Principal Accountant

Hertfordshire County Council; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 54,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council is seeking a Principal Accountant to lead the finance team focused on health integration and pooled budgets within Adult Care Services. The role combines strategic budget setting, monitoring, and year-end activities with stakeholder engagement at executive levels.

You will oversee budgeting across pooled funds, present at monthly meetings, and provide professional financial support for contracts, ensuring baselines and new funding streams are established and

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant (CIPFA or equivalent) or qualified by experience.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships up to Executive Director level.
• Strong problem-solving ability with awareness of wider implications.
• Ability to explain complex financial information to senior managers.
• Ability to interpret, apply, and communicate financial policies and guidance.
• Ability to challenge and influence stakeholders effectively.
• Strong organisational skills and ability to manage workload.
• Ability to respond positively to feedback and adjust approach.
• Ability to develop innovative solutions and recommendations.
• Ability to meet deadlines with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Lead contact for partner organisations on health integration and financial requirements for pooled budgets.
• Attend monthly monitoring meetings and present the monitor to the Board.
• Be the expert on pooled budgets and provide challenge where necessary.
• Coordinate and agree pooled budget contributions with partners at the start of the financial year and adapt changes throughout the year.
• Provide financial support for the mental health contract including agreeing baselines and new funding streams during the year.
• Lead on the completion of the financial elements of statutory returns for the Pooled Budgets and provide information for partners for statutory health financial returns.
• The duties and responsibilities may be altered from time to time as required by the role.

Skills

Qualified Accountant

Relationship Management

Analytical Thinking

Financial Communication

Policy Interpretation

Influencing Stakeholders

Time Management

Adaptability

Innovative Solutions

Deadline Driven

Job description

Job Introduction

Job Title:

Principal Accountant

Starting Salary:

£53,806 progressing to £59,497 per annum - pay award pending

Hours:

37 per week

Location:

Stevenage with hybrid working opportunities

Contract Type:

Permanent

Directorate:

Resources

About The Team

This role is within the Business Partner Finance team supporting Adult Care Services, (ACS), with leading on health integration and pooled budgets. The role reports to the Finance Manager and you will have responsibility for the line management of an Accounting Officer in the team. As a senior member of the ACS Finance team, your responsibilities will include leading on all areas of pooled budgets including budget setting, monitoring and year end

About The Role

• To be the lead contact for partner organisations in relation to health integration and financial requirements for pooled budgets, creating positive working relationships with officers at all levels in partner organisations.
• To attend monthly monitoring meetings and present the monitor to the Board.
• To be the expert in relation to pooled budgets and providing challenge where necessary.
• To co-ordinate and agree the pooled budget contributions with partners at the start of the financial year and agree changes throughout the year.
• To provide professional financial support for the mental health contract including agreeing baselines and new funding streams during the year.
• To lead on the completion of the financial elements of statutory returns for the Pooled Budgets and provide information for partners for statutory health financial returns
• The duties and responsibilities listed above describe the post as it is at present. The post holder is expected to accept any reasonable alterations that may from time to time be necessary.

Essential

About you

• Be a fully qualified accountant (CIPFA or equivalent) or be qualified by experience.
• Ability to build and maintain effective relationships up to Executive Director level both within HCC and partner organisations, fostering trust, confidence and a collaborative partnership approach.
• Strong problem-solving capability, with the ability to identify solutions that take account of wider implications (e.g. political, managerial, and equality considerations) as well as stakeholder needs. Ability to drive improvements and negotiate delivery of actions, including where these fall outside direct control or organisational boundaries
• Ability to clearly explain complex financial information, including associated risks, to senior managers within HCC and partner organisations.
• Ability to interpret, apply, and communicate financial policies, procedures, guidance, and relevant legislation.
• Ability to challenge constructively and influence stakeholders effectively, including those outside of HCC.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage personal workload, prioritising tasks appropriately in line with business needs and the role of finance.
• Ability to respond positively to feedback and make appropriate adjustments to work and approach.
• Ability to develop innovative solutions and recommendations, including challenging existing practices where appropriate to drive improvement.
• Ability to meet deadlines with minimal supervision.

Desirable

• Previous exposure to Adult Care Services would be beneficial
• Previous experience in working with Pooled Budgets would be beneficial

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation.

We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 13.

Please locate the job profile here: Job profiles - Corporate services

Interview Date: to be confirmed

Benefits of working for us

Additional Information

We are changing

Hertfordshire County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.

LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visit https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

Disability Confident

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.