Project Accountant

What we do

The role

The Project Accountant will ensure that Wilton Park events remain competitively priced and that all resources are utilised efficiently.

The Project Accountant will be responsible for ensuring that all events are managed effectively from a financial perspective - including pricing of events, grant applications, regular liaison with the project teams, timesheet management, financial reconciliations of events and post event analysis.

The role will monitor the key performance indicators for Wilton Park to measure against our effectiveness regarding the strategic direction and ensure that the priorities of the FCDO are met through the accurate allocation of funds from the various funding sources received via FCDO - ODA, grant funding, ISF and new grants available.

For full details of the role, please refer to the job description linked to at the bottom of the page.

Person specification

Essential skills

• Microsoft Office 365 - excellent at Excel
• In depth understanding of accounting software packages
• Qualified ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or with an appropriate finance degree
• Experience in costing, data analysis, budgets, and pricing
• Clear communicator
• Team player

Behaviours

This vacancy is using Success Profiles, and will assess your Behaviours. We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the big picture
• Working together
• Managing a quality service

Working pattern and hours

Full time working for 37 hours (net) per week Monday-Friday including an unpaid lunch break of one hour.

Contract type

Permanent.

Expected start date

June/July 2025 subject to security clearance.

Things to know

Location

Wiston House, the home of Wilton Park, is in Steyning, West Sussex. This is where the majority of our events are held. Wiston House is not easily accessible via public transport, so please take this into consideration when applying for this role as you will be expected to attend the workplace in person regularly.

Selection process details

A panel will conduct an anonymous initial sift of applications. If a large number of applications are received the panel may decide to do an initial sift based on the first Behaviour. Those who pass the initial sift will then be considered against the remaining criteria.

Interviews and additional assessment activities will be assessed against the criteria outlined in the Job Profile. Applications must be factually accurate and should be your own work. If there is any evidence of plagiarism, including presenting the ideas and experience of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own, your application will be withdrawn.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (SC). See our vetting charter.

In addition to nationality requirements outlined below, to pass security clearance you are required to have a UK footprint of 2 in the last 5 years (including as a Crown Servant overseas). This is a mandatory requirement of National Security Vetting (NSV).

Eligibility

You will be eligible for appointment only if:

• You are a British citizen or have permanent settled status; and
• You have been resident in the UK for at least two of the previous ten years, at least one year of which must have been a consecutive twelve-month period, unless you have served overseas with HM Forces or in some other official capacity as a representative of Her Majesty's Government, or have lived overseas as a result of your parent's or partner's Government employment. Also, to enable the appropriate security checks to be carried out, you must have lived for at least three consecutive years in one country.

You should be aware that a lack of sufficient background information may prevent you from being granted security clearance.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.

How to apply

Please complete the online application process using the Apply for this job link at the top of the page. As part of this process, you will be asked for:

• A CV setting out your career history, with key responsibilities and achievements
• A 1250 word Personal Statement explaining your suitability for the role and how you meet each of the criteria listed under the Essential skills section of the Person specification
• A 250 word statement for each Behaviour (as listed under the Person specification above), explaining how you meet the required criteria as outlined in the Success Profiles framework

Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Email: [email protected]

Civil Service Recruitment Principles

Wilton Park's recruitment processes are underpinned by the principle of selection for appointment on merit, on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the Recruitment Principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should, in the first instance, contact [email protected]. If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from Wilton Park, you can contact the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners at [email protected].