Job Description

What's involved with this role:
A Principal Accountant is required to support recent work expansion of the Treasury and Pension team. Key deliverables:

• Manage the Treasury Management activities to ensure the processes support the strategic aims of the organisation and daily cover is in place
• Act as the main contact for the Council’s Banking and Treasury Management contracts and relations to ensure effective arrangements and controls are in place
• Manage the work in respect of the Council’s use of procurement cards and related responsibilities for spend data under the Transparency Code
• Coach more junior members of the team to support their development and liaising effectively with colleagues to ensure the above functions are delivered efficiently and effectively
• As part of a smaller, flexible and responsive finance service respond to occasional demands to support other services as the need arises.

Please quote the Job Title & Vacancy Reference No. in your application, or we will be unable to match your CV to the role being applied for.

“Essential Requirements” – Please check to ensure that your CV addresses the following items:

• Our clients are generally seeking applicants who are reasonably local, so on that basis we would ideally like you to supply us with your address (or at least your post code) and a telephone number so that we can reach you during working hours.
• Your recent UK working experience going back at least 5 years, or full employment history if you have been working for fewer years than this.
• Your availability to work either immediately, or at short notice.
• A CCAB qualified and experienced accountant.
• Knowledge & Skills:
  • Good knowledge of local government finance, including pensions and treasury.
  • Demonstrable relevant technical expertise.
  • Knowledge and understanding of key strategic and policy issues relating to financial strategy, management and control in a large and complex organisation
  • Ability to apply knowledge and understanding of complex legislation, accounting conventions, standards and codes.
  • Ability to relate to a range of customers and to tailor advice and other services provided accordingly.
  • High level of oral and written communication skills, including the ability to write and present reports on complex matters in appropriate terms to councillors and senior management.
  • Good people management skills, suitable for managing teams of up to 12 staff.
  • Good project management skills, suitable for delivering improvements within the finance function and contributing to such teams working across the council.
  • Excellent numerical and analytical skills
  • Good negotiation and influencing skills, suitable for handling complex negotiations with external partners.
• Experience:
  • Demonstrable experience of successfully providing relevant financial services in a large and complex organisation.
  • Demonstrable experience of interpreting and applying complex legislation and or guidance in a financial context.
  • Demonstrable experience of working with large and complex budgets.
  • Demonstrable record of success in delivering service improvements.
  • Oracle experience (desirable).
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft packages.

Other preferable/desirable details to include on your CV, if applicable:

• Any local authority/public sector experience.
• Any relevant qualifications held or being studied for.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

o Good knowledge of local government finance, including pensions and treasury. o Demonstrable relevant technical expertise. o Knowledge and understanding of key strategic and policy issues relating to financial strategy, management and control in a large and complex organisation o Ability to apply knowledge and understanding of complex legislation, accounting conventions, standards and codes. o Ability to relate to a range of customers and to tailor advice and other services provided accordingly. o High level of oral and written communication skills, including the ability to write and present reports on complex matters in appropriate terms to councillors and senior management. o Good people management skills, suitable for managing teams of up to 12 staff. o Good project management skills, suitable for delivering improvements within the finance function and contributing to such teams working across the council. o Excellent numerical and analytical skills o Good negotiation and influencing skills, suitable for handling complex negotiations with external partners.