Financial Accountant

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council; Ipswich; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 51,000; Full time

Job summary

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council is seeking a Financial Accountant to join their Finance team in Ipswich. This full-time position involves managing the Council's Collection Fund, ensuring accurate financial reporting, and providing expert financial advice to support strategic decisions. The ideal candidate will hold a CCAB qualification and have relevant local government finance experience, contributing to the community's needs.

Benefits

Great opportunities for learning and development

Generous leave entitlement

Competitive Local Government Pension Scheme

Wellbeing Support Program

Employee Assist Program

Health Care Options

Qualifications

• CCAB qualified with experience in Financial Accounting.
• Experience with Collection Fund for Council Tax and Business Rates.
• Detail-oriented with strong analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end accounting processes for the Collection Fund.
• Ensure accurate reporting of council tax and business rates.
• Provide expert financial advice on business cases.

Skills

Analytical skills

Business Partnering

Communication

Education

CCAB qualification

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Council are looking to recruit a Financial Accountant to join our team based in Ipswich, Suffolk. You will join us on a full-time, permanent basis. The successful candidate will earn a competitive salary of GBP43,693 - GBP50,788 per annum (pro rata for part time).

Full Time, 37 hours per week (part time and job share opportunities will be considered)

Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are looking for a Financial Accountant to join our Finance Team.

To be successful, you will share our values, commitment and motivation to make a difference for our residents, clients, and communities.

About the role

We are seeking an experienced, detail-oriented and proactive Financial Accountant to take ownership of the Councils Collection Fund.

This is a pivotal role within the Financial Control Team, ensuring accurate and timely reporting of council tax and business rates, and supporting strategic financial planning. You will be responsible for managing the end-to-end accounting processes for the Collection Fund, including forecasting, reconciliation, and liaison with precepting authorities.

You will work with stakeholders to enable accurate forecasting of the Collection Fund and ensure figures are accounted for monthly in the management report pack.

Your expert financial advice will be critical on business cases, reviewing appraisals and cash flows and ensuring these are built into the councils cash flow model.

You will:

• be a professionally qualified (CCAB) Accountant with relevant Financial Accounting experience
• have experience of working on the Collection fund for Council Tax and Business Rates
• have worked within local government finance or supported service teams within the public sector or a similar discipline
• be detail orientated and have strong analytical skills
• be comfortable in Business Partnering and able to communicate effectively with stakeholders to obtain relevant information to inform forecasting
• be highly proficient in the use of Microsoft Office
• be a team player with the ability to collaborate effectively with others.

About us

Working together across our councils and with our partners in the public, private and voluntary sectors, we provide excellent services to our 190,000 residents across Babergh and Mid Suffolk.

We are proud of the role we play in creating the environment, economy, and communities for our districts. We believe that the heart of Suffolk is an incredibly special place to live and work. With picturesque market towns, 60 conservation areas and with two National Landscapes within our districts, it is little wonder that we are consistently within the top 50 places to live in the UK.

Benefits of working for us

• Great opportunities for learning and development.
• Generous leave entitlement (equivalent to 26 days a year, increasing to 31 days after 5 years service, plus bank holidays).
• Competitive Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Wellbeing Support Program
• Employee Assist Program
• Health Care Options

Our ways of working

Work is what we do, not where we go! We are committed to working in a more Hybrid way, with a mix of office, home, and remote based working (Business needs permitting). This has worked well for us and is something we will be continuing with.

We are committed to supporting equality and diversity, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils provide opportunity and ambition for all, supporting and enabling our people to deliver the best possible service for our residents

Closing date: 5pm, 9 July 2025.

If you think you have what it takes to be successful in this Financial Accountant role, even if you don t meet all the requirements, please apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.