Senior Accountant

Herts Legal Service - Hertfordshire County Council; Stevenage; Hybrid; GBP 43,000 - 47,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Market leading pension scheme

Employee discounts & welfare support

Hybrid and flexible working

Benefits of working for us

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council is seeking a Senior Accountant in Stevenage (Hybrid) to join the Capital & Treasury team. The role drives budget setting, financial analysis, and treasury processes across a £1.3bn capital programme and related projects.

You will lead on capital accounting, year-end adjustments and statutory disclosures, while providing high‑quality financial advice to governance groups and stakeholders.

Qualifications

• CCAB qualified or able to demonstrate significant relevant experience.
• Ability to perform detailed financial analysis using multiple data sources and tools.
• Ability to interpret, apply and explain financial policies, procedures and guidance.
• Experience presenting complex financial information to senior stakeholders to support actions.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and re-prioritise as needed.

Responsibilities

• Lead budget setting by reviewing capital business cases and providing financial analysis.
• Deliver budget monitoring, forecasting and reporting for capital schemes.
• Support year-end accounts process and capital accounting adjustments.
• Provide financial advice to project boards and governance groups.
• Collaborate across Capital & Treasury Team to maintain treasury processes.

Skills

CCAB qualified or equivalent

Financial data analysis

Policy interpretation

Stakeholder communication

Prioritisation

Job description

Job Introduction

Job Title

Senior Accountant

Starting Salary

£42,839 progressing to £47,181 per annum - Pay award pending

Hours

37

Location

Stevenage (Hybrid)

Contract Type

Permanent

Directorate

Capital & Treasury

About The Team

We are actively recruiting to a Senior Accountant role in the Capital and Treasury Team.

The role is part of a team that provides technical financial advice and support for the County Council’s capital programme and ensures sound Treasury processes. The programme totals £1.3bn over the next 4 years and will deliver a variety of schemes to provide and improve services and infrastructure for Hertfordshire’s residents.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop and broaden your technical and professional accountancy skills. The role offers exposure to a wide range of capital accounting, financial management and treasury activities, while providing the opportunity to influence major investment decisions and contribute to projects that make a real difference to Hertfordshire residents.

About The Role

You will play a key role in the budget-setting process by reviewing capital business cases, providing constructive challenge and financial analysis, and supporting investment decisions. You will also work with services throughout the year to deliver accurate budget monitoring, forecasting and reporting, enabling effective financial management of capital schemes.

The role has significant involvement in the year-end accounts process. You will apply technical accounting guidance to prepare capital accounting adjustments, support the production of statutory accounts disclosures, and help maintain the Council's fixed asset register, ensuring accuracy and compliance.

As the finance lead on multidisciplinary project boards and governance groups, you will provide high-quality financial advice and challenge on high-profile programmes and projects. You will build strong working relationships with stakeholders across the organisation to support successful project delivery.

You will also work collaboratively with colleagues across the Capital and Treasury Team to maintain resilient treasury management processes, share knowledge, and support a joined-up approach to delivering the team's objectives.

Essential

About You

• CCAB qualified or equivalent or able to demonstrate significant relevant experience.
• Ability to make effective use of multiple data sources and to use available tools to carry out detailed financial analysis.
• Ability to interpret, apply and explain financial policies, procedures and guidance.
• Ability to build relationships and communicate effectively with senior stakeholders, creating trust and confidence and being able to persuade and negotiate as to the actions required.
• Experience in presenting complex financial information to senior stakeholders to support proposed courses of action.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and flexibility to re-prioritise according to business needs.

Desirable

• Experience of delivering accurate financial information within strict deadlines in a complex public sector environment.
• Experience of capital accounting, including supporting budget setting, budget monitoring and the production of year end accounts
• Experience of Treasury Management activities including dealing.

Benefits

On top of your salary, you will also receive an excellent benefits package including:

• Market leading pension scheme with immediate eligibility.
• An employee support scheme providing discounts on all the essentials such as shopping, health and leisure vouchers.
• Support and welfare groups, with regular welfare sessions available to all staff.
• Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
• Benefits of working for us

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 11.

Please locate the job profile here:

Job profiles - Corporate services

To hear more about this opportunity please contactSuzanne Swain 01992 555677 for an informal discussion about the role.

Interview Date: Week Commencing 21.09.2026

Additional Information

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.

English Fluency

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.