Strategic Financial Reporting Accountant

We Manage Jobs(WMJobs); Oldbury; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the West Midlands is seeking a Strategic Financial Reporting Accountant to lead the financial reporting function. You will manage a team, support the Deputy Section 151 Officer, and ensure the timely closure of statutory accounts. Ideal candidates will have a full accountancy qualification, an understanding of financial legislation, and experience in local authorities. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to a progressive finance team committed to excellence.

Qualifications

• Full accountancy qualification required for the role.
• Up to date understanding of financial legislation is crucial.
• Experience in producing full statutory accounts is necessary.
• Background in local authority work is preferred.
• Strong understanding of VAT is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Support the Deputy Section 151 Officer in leading the Financial Reporting & Regulatory Accounting function.
• Act as the primary advisor on financial accounting regulations to the Council’s Section 151 Officer.
• Ensure closure of statutory accounts and returns within deadlines.
• Manage financial controls and produce key reconciliations regularly.
• Oversee a team of direct and indirect reports.

Skills

Full accountancy qualification

Understanding of financial legislation

Experience producing full statutory accounts

Background working within a local authority

Understanding of VAT

Job description

Sandwell Council is partnering with Robertson Bell in the recruitment of a Strategic Financial Reporting Accountant on a permanent basis. This is a core role in the Finance team that will take the lead at year-end, fostering strong relationships with external auditors and acting as a subject matter expert on technical accounting queries across the organisation.

The organisation

Sandwell is a metropolitan borough in the Black Country, which is made up of six towns – Oldbury, Rowley Regis, Smethwick, Tipton, Wednesbury and West Bromwich.

Located in the West Midlands, Sandwell borders Birmingham city, Dudley borough, Walsall borough and Wolverhampton city. The borough has excellent access to the national motorway network with five junctions feeding in to the M5 and M6 motorways serving the South West, South East and North West regions of the UK.

Sandwell also benefits from a mainline train station – Sandwell and Dudley and the Midland Metro. The borough has 1,200 hectares of parks, playing fields and local green space, and over 30 miles of canals.

Sandwell Council is on a powerful journey of improvement and transformation. Having become the fastest council ever to exit intervention, and shortlisted for Most Improved Council at the 2025 LGC Awards, they are proud of the progress they’re making and the direction they’re heading.

The Finance team is growing and ambitious, with a strong focus on learning and development, supporting colleagues to build rewarding careers while helping shape outstanding public services. As they work towards becoming a CIPFA-accredited employer, this is an exciting time to join a team that values talent, invests in people, and is committed to excellence.

The role

• Support the Deputy Section 151 Officer in the motivational leadership of the Financial Reporting & Regulatory Accounting function ensuring clarity of direction, effective communication and the development of employee’s full potential.
• Be the primary expert on financial accounting regulations and be the primary advisor on this subject matter to the Council’s statutory Section 151 Officer.
• Ensure that the closure of statutory accounts and returns (including VAT and other appropriate taxes) are completed within statutory deadlines, and be responsible for assisting the Deputy Section 151 Officer to incorporate the outputs within the relevant Corporate Reports to Leadership Team and Councillors.
• Support the Deputy Section 151 Officer in fulfilling their responsibility for the Council’s system of financial controls, and ensure that key reconciliations within their service area are produced monthly, quarterly or yearly depending on their importance and regularity.
• Manage the team of two direct and seven indirect reports, encouraging CPD and training across all levels.

Qualifications

• Full accountancy qualification.
• Up to date understanding of financial legislation and experience producing full statutory accounts.
• Background working within a local authority.
• Desire to, or strong understanding of VAT.

The closing date for applications is the 25th January, with interviews due to take place the week commencing the 2nd of February. Applications will be under continuous review before the closing date, so please submit your CV to our exclusive search agent Robertson Bell as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.