Financial Accountant

Scottish Association For Marine Science; Oban; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 51,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible & hybrid working options

Extra annual leave

Cycle 2 Work scheme

Tech salary sacrifice

Job summary

Scottish Association For Marine Science in Oban is seeking a Financial Accountant to partner with the Associate Director of Finance and deliver high-quality, timely financial information across multiple entities.

The role will identify opportunities to improve processes, strengthen financial controls and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of financial reporting, while providing accurate information to internal and external stakeholders and funders.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with CA, CIMA or ACCA and post-qualification experience.
• Strong understanding of financial accounting and month-end processes.
• Ability to prepare management accounts and support audit readiness.
• Advanced Excel skills with excellent communication.

Responsibilities

• Deliver high-quality, timely financial information to stakeholders.
• Partner with Associate Director of Finance and senior stakeholders to provide financial insight.
• Identify process improvements and strengthen financial controls.
• Ensure compliance with policies and regulatory requirements and reporting.

Skills

Post-qualification experience

Financial accounting

Month-end processes

Management accounts

Advanced Excel

Stakeholder engagement

Education

CA/CIMA/ACCA

Job description

Location: SAMS, Oban

Contract Type:Permanent

Working Pattern:Full Time

Salary : £45,413 - £51,039 per annum

Closing date: Monday 26th October 2026

The Role :

The Financial Accountant will work closely with the Associate Director of Finance and play a key business partnerning role in the organisation through the delivery of high-quality, accurate, timely and insightful financial information. The role will work closely with senior stakeholders to provide financial insight and guidance and support informed decision-making and strategic planning, while taking ownership of key financial processes and driving performance across multiple entities.

The Financial Accountant will identify opportunities to improve processes, strengthen financial controls and enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of financial reporting. Acting as a trusted finance business partner, the role will ensure compliance with relevant financial policies, accounting standards and regulatory requirements, while providing accurate and timely financial information to internal and external stakeholders, funders and regulatory bodies. The successful candidate will combine strong technical accounting knowledge with excellent communication and relationship-building skills to provide effective financial support and challenge across the organisation.

Our Ideal Candidate

• You will hold a recognised accountancy qualification – CA, CIMA, ACCA
• Demonstrable post-qualification experience in a relevant financial accounting role.
• Strong understanding of financial accounting and month-end processes.
• Ability to prepare management accounts and support audit readiness.
• Advanced Excel skills
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills

This role is suited to someone with early post-qualification experience in industry looking to progress their career or someone experienced looking for a change in role/company and more variety in their role. The successful candidate will be ambitious, analytical, and eager to contribute to a fast-paced, purpose-driven environment.

You will bring energy, enthusiasm and integrity and create a positive and inclusive culture within the department.

Employee Benefits

Our relatively small, caring community is an ideal environment for making friends, forming collaborations, and supporting each other to do the work that we really care about. Oban and surrounding areas provide a fantastic base to live and work, and we offer a wide range of employee benefits, support and inclusive culture, making SAMS a great place to work.

Our employees are the heart of our business. Recruiting and retaining the right people is the key to our success. Rewarding our employees is therefore an important component of our employment package and we have a wide range of benefits on offer to staff to support your work and lifestyle.

We are proud to provide a wide variety of benefits year-round, offering options to best support our staff, such as: flexible & hybrid working options, purchase of additional annual leave, shopping discounts, Cycle 2 Work scheme, purchases of technology through salary sacrifice, Payroll Giving, Pensions Plus, access to portals to support health and wellbeing, a sabbatical scheme, free car parking with access to electronic charging points as well as access to a number of training & development courses.

Additionally, SAMS encourages and recognises excellence among staff through various recognition and reward arrangements. We are striving to constantly develop and expand the benefits and offers for our colleagues.

We are a Disability Confident Employer. Where a candidate requires reasonable adjustments as part of the application process, we encourage you to let us know. Where applicants with a disability meet the essential criteria for the job, you will be given the opportunity to demonstrate your skills, talent and abilities at interview.

SAMS' commitment to gender equality has been recognised, as our institute was presented with an Athena SWAN (Scientific Women's Academic Network) Bronze Award and is currently working towards Investors in Diversity accreditation.

SAMS follows Fair Work Practices.

SAMS Group is committed to being an equal and open organisation. Diversity and inclusion are important to us, and we strive to remove any barriers that may prevent people from applying to join us. We encourage applications from all backgrounds, and from all who share our values and can help us to broaden our knowledge and range of ideas.