Head of Financial Accounting

publicjobs; Leinster; Sur place; EUR 104 000 - 127 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

The Head of Financial Accounting at Dublin City Council is a senior leadership role reporting to the Chief Executive and the Head of Finance. You will shape and oversee the council’s financial accounting functions, embracing strategic change and delivering high‑quality financial services.

You will lead large multidisciplinary teams, manage substantial budgets, and work with elected members and external stakeholders to ensure governance, transparency and financial sustainability across the

Qualifications

• Must hold a professional accountancy qualification and be a member of a recognised body.
• Experience in accountancy including management accounting and financial accounting.
• Proven managerial experience leading large multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong knowledge of public sector finance and governance.
• Ability to work in a complex political environment and deliver cost-effective services.

Responsabilités

• Lead the financial accounting function and a large multidisciplinary team.
• Oversee budgeting, reporting, compliance and external audits.
• Drive change programmes and ongoing process improvements.
• Provide professional advice and governance support to elected members.
• Collaborate with Government departments, auditors, and external stakeholders.
• Champion digital innovation and efficient service delivery.

Connaissances

Leadership

Management

Communication

Public sector finance

Formation

Accountancy qualification

Membership of recognised accounting body

Description du poste

Closing Date: 3pm, Thursday, 3rd December 2026

Salary: Starting at €115,332

About the Employer:

Dublin is an international capital city and is the economic engine of the region and the State. Dublin City Council has a unique and critical role in local government: it is the largest local authority in Ireland, with 63 Elected Members representing and serving 588,000 people in the city area. It plays a pivotal role in the provision of services to the almost 1.5 million people in the Dublin Region, and in ensuring that the city can welcome and support a large number of visitors on a daily basis for employment, business, recreation and tourism.

Dublin City Council takes the lead role in shaping the strategic vision of Dublin as a dynamic and sustainable city and seeks to continually enhance the city’s attractiveness as a place in which to invest, to work, to live and to visit.

The Finance Department is responsible for managing both the short- and long-term financing of the City Council’s operations, encompassing revenue and capital expenditure. The Department plays a pivotal role in providing leadership and strategic financial management, ensuring the delivery of effective, responsive, and sustainable financial services that support the Council’s objectives.

About the Role:

The Head of Financial Accounting is a senior leadership position within the Council, offering an exciting and challenging opportunity for an experienced and accomplished manager. The successful candidate will contribute to the development and implementation of strategic, forward-thinking initiatives and will work closely with the elected Councillors and senior management team to ensure the delivery of high-quality services across the organisation. The role requires a strong understanding of the local government environment, together with the vision, leadership, and experience necessary to drive organisational success.

Reporting to and supporting the Chief Executive and the Head of Finance, the Head of Financial Accounting plays a key role in advancing the economic, social, cultural, and physical development of the city. The position is responsible for helping to shape and oversee the organisational structures, systems, and resources required to deliver a broad range of public services in an efficient, effective, and financially sustainable manner.

The role involves leadership of substantial teams and significant budgets, with responsibility for the strategic management of financial accounting functions and the successful delivery of change and improvement programmes. As Dublin City Council continues to harness digital innovation and smart technologies, the Head of Financial Accounting will be expected to champion organisational transformation, innovation, and continuous improvement to enhance service delivery.

The successful candidate will also play an important role in supporting elected members in the performance of their statutory and representative functions, in accordance with the principles of good governance. This includes fostering effective working relationships with Councillors, providing professional advice and policy support, keeping Members appropriately informed, and developing proposals for consideration and approval prior to implementation.

The Head of Financial Accounting will engage with a wide range of stakeholders, including representatives of Government Departments, external auditors, State agencies, business representatives, community and voluntary organisations, and the wider public, ensuring effective collaboration and service delivery.

This position presents a unique opportunity to make a significant contribution to the future development of the city and to help strengthen its reputation as an attractive place to invest, work, live, and visit. Through strategic leadership and financial stewardship, the successful candidate will play a central role in supporting the Council's vision for a vibrant, sustainable, and thriving city.

About You:

Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms for the office:

(a) possess a professional accountancy qualification and be a member of a recognised body of accountants;

(b) have satisfactory experience of accountancy work, including management accounting and financial accounting;

(c) have satisfactory relevant experience in a managerial capacity;

(d) possess and be capable of demonstrating, a good understanding and knowledge of public sector finance.

The ideal candidate shall have the following Skills and Experience:

• A career record that demonstrates the necessary senior level leadership and management skills to manage, develop and motivate a large multidisciplinary team with a strong record of achievement of results.
• Strong relationship management, interpersonal and communication skills with the capacity to work in close consultation with Council members and a wide range of stakeholders and committees to secure cooperation and consensus.
• A developmental view of Local Government, which encourages involvement and optimises local democracy and the use of existing powers and functions.
• Good analytical skills and a capacity to innovate in the interest of delivery of cost-effective services, with an excellent customer focus.
• Skills and capabilities in strategy and policy development.
• The ability to lead, foster and effectively implement appropriate change.
• An ability to work effectively under pressure and manage a number of programmes and projects at any one time.
• An understanding of procurement, information technology, financial management and governance and accountability.
• The capacity to work in a complex and dynamic political environment.
• High levels of honesty and integrity and a focus on operating in an impartial and transparent manner to deliver the best possible services to the citizen.
• A satisfactory understanding of the public service regulatory and legislative framework in Ireland, or an ability to quickly acquire such an understanding.

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is 3pm on Thursday, 3rd December, 2026.

We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.