Senior Technical Accountant

THE SENIOR TECHNICAL ACCOUNTANT WILL PROVIDE ACCURATE STATUTORY REPORTING, FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT INFORMATION, MONITORING OF KEY FINANCIAL ASSETS AND STATUTORY RETURNS. THIS WILL REQUIRE ACCURATE AND TIMELY REPORTING OF INFORMATION, DATA INTERPRETATION AND ANALYTICAL REVIEW TO FINANCE AND NON-FINANCE OFFICERS AND MEMBERS., Behavioural:
· Enjoy, achieve, create impact, and thrive in the role and organisation.
· Live our values in the role and organisation.

Role Specific Duties & Responsibilities:
· The timely delivery to a high standard of specific statutory information for the annual statement of accounts, information and submission of data for key regulatory returns, information to external auditors, responding to external audit requests. Meeting statutory deadlines for the external auditor and government body requirements.
· To undertake analytical reviews, challenge and interpret information to ensure decisions are taken with full knowledge of the resource implications and the information is complete, evidence based and accurate.
· Support the interpretation and delivery of changes in statutory reporting requirements to finance and non-finance Officers.
· Ensure accurate and timely management of the Council's assets to provide good financial resilience of the balance sheet, including identifying actions, monitoring of control accounts, ensuring timely completion of reconciliations.
· Support the Technical Accountant Manager in ensuring long-term financial sustainability of the Council's assets through technical advice and analytical data.
· Support the production and changes to financial policies, and to oversee their proper application, including key components of the Council's Constitution.
· Represent your manager as and when required at meetings and to display behaviour, skills and knowledge commensurate with the post.
· To support Officer training of both Finance and non-finance staff on technical accounting changes, changes to year-end closure or other statutory requirements. Coaching of finance staff to ensure best practice is appropriately applied.
· Undertake projects to deliver improved reporting, to remove inefficiencies and underperformance and provide greater transparency for decision making.
· To undertake any other tasks or duties commensurate with the grade and role of the post as directed.

Compliance:
· Adhere to and comply with all relevant corporate policies and procedures including Health & Safety, General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), Corporate Governance and Code of Conduct.

Other:
· Any other duties commensurate with the grade.

· A recognised professional/technical accountancy qualification/part qualification (e.g. CIPFA, ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or equivalent.
· Desirable - Educated to degree level.

Knowledge & Skills
· Ability to work methodically and accurately with strong attention to detail.
· Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing.
· Ability to work independently in order to achieve deadline focussed work.
· Ability to react quickly and decisively to changing work priorities.
· Knowledge of financial regulations and accounting standards relevant to local government.
· Excellent technical accounting knowledge.
· Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to provide financial advice and guidance to both finance and non-finance colleagues.
· Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build relationships with stakeholders across the organisation.
· Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.
· Desirable - Knowledge of local government finance and political matters.

Experience
· Significant experience of working in a financial monitoring role, with a focus on capital accounting.
· Experience of working in a team environment.
· Desirable - Experience of senior management and/or elected member engagement.
· Desirable - Project management experience.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Ability to travel across the Borough and work from various locations.
Work hybrid, with a flexible working approach to accommodate service needs.
Expected to work from a fixed location (subject to change).
On occasion, able to work outside traditional hours, of a weekend and evening as required, adopting a flexible working approach in response to business requirements.