Transformation Programme Accountant

Sellick Partnership; Dorchester; Hybrid; GBP 23,063,000 - 27,675,000; Full time

Job summary

Sellick Partnership is delighted to support a local government organisation in hiring a Transformation Programme Accountant on an initial 6-month contract. The role offers hybrid working in Dorset with 1 day on site each week and a daily rate of £550–£650 outside IR35.

The successful candidate will lead financial governance across ERP transformation and the council's transformation portfolio, delivering accurate forecasting, cost control and insightful reporting to support the MTFP and programme

Qualifications

• Advanced Excel proficiency required.
• Forecasting, modelling and reconciliations experience desired.
• ERP Programme finance experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Budget Definition & Baseline Control: establish and maintain budget baselines for ERP Programme and Transformation Portfolio.
• Actuals Tracking & Month-End Control: reconcile actuals and produce monthly variance analyses.
• Forecasting (ETC / EAC): own ETC and EAC and work with PMO to refine assumptions.
• Supplier Spend Governance & Invoice Assurance: track invoices against contracts, milestones and rates.
• Change Control Financial Management: maintain financial impact logs for CRs and support affordability analysis.
• Programme Financial Reporting: prepare monthly finance packs and dashboards with narrative for governance bodies.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Education

Fully qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA)

Job description

Transformation Programme Accountant

Rate: £550 - £650 per day - Outside IR35

Location: Dorset - hybrid working - 1 day per week on site

Contract: 6 months +

Overview of the Transformation Programme Accountant role

Sellick Partnership is pleased to be supporting a local government organisation, in their search for a Transformation Programme Accountant for an initial 6 month contract.

The Transformation Accountant provides senior financial leadership across two major areas: The ERP Transformation Programme - managing the full programme budget, financial governance, cost control and forecasting across all ERP lifecycle phases (design, build, test, cutover, go-live, hypercare) The whole council Transformation Portfolio - leading financial planning, monitoring and reporting for the organisation's broader transformation activity, ensuring alignment and clear traceability back to the Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) As a qualified finance professional, the postholder ensures all programme and portfolio activity is financially robust, compliant with internal processes, and supported by accurate, timely and strategic financial insight. They will work collaboratively with Finance Business Partners, PMO, Benefits Realisation colleagues and Programme Managers to maintain financial discipline and governance across multiple workstreams.

Key responsibilities of the Transformation Programme Accountant will include:

• Budget Definition & Baseline Control
  Establish and maintain budget baselines for both the ERP Programme and Transformation Portfolio.
  Build and maintain the cost breakdown structure (CBS) including internal resources, suppliers, and contingency.
  Maintain budget version control and phased forecasting aligned to programme plans and milestones.
• Actuals Tracking & Month-End Control
  Reconcile actuals through council finance systems, ensuring accurate allocation to workstreams and cost categories.
  Produce monthly variance analysis with clear narrative and recommended actions.
  Support the year end cycle including accruals, prepayments and recharges.
• Forecasting (ETC / EAC)
  Own the programme and portfolio Forecast to Complete (ETC) and Estimate at Completion (EAC).
  Work with PMO and Workstream Leads to refine assumptions, phasing, and cost drivers.
  Quantify financial impacts of risks, delays, scope changes or extensions.
• Supplier Spend Governance & Invoice Assurance
  Maintain supplier spend trackers and invoice logs for SI partners and all vendors.
  Validate invoices against contractual terms, POs, milestones, deliverables and agreed rates.
  Track commitments and remaining contract values to support forward planning.
  Maintain audit ready documentation for all approvals and spend decisions
• Change Control Financial Management
  Maintain a financial impact log for all Change Requests (CRs).
  Support the Change Control Board (CCB) with affordability analysis and funding recommendations.
  Update budgets, forecasts, POs and reporting following CR approval.
• Programme Financial Reporting (programme board, TMO & steering group)
  Produce monthly finance packs for programme board, TMO and steering group.
  Provide clear narrative explaining variances, forecast movements, risks, mitigations and decisions required.
  Maintain dashboards and KPIs to monitor financial health.
• Controls, Audit & Assurance
  Maintain complete audit ready evidence packs including approvals, reconciliations and spend assurance.
  Support internal/external audit requests.
  Ensure compliance with financial policies, processes, and programme governance standards.
• Benefits Tracking Support
  Provide cost evidence to support benefits realisation and business case tracking.
  Report programme spend to date and cost to achieve benefits

Required experience/qualifications for the Transformation Programme Accountant:

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIMA)
• Programme/Project Finance experience within local government or wider public sector
• Forecasting, modelling and reconciliations experience
• Advanced Excel
• ERP Programme finance experience

Sellick Partnership is proud to be an inclusive and accessible recruitment business and we support applications from candidates of all backgrounds and circumstances. Please note, our advertisements use years' experience, hourly rates, and salary levels purely as a guide and we assess applications based on the experience and skills evidenced on the CV. For information on how your personal details may be used by Sellick Partnership, please review our data processing notice on our website