Financial Reporting Accountant

Reed; England; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 105,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

6-9 month contract

Job summary

Reed is seeking an experienced Closedown Accountant on an interim basis for a local government finance team. The role focuses on year-end closedown, Statement of Accounts and preparation for external audit, with hybrid working and a 6-9 month assignment.

You will lead on technical accounting tasks, deliver audit-ready working papers, and support the CIPFA code compliance while collaborating with auditors and finance colleagues to ensure timely statutory reporting.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in local authority year-end closedown and SOA prep.
• Strong grasp of Collection Fund accounting, Group Accounts and consolidations.
• Thorough knowledge of CIPFA Local Authority Accounting Code.
• Experience supporting external audits with audit-ready working papers.
• Advanced Excel skills and strong analytical problem-solving.

Responsibilities

• Support annual Statement of Accounts and disclosure notes.
• Lead on technical areas including Collection Fund accounting and group accounts.
• Produce high-quality working papers, reconciliations and analyses.
• Support statutory returns and financial reporting requirements.
• Liaise with internal/external auditors and respond to audit queries.
• Collaborate across finance teams to ensure timely year-end information.
• Contribute to improvements in financial controls and closedown processes.

Skills

Year-end closedown

Local government accounting

CIPFA Code knowledge

Audit support

Advanced Excel

Education

CCAB qualification desirable

Tools

Excel

Job description

Financial / Closedown Accountant (Interim) £500 per day Hybrid Working 6-9 Month Contract

Are you an experienced local government finance professional with a strong background in year-end closedown and statutory accounts preparation?

A large public sector organisation is seeking an experienced Closedown Accountant to provide additional support during the preparation of the Statement of Accounts and the completion of the annual year-end closedown process. This is a key contract role within a high-performing Corporate Finance team, offering hybrid working, a competitive £800 per day rate, and an initial 6-9 month assignment.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the preparation of the annual Statement of Accounts and associated disclosure notes.
• Lead on technical areas including Collection Fund accounting, Group Accounts and consolidation requirements.
• Produce high-quality working papers, reconciliations and technical accounting analyses.
• Support statutory returns and financial reporting requirements.
• Act as a key point of contact for internal and external auditors, responding to technical audit queries.
• Work collaboratively across finance teams to ensure the timely delivery of year-end financial information.
• Contribute to improvements in financial controls and closedown processes.

About You

• Significant experience supporting local authority year-end closedown and Statement of Accounts preparation.
• Strong technical understanding of local government accounting, including Collection Fund accounting, Group Accounts and consolidation adjustments.
• Thorough knowledge of the CIPFA Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting.
• Experience of supporting external audits and preparing audit-ready working papers.
• Advanced Excel skills with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• CCAB qualification desirable, although candidates with extensive local government closedown experience will also be considered.

What's on Offer?

£500 per day

Hybrid working arrangement

6-9 month contract

High-profile assignment within a well-established public sector finance team

Opportunity to play a pivotal role in the successful delivery of statutory accounts and external audit requirements

If you have a proven track record in local authority closedown and are available for your next interim assignment, we'd be keen to hear from you.