Principal Accountant - Chief Accountants Team - Grade 14 (£51,522 - £53,607)

Your Croydon; Croydon; Hybrid; GBP 51,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Join a forward-thinking local authority as a Principal Accountant, where you will play a pivotal role in improving financial management processes. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to the transformation of Croydon Council as it moves towards financial sustainability. You will work closely with a dedicated team to ensure high-quality financial information is published and audited on time. Your expertise will help shape the future of one of London's most diverse boroughs, making a genuine impact in a place filled with opportunities. If you are passionate about finance and want to make a difference, this role is for you.

Qualifications

• Proven ability in financial accounting processes and accounts preparation.
• Knowledge of financial standards and audit procedures.

Responsibilities

• Prepare accurate and timely core financial statements and fund statements.
• Provide effective financial advice to the Council and external bodies.
• Ensure compliance with new requirements and legislation.

Skills

Financial Accounting

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Relationship Building

Education

Qualified Accountant (CCAB)

Job description

Job Details

Job Title: Principal Accountant, Chief Accountants Team

Application Closing date: 25 May 2025

Location: Bernard Weatherill House, Croydon

Salary: £51,522 to £53,607 per annum (pay award pending)

Employment Type: Permanent (36 hours per week)

Advert

Croydon has faced significant challenges in recent years, in terms of the Council’s financial position and of course the sector wide issues faced by every local authority.

This is a very exciting time to join Croydon as we move from the recovery and improvement phases to the transformational phase of our journey to bring the Council back to financial sustainability.

You will be helping to rebuild the Council, its finances, its governance, its culture and its services. The financial challenge is steep, but the Government has noted our strong progress, with a new Executive Mayor, Cabinet, Chief Executive and Corporate Management Team, who all share a commitment to the task ahead and putting Croydon’s people first.

Croydon is a fantastic place; a vital part of London’s growth story with a strong identity in its own right and this is a rare chance to make genuine change in a place of great opportunity. What we do together over the next three years will help shape the future of one of London’s most diverse and exciting boroughs.

As a Principal Accountant, you will be a key part of the Chief Accountant’s team to deliver and improve financial management processes, to meet statutory and best practice financial requirements, and to promote the Council’s corporate competencies and values.

Key responsibilities include:

§ Working within a dedicated team to ensure high quality financial information is published and audited to the statutory timescales.

§ To undertake the preparation of accurate and timely core financial statements, fund statements and disclosure notes in accordance with the code of practice

§ To provide high quality, responsive, effective, and timely advice, to the Council, its committees and officers, Government Departments, external auditors and external bodies, partnerships, on all matters of financial significance.

§ To work with finance and non-finance colleagues to ensure corporate accounting processes and procedures are fit for purpose.

§ To maintain up to date technical knowledge to ensure compliance with new requirements and legislation. This includes maintaining professional skills to be able to remain effective in role.

To be suitable for the role you will be a Qualified Accountant (CCAB) and/or with a proven ability to carry out work of this nature. You will need to have knowledge and experience of financial accounting processes, accounts preparation and audit, and the application of financial standards to business situations. Ideally this experience will have been gained in local government.

Candidates will need to have good written and verbal communication skills, have good analytical skills and be able to form strong working relationships within and across teams.

The role will be based in the Council’s offices at Bernard Weatherill House, central Croydon, and offers a hybrid working arrangement with up to 3 days a week work from home.

The closing date for applications is Sunday 25th May 2025 at 23:59pm

To view the Principal Accountant role profile click here

Closing date: 25 May 2025 @11:59pm

Disclaimer

Croydon Council is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Subject to business needs, we will be pleased to consider applications from candidates seeking flexible working arrangements and support hybrid working, whereby staff attend the workplace for part of their working week and work from home, or elsewhere, remotely for the rest of the time.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the advertised role.

Croydon council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.

Additional Information