Group Accountant job description

To be in charge of one of two Accountancy Teams and reporting directly to the Head of Finance.
The post is responsible for managing a small team and must ensure that all aspects of work associated with budget preparation, closedown, and budget monitoring for specific service areas / functions are delivered to a high professional in a timely manner (incl statutory returns).
The post will play an important role in assisting the Head of Finance deliver a high quality accountancy service for the Council and in ensuring that all statutory and other deadlines are met.
The provision of financial advice to senior management, budget holders and members is an ongoing requirement of this post. The post holder will also be expected to deliver training courses to staff on financial issues and assist in member sessions and training events as required.

Management

1. To manage one of two of the section’s Accountancy Teams (comprising 4 or 5 direct reports) and ensure that staff within the team are effectively managed and developed.
 
2. To contribute to the overall management of the Accountancy Team and the Service Unit as a whole

Financial and Accounting

3. To be responsible for all aspects of budgeting, closedown and in-year monitoring for the service / budget areas under the control of the post-holder’s team (as directed by the Head of Finance and which may be changed from time to time to improve business continuity and team working).
 
  Initially the service areas are likely to be Housing / Capital (overall co-ordination) / Some specific areas of General Fund.

4. To ensure that the Council complies (financially) with statutory requirements / Accounting Standards and best practice guidance including the completion and submission of statutory returns in accordance with statutory guidance.

5. To assist the Head of Finance with liaisons with the Council’s external auditors in relation to accountancy issues. The postholder will deal directly with the external auditors on a number of accountancy-based issues on behalf of the Head of Finance.

6. Constantly provide financial advice to senior managers, budget holders and members throughout the year including facilitating training sessions and workshops as required.

7. To create and develop complex financial models to facilitate the continued development of budgeting monitoring and budget modeling at the Authority.

8. To ensure that the appropriate internal controls are in place and that high quality, accurate reconciliation’s are undertaken and certified.

9. The post holder will need to make decisions relating to individual financial issues, identify any issues at an early stage and propose solutions to ensure that the Council remains in the best financial position possible.

10. Ensure that good quality records are maintained including good quality working papers.

11. The postholder will be expected to interpret complex statutory guidance and regulations in a creative way to enhance as far as possible the implications to the authority.

12. Contribute to working groups and project teams as directed by the Head of Service.

Other responsibilities

13. To ensure staff development within the team and positively promote the ‘one-team’ philosophy.

14. To attend working groups and committee meetings on a regular basis (as directed by the Head of Finance).

15. Contribute to working groups and project teams as directed by the Head of Finance.

16. Any other duties as required to ensure the successful operation of the service unit as required / requested by the Head of Finance.

Group Accountant job description