Financial Accountant

Maritime and Coastguard Agency; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Civil Service Pension 28.97%

25 days annual leave (+1 per year)

8 Bank Holidays + Privilege Day

Staff discount portal

Career development opportunities (CCAB

Diversity and inclusion

24-hour Employee Assistance Programme

Flexible working options

Job summary

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency seeks a Financial Accountant to join the Corporate Services, Finance and Analysis area. You will be responsible for external financial reporting, including the Annual Report and Accounts and Department for Transport consolidation packs, working with finance colleagues and auditors to agree accounting treatments.

You will contribute to balance sheet accounting, budgeting and medium-term financial planning, and engage with diverse stakeholders during the audit

Qualifications

• Qualified CCAB member or Part-qualified at final/pro level with CCAB body.
• Evidence of essential qualifications during recruitment.

Responsibilities

• Ensure IFRS and FReM compliance in finance processes.
• Produce financial statements and accompanying notes with narrative.
• Support improvements and transformation of financial systems and data.
• Produce quarterly consolidation packs for submission to DfT.
• Work with auditors and stakeholders to ensure timely annual reports.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Financial analysis

Stakeholder management

Education

CCAB qualification or Part-qualified CCAB

Tools

Excel

Job description

Location: Aberdeen, Beverley, Cardiff, Southampton and current MCA employees may remain at their current locations. (This role is suitable for hybrid working)

An additional allowance of up to £5,000 per annum may be payable to candidates who hold a recognised full professional accountancy qualification, subject to eligibility criteria.

A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is seeking a Financial Accountant to join the Corporate Services, Finance and Analysis area. The MCA is an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport, providing multiple statutory functions as flag, port and coastal State and delivering international obligations for search and rescue, environmental protection and responding to major maritime incidents. The Finance function is a key enabler for the Agency to ensure we can deliver against this remit, managing an annual budget of c. £500m.

As part of the Directorate of Finance and Analysis within Corporate Services, the Financial Accounting team is responsible for preparing external financial reporting for the Agency and ensuring robust processes are in place to give assurance on the quality of the numbers.

As the Financial Accountant you will report to the Head of Financial Accounting and will be responsible for the external financial reporting processes for the Agency including the production of the Annual Report and Accounts (ARA) and Department for Transport consolidation packs, working with finance colleagues and auditors to agree accounting treatments as necessary.

You will play a key role in balance sheet accounting and contributes towards the yearly budgeting cycle but also has a key input into the medium-term financial planning and any Spending Reviews.

Top Responsibilities

• Ensuring Finance processes are compliant with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) requirements and the Government Financial Reporting Manual (FReM).
• Producing financial statements, notes and narrative in line with IFRS and FReM requirements, and present to stakeholders.
• Supporting continuous improvement and transform financial systems and data, to meet stakeholder needs.
• Producing quarterly consolidation packs for submission to DfT colleagues, ensuring returns are consist with internal reporting.
• Working closely with diverse stakeholders, across the audit period, ensuring progression of annual reports and accounts in agreed timescales.

• Employer pension contribution of 28.97% of your salary. Read more about Civil Service Pensions here
• 25 days annual leave, increasing by 1 day each year of service (up to a maximum of 30 days annual leave).
• 8 Bank Holidays plus an additional Privilege Day to mark the King’s birthday.
• Access to the staff discount portal.
• Excellent career development opportunities and the potential to undertake professional qualifications relevant to your role paid for by the department, such as CIPD, Prince2, apprenticeships, etc.
• Joining a diverse and inclusive workforce with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme providing free confidential help and advice for staff.
• Flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance.

About You

To be successful in this role you will need to have the following experience:

• Relevant experience in a financial accounting or financial control role
• Highly developed interpersonal and influencing skills
• Highly proficient with Excel and able to deal with large datasets, including creating financial models, with a strong ability to analyse the outputs, using this analysis to inform decision making and advise management if required.

Qualifications

A qualified and active member of a CCAB professional accountancy body (ACCA, CIPFA, ICAEW, ICAS, CIMA or equivalent); or Part qualified and currently studying at the final/professional level of a CCAB professional accountancy qualification (e.g. ACCA Strategic Professional, CIMA Strategic Level or equivalent).

You will be required to provide evidence that you hold any essential qualifications/licenses at some point during the recruitment process. If you cannot provide evidence, your application will be withdrawn.