Senior Accountant

Sunderland City Council; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Generous annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme

Learning and development opportunities

Career progression

Broad finance exposure

Job summary

Sunderland City Council is seeking a Senior Accountant within our Finance Team to provide high-quality financial advice, coordinate accounting processes, and ensure statutory responsibilities are met.

You will work closely with budget managers and senior officers, lead on Collection Fund accounting, and support year-end closedown and financial statements. We offer flexible hybrid working, generous leave, LGPS, and development opportunities across local government finance.

Qualifications

• Qualified CCAB or equivalent accounting credential required.
• Experience in local government accounting and financial management.
• Strong ability to prepare financial reports and provide clear financial guidance.
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to communicate complex data clearly.

Responsibilities

• Coordinating and completing statutory financial returns and other regulatory reporting requirements.
• Leading on Collection Fund accounting, forecasting, monitoring and year-end accounting requirements.
• Supporting the preparation of financial statements, working papers and year-end closedown processes.
• Supporting the preparation, monitoring and forecasting of budgets.
• Providing financial advice and guidance to service managers and senior officers.
• Analysing complex financial information and presenting findings in a clear and meaningful way.
• Supporting internal and external audit requirements and implementing recommendations where required.
• Contributing to the continuous improvement and development of financial processes, systems and reporting arrangements.

Skills

Local government finance

Financial reporting

Analytical thinking

Stakeholder engagement

Regulatory compliance

Education

CCAB qualification

AAT qualification

Job description

Reporting to the Principal Accountant, you will play a key role in supporting the Council's financial management arrangements, providing high-quality financial advice, coordinating key accounting processes and helping to ensure the Council meets its statutory and regulatory responsibilities. You will work closely with budget managers and senior officers to support effective decision making and maintain strong financial governance across the organisation. The role will involve:

• Coordinating and completing statutory financial returns and other regulatory reporting requirements.
• Leading on Collection Fund accounting, including forecasting, monitoring and year-end accounting requirements.
• Supporting the preparation of financial statements, working papers and year-end closedown processes.
• Supporting the preparation, monitoring and forecasting of budgets.
• Providing financial advice and guidance to service managers and senior officers.
• Analysing complex financial information and presenting findings in a clear and meaningful way.
• Supporting internal and external audit requirements and implementing recommendations where required.
• Contributing to the continuous improvement and development of financial processes, systems and reporting arrangements.

This is an excellent opportunity for an accountant who enjoys working in a varied and challenging environment and wants to broaden their experience across local government finance.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced finance professional to take on the role of Senior Accountant within our Finance Team.

You will be:

• A CCAB-qualified accountant, or AAT qualified with significant relevant experience.
• Experienced in local government finance, accounting and financial management.
• Knowledgeable in local authority accounting principles, statutory requirements and financial planning processes.
• Experienced in preparing financial returns, financial reports and supporting year-end closedown activities.
• Able to build effective working relationships.
• Confident in analysing complex financial information.
• Organised, proactive and committed to delivering high-quality financial support.
• Able to prioritise competing demands and meet challenging deadlines.

Sunderland City Council is delivering an ambitious programme of regeneration, service transformation and financial improvement. As we continue to strengthen our financial resilience and deliver value for residents, we are investing in our Finance Service and are looking for a talented finance professional to join our team.

At Sunderland City Council, you'll join a finance team that plays a central role in supporting the Council's vision for the city and its residents.

• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Learning and development opportunities.
• Professional support and career progression.
• Opportunities to expand your experience across a broad range of local government finance activities.

Help us deliver excellent financial management and support Sunderland's continued growth and success.