Senior Accounting Officer

Plymouth City Council; Plymouth; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

Plymouth City Council is seeking a proactive Senior Accounting Officer to join the Capital finance team. You will provide accurate financial information, advice and analysis to support services across the organisation and help drive financial decision-making.

The role covers budget monitoring, financial reporting, statutory accounts, grant management, capital programmes, VAT and treasury activities. AAT qualification or equivalent is preferred, with strong Excel skills and a commitment to

Qualifications

• AAT qualification (or equivalent) or relevant experience in finance.
• Experience with financial monitoring and budgeting.
• Strong analytical, organisational and communication abilities.

Responsibilities

• Preparing financial reports, forecasts and reconciliations to support decision-making.
• Assisting with administration and monitoring of the Capital programme including supporting projects officers and financial monitoring processes.
• Providing financial advice and guidance to managers and stakeholders.
• Assisting with the production of statutory accounts, financial returns and other regulatory requirements.
• Coordinating the monthly monitoring and reporting of the Council's five-year Capital Programme and associated financing.
• Supporting the continuous improvement of financial systems, processes and reporting.
• Coaching and supporting colleagues and budget managers where required.

Skills

Analytical skills

Organisational skills

Communication skills

Education

AAT qualification (or equivalent)

Job description

• This vacancy is only available for applications from existing Internal Plymouth City Council employees and Agency Workers who are in an active placement and have 12 weeks continuous service. Applications submitted by External candidates who do not meet this criteria will not be considered and will be rejected.

Grade F | Full Time | Permanent

• This vacancy is only available for applications from existing Internal Plymouth City Council employees and Agency Workers who are in an active placement and have 12 weeks continuous service. Applications submitted by External candidates who do not meet this criteria will not be considered and will be rejected.

Ready to build your finance career and gain experience across a broad range of accounting disciplines?

We're looking for a proactive and enthusiastic Senior Accounting Officer to join our Capital finance team. This is a fantastic opportunity to develop your technical knowledge, strengthen your business partnering skills, and make a real contribution to the Council's financial management and decision-making processes.

Working as part of a supportive and collaborative team, you'll provide accurate financial information, advice and analysis to support a range of services and activities across the organisation. The role will involve budget monitoring, financial reporting, statutory accounts, technical accounting, grant management, capital programmes, VAT, treasury activities, or other specialist finance areas.

What You'll Be Doing

• Preparing financial reports, forecasts and reconciliations to support effective decision-making.
• Assisting with the administration and monitoring of the Councils Capital programme including supporting projects officers and financial monitoring processes.
• Providing financial advice and guidance to managers and stakeholders.
• Assisting with the production of statutory accounts, financial returns and other regulatory requirements.
• Coordinating the monthly monitoring and reporting of the Council's five-year Capital Programme and associated financing.
• Supporting the continuous improvement of financial systems, processes and reporting.
• Coaching and supporting colleagues and budget managers where required.

What We're Looking For

• AAT qualification (or equivalent) or relevant experience within a professional finance environment.
• Experience of financial monitoring, reporting, reconciliations or budget management.
• Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills.
• Good Excel and IT skills.
• A commitment to personal and professional development and delivering excellent customer service.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to broaden their experience, develop their technical expertise and take the next step in their finance career while supporting services that make a difference to the people of Plymouth.

For an informal discussion, please Wendy Eldridge or Anna-Leigh Selvester

Closing Date: Thursday 29 October 2026

Plymouth City Council is an equal opportunities employer. All applicants will be considered for employment regardless of age, care experience, disability, gender reassignment, marriage/civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity, race, religion/belief, sex or sexual orientation.

As part of our commitment to promoting equality we offer guaranteed interviews to those who meet the essential criteria and are considered disabled, care experienced or are an Armed Forces Service Leaver within the last two years.

Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK

Plymouth City Council is proud to be an Age Friendly Employer. We encourage applications from talented people at every stage of their career