Head of Financial Accounting - Dublin City Council

Dublin City Council; Dublin; On-site; EUR 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Dublin City Council is seeking a senior leader to fill the Head of Financial Accounting role. You will drive strategic financial reporting, governance, and financial controls across the organisation, in partnership with the Chief Executive and Head of Finance.

The successful candidate will manage the Oracle Financial Management System, oversee accounts payable and receivable, payroll, treasury management, and asset controls, while developing staff through CPD and formal training.

Qualifications

• Experience in senior leadership within a local government environment.
• Strong understanding of the local government environment and regulatory context.
• Proven ability to lead strategic financial reporting and governance.
• Experience with Oracle FMS and related financial systems.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for the Financial Accounting function.
• Lead the production of the Annual Financial Statement in line with standards.
• Manage relationships with internal and external auditors and tax advisers.
• Develop staff through CPD and formal training.

Skills

Financial accounting

Leadership

Oracle Financial Management

Treasury management

Payroll

Accounts payable/receivable

Financial controls

Fixed asset management

CPD

Tools

Oracle Financial Management System (FMS)

Job description

Head of Financial Accounting - Dublin City Council

The closing date for this vacancy is 03/12/2026, 15:00

Job summary

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.

A full Job Summary/Description is available in the Information Booklet.

Main Duties of the Job

Providing strategic leadership for the Financial Accounting function, including responsibility for Oracle Financial Management Systems (FMS), accounts payable and receivable, treasury management, payroll, loan financing, financial controls, fixed asset management, and related financial operations. This includes the management, performance development, training, education, and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) of finance staff to ensure the highest standards of professional practice and service delivery.

Leading the planning, preparation, and production of the Annual Financial Statement in accordance with the Local Authority Accounting Code of Practice and all relevant accounting standards.

Managing relationships with internal and external auditors, tax advisers, government departments, regulatory bodies, and other professional advisers.

A full list of main duties is available in the Information Booklet.

Information about the organisation

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 Council is continually exploring new and innovative ways to address the challenges facing the city and to deliver high-quality services. In doing so, it seeks to meet the evolving expectations of citizens, achieve greater efficiencies, and maintain the highest standards of accountability.

An opportunity now exists in Dublin City Council for the position of Head of Financial Accounting.

Salary Scale effective from 1st June 2026:

Hours of attendance will be fixed from time to time but will amount to not less than 35 hours gross per week.

The annual leave allowance for the position of Head of Financial Accounting is 30 days.

Selection Process Details

A ranking and or shortlisting exercise may be carried out on the basis of information supplied in your application form. The criteria for ranking and or shortlisting are based on the requirements of the post as outlined in the eligibility criteria and skills, competencies and/or knowledge section of this job specification. Therefore it is very important that you think about your experience in light of those requirements.

Failure to include information regarding these requirements may result in you not being called forward to the next stage of the selection process.

Local authorities are committed equal opportunities employers.