Principal Accountant

St Helens Council; St Helens; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

LGPS pension

Generous annual leave

Salary sacrifice schemes

Discounts platform

Hybrid working

Flexible working

Health and wellbeing

Professional development

Friendly team

Rewarding career

Job summary

St Helens Council is seeking a Principal Accountant to join the Finance and Accountancy Service. You will support the Finance Business Partner and Finance Manager by delivering financial management across the Place Directorate, providing timely and accurate information to service areas.

The role requires a solid accounting background with AAT or CCAB/CIMA qualifications, excellent communication and teamwork, and the ability to contribute to budgeting, year-end closures, and financial statements.

Qualifications

• A sound knowledge of accounting principles and techniques.
• Excellent communication and team working skills.
• Support budgeting, year-end closure, and production of financial statements.

Responsibilities

• Support the Finance Business Partner and Finance Manager in delivering financial support across the Place Directorate.
• Provide financial information and contribute to budget setting and year-end closure of accounts.

Skills

Communication skills

Team working

Financial analysis

Education

AAT qualification

CCAB/CIMA qualification

Job description

We Are St Helens Borough Council

Located in the heart of the Northwest close to Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire, St Helens is a transformational Council which is passionate and ambitious for the communities we support.

We provide a wide range of local authority services to the residents, businesses, schools, and visitors to the borough. We can only do this because of our highly valued, highly skilled workforce.

Working together, our workplace vision and values guide our organisation, and the contribution of our workforce is key to our culture journey. Employees with us receive a wide range of benefits including well-being in work, financial benefits, ways of working and learning and development support.

Making A Difference as a Principal Accountant in the Finance and Accountancy Service

The Council is at an exciting stage of a significant transformation programme, with the modernisation of the finance function integral to these plans.

We currently have an opportunity for an ambitious person, either AAT qualified or in possession, or nearing completion, of a CCAB/CIMA qualification to support the Finance Business Partner and Finance Manager in delivering financial support across the Council’s Place Directorate.

Successful candidates will be pivotal and valued members of the Accountancy team - working with service areas in the provision of timely, accurate and high-quality budget and financial management support and advice; completing statistical returns; providing financial information; contributing to budget setting and the year-end closure of accounts and production of financial statements.

A sound knowledge of accounting principles and techniques is necessary, together with excellent communication and team working skills and high levels of self-confidence.

The Council can offer you:

• A competitive salary,
• Access to the Local Authority Pension Scheme (LGPS), with a generous employer pension contribution (on top of your own contribution),
• A generous annual leave allowance,
• Access to a number of salary sacrifice schemes,
• Access to our benefits platform which offers a wide range of discounts and money saving opportunities,
• Hybrid working - working in a way that adds most value,
• Flexible and agile working arrangements,
• Support with health and wellbeing,
• Professional development opportunities,
• Friendly, warm and welcoming team,
• A rewarding, challenging career.

For an informal discussion about this role please contact Glenn Howard – Finance Manager at [e-mail]

Janet Cross - Finance Business Partner at [e-mail]

St Helens Council is a Disability Confident Leader. This means that the Council guarantees an interview to disabled applicants who demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria for the job, as detailed on the Person Specification, and will, for qualifying disabled candidates, make reasonable adjustments within the interview/selection process.

Equality & Diversity

We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds, who share our values, our commitment to inclusion, and who will help us on our journey to transform our organisation. The Council guarantees an interview to disabled applicants who demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria for the job, as detailed on the Person Specification, and will, for qualifying disabled candidates, make reasonable adjustments within the interview/selection process.

All Council employees are required to abide by the ethical standards embodied by the 7 Nolan Principles

St Helens Borough Council is a Disability Confident Leader. Disability Confident Leader lead the way in helping to take action that changes attitudes, behaviours, and cultures for the better.

All Council employees are required to abide by the ethical standards embodied by the 7 Nolan Principles

NOLAN Principles of Conduct in Public Life

All Council employees are required to abide by the ethical standards embodied by the 7 Nolan Principles: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, and Leadership.