Senior Financial Accountant

Scottish Canals; Glasgow; Hybrid; GBP 54,000; Full time

Job summary

A public sector organization in Glasgow is seeking a Senior Financial Accountant to oversee statutory reporting and compliance within their finance team. The ideal candidate will be CCAB qualified with at least 5 years of experience and strong expertise in International Financial Reporting Standards. This permanent position offers a competitive salary of £53,452 and generous benefits including enhanced sick pay and a contributory pension scheme.

Benefits

28 days annual leave plus public holidays

Enhanced sick pay

Discounted shopping vouchers

Health cash plan

Contributory pension scheme with up to 10% employer contribution

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years' experience in finance.
• Experience in line management, coaching and mentoring.
• In-depth knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead preparation of annual statutory accounts.
• Manage relationships with auditors and stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with accounting standards and regulations.
• Oversee capital expenditure reporting.
• Support internal audit procedures.

Skills

Financial background

Line management experience

Excellent communication skills

Strong analytical skills

Advanced Excel skills

Education

CCAB qualified

Tools

SAGE 300

SAGE intelligence

Job description

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Scottish Canals are the custodians of the nation's canal network and surrounding estates. Our vision is to invest in the canal network to generate lasting benefit for people and communities; celebrating their industrial heritage, ensuring they offer quality green and blue spaces for people and communities and contribute to Scotland's resilience in tackling climate change.

Our success is rooted in valuing the contributions of our entire team - we care, we create, and we collaborate to continue to deliver a whole range of activities and services, from boating, and mooring, paddling, walking and wheeling, to living and playing and improving what the canals have to offer to our visitors and communities. We also work collaboratively with our partners and stakeholders to contribute to a wealthier, fairer, greener and more resilient Scotland.

As an employer we offer a truly unique opportunity to be part of our team, help us realise our vision and contribute to safeguarding our heritage and ensuring our canals flourish now and in the future.

We currently have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Financial Accountant to join our Finance team in Glasgow/Falkirk/Hybrid. You will report to the Head of Finance, under the Director of Finance & Business Services. This role has an organisation-wide influence in the statutory reporting and continuous improvement of the finance function, with a focus on the annual statutory accounts process and capital accounting and reporting on Scottish Canals' extensive asset infrastructure. They will line-manage the Financial Accountant, Project Accountant, and the Capital Assistant Accountant.

The role is offered on a permanent basis, and with a starting salary of £53,452 (Band G). Working hours 35 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Scottish Canals offer a generous annual leave entitlement of 28 days, plus 10 public holidays, along with enhanced sick pay, discounted shopping vouchers, health cash plan and a contributory pension scheme with up to 10% employer contribution.

Primary responsibilities of the role:

• Lead the preparation of the annual statutory accounts in compliance with the Government Financial Reporting Manual (FreM)
• Lead on key stakeholder relationships with external and internal audit and asset valuers
• Preparation of any returns related to Annual Report & Financial statements, including submission of the Whole of Government Accounts
• Monitor compliance with accounting standards, financial and taxation regulations, internal policies and best practice
• Oversee the annual valuation and monthly reporting on the detailed non-current asset register
• Review and report on all capital expenditure on a monthly basis
• Monitoring of project compliance as part of the Project Assurance Committee, and ensuring adequate governance around stage-gate reporting
• Providing fortnightly reporting on the organisation's £12.2m Capital Investment Plan (CIP)
• Delivery and scrutiny of the annual external asset valuation process - liaising with valuation experts to ensure compliance with statutory requirements, and ensuring a robust annual indexation process is in place
• Produce detailed working papers for the annual accounts process for review by Head of Finance and external audit, ensuring the integrity of the organisation's trial balance
• Maintain excellent relationships with external auditors to ensure efficient, accurate and correct exchange of information during the annual audit.
• Support the Head of Finance with Internal Audit procedures
• Support the Head of Finance in identifying risks and implementing controls to mitigate risks.
• Working with the Head of finance to ensure the implementation and compliance of financial policies, internal controls, and financial reporting requirements is robust, and provide training both within finance and across other departments within Scottish Canals
• Any ad hoc duties as and when required.

Qualifications and knowledge required:

• CCAB qualified
• Strong communication skills and team-orientated
• In-depth knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards
• In-depth knowledge of accounting systems, procedures and practices
• Experience in line management, coaching and mentoring

Skills and experience required:

• A finance background with at least 5 years' experience.
• Line management experience
• Experience of using SAGE 300 and SAGE intelligence.
• Excellent and concise oral and written communication skills, including the ability to present and explain information clearly to non-finance staff and senior management
• Strong analytical, numeric and critical reasoning skills capable of delivering practical solutions to complex problems
• Advanced excel skills

Qualities & abilities required:

• Strong technical ability and proven track record with in-depth knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards and FreM
• Awareness, understanding and experience of working in a public sector organisation with a high level of public and government scrutiny in relation to financial procedures
• Awareness and understanding of the public sector in relation to financial procedures and the management of various grants and income streams.
• An understanding of financial controls and reflecting these through workflows and controls on financial systems

Scottish Canals reserve the right to close this vacancy before the closing date if a sufficient number of applications are received.