Principal Accountant

Positive Employment; Devon and Torbay; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Positive Employment is assisting a large local government organisation in recruiting an experienced Principal Accountant. The role focuses on evaluating budget information, advising on budgets and forecasts, and ensuring robust financial governance.

It is a 3-month contract, on-site three days per week, with IR35 inside. You will work across annual accounts, MTFS development, and government returns, liaising with auditors and service managers to deliver accurate financial reporting.

Qualifications

• Take responsibility and critically evaluate and challenge budget managers' information to compile the Council's annual budget and budget forecasting processes.
• Lead the production of the draft Quarterly Budget Monitoring Return for review by the S151 officer.
• Contribute to the wider strategic plans of the Council's finances and develop the Medium-Term Financial Strategy with the Finance Manager and S151 Officer.
• Interpret legislation and guidance to ensure the Council's Statement of Accounts is fully compliant and liaise with external auditors.
• Be responsible for completing and submitting statutory returns such as NNDR 1, NNDR 3, Housing Benefit Subsidy, and Council Tax requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional financial support and guidance to operational managers with budgets, forecasts and service planning.
• Provide professional financial advice to support new projects and initiatives identifying financial impacts and options.
• Lead responsibility for the production of the draft Quarterly Budget Monitoring Return for S151 officer review.

Job description

Our client is a large local government organisation and looking for an experienced Principal Accountant to join their team. This is initially a 3 month contract which may be extended for the right applicant

To take responsibility and critically evaluate and challenge budget managers information provided to compile the Council's annual budget and budget forecasting processes:

• Provide professional financial support and guidance to operational managers with their budgets, forecasts and service planning.
• Provide professional financial advice to support new projects and initiatives identifying financial impacts, offering options and solutions that will enable projects to meet the objectives of the Council.
• Have lead responsibility for the production of the draft Quarterly Budget Monitoring Return for review by S151 officer.

Financial Strategy To make a major contribution to the wider financial planning activities of the Council, by understanding the bigger picture and how Government Policy and plans impact the Council's financial position and plans:

• Contribute to the wider strategic plans of the Council's finances working with the Finance Manager and s151 Officer developing the Medium-Term Financial Strategy.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of relevant financial legislation and national policies to ensure the Council is prepared for future impacts.

Annual Accounts To take the lead on some complex areas of the Council's annual financial accounts which could be in relation to either revenue an capital areas.

• Interpret legislation and complex guidance to ensure that the Council's Statement of Accounts' are fully compliant.
• Liaising with external auditors to ensure that they are able to complete their statutory audit of the Council's accounts and systems.
• To be personally responsible for key elements of the production of the annual statement of accounts.
• Provide support in the production of reports for committee meetings.
• Provide guidance and support to Service Managers responsible for providing information required for the Council's annual accounts.

Central Government Claims and Returns To be responsible in conjunction with colleagues for the completion and submission of statutory returns some of which may involve complex work and judgement to deliver e.g. NNDR 1, NNDR 3, Housing Benefit Subsidy, Council Tax Requirement, RA and Whole of Government Accounts.

• Government returns or grant claims are frequently complex and involve large sums of money and errors or emissions, which could lead to a loss of income for the Council.
• Liaison with Government Departments to resolve issues or problems with returns or claims.

PLEASE NOTE THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANT WILL BE ON SITE 3 DAYS PER WEEK

THIS ROLE IS INSIDE SCOPE OF IR35