reporting for the organisation.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with relevant designation (ACCA/ACA or equivalent).
• Experience leading a financial accounting team and delivering accurate accounting outputs.
• Knowledge of IFRS and Government Financial Reporting Manual (FReM) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Financial Accounting team, set objectives and priorities, align with branch business planning.
• Develop and implement robust internal controls in line with public finance guidelines.
• Oversee AP/AR, VAT, fixed assets, bank reconciliations and cash forecasting.
• Prepare Annual Accounts under FReM and IFRS and ensure audit readiness with Audit Scotland.

Skills

Financial accounting

Internal controls

Team leadership

Treasury management

Education

Chartered accountant (ACCA/ACA)

Tools

Oracle

Excel

Job description

Are you a detail-driven Financial Accountant ready to make a real impact on business performance and decision-making? FSS is seeking a qualified accountant looking to take the next step in their accounting career where your expertise will help shape our success.

The post holder will lead the Financial Accounting team in providing and implementing robust financial internal controls and you will act as the primary source of financial accounting advice and expertise for the organisation.

The post holder is also responsible for key areas of the business including the preparation of the annual accounts, charging model, treasury functions (cash and banking) and accounts payable/receivable.

Responsibilities

• Manage the Financial Accounting team, ensuring that objectives are set, tasks are prioritised and capabilities within the team continue to be developed. Contribute to the annual branch business plan.
• Work with the Head of Finance & Procurement to develop and implement robust internal controls in line with the Scottish Public Finance Manual to deliver appropriate elements of the FSS scheme of delegation relating to use of finance systems (Oracle) and procurement cards.
• Manage the Accounts Payable & Receivable functions (including debt management), ensuring payments to suppliers within the Scottish Government (SG) 10 payment target and the invoicing service to customers are completed whilst ensuring the appropriate controls and reconciliations are in place.
• Manage the work for VAT returns, FSS fixed asset register, bank reconciliations, cash forecasting and drawdowns, ensuring all tasks are completed in a timely manner and that internal processes are fit for purpose.
• Oversee the production and publication of the quarterly disclosures under the Public Services Reform Act (PSRA) including the report for electronic procurement cards (ePC) Expenditure (over £500).
• Complete monthly account checks and balance sheet reconciliations to provide accurate and timely advice as well as reporting the financial reviews to the branch head.
• Prepare the Annual Accounts in line with the Government Financial Reporting Manual (FReM) and relevant Internal Financial Reporting Standards (IFRSs) and ensure that they are signed off by the FSS Accounting Officer with subsequent unqualified audit opinion. Ensure that all disclosures are updated and produced in line with existing, updated and new standards. Produce FSS return for the Whole of Government Accounts.
• Work closely with the Finance Manager to review internal controls, systems and processes across both teams as well as capacity and capability of the finance function in FSS.
• Liaise with Audit Scotland to manage the completion of internal and external audits, and the subsequent implementation of any recommendations.