Senior Accountant
Pertemps London
Location: London (Hybrid Working)
Rate: 28.96 per/hr
Contract: Interim / Temporary
Client: x2 days office based
Working closely with Finance Managers and senior stakeholders, you will play a key role in budget management, financial planning, statutory reporting and supporting informed decision-making across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide professional financial advice and business partnering support to service managers and senior leadership teams.
- Lead on budget setting, in-year budget monitoring, forecasting and financial reporting for allocated service areas.
- Produce accurate management accounts, financial analysis and performance reports to support strategic decision-making.
- Monitor financial performance, identify budget pressures and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
- Ensure compliance with CIPFA guidance, accounting standards, financial regulations and Council policies.
- Support the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), annual budget process and year-end closure of accounts.
- Prepare grant claims, funding returns and statutory financial submissions to external organisations.
- Develop and maintain effective financial controls, procedures and governance arrangements.
- Support debt recovery and income management processes to maximise income collection.
- Produce financial modelling, business cases and complex spreadsheet analysis using Excel and other financial systems.
- Provide financial input into reports, restructures, committee reports and strategic decision papers.
- Challenge existing financial processes and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, controls and service delivery.
- Present complex financial information clearly to both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
- Support procurement, investment decisions and financial appraisals where required.
- Build effective relationships with operational managers, senior leaders and external partners.
- Mentor and support junior finance colleagues and, where applicable, supervise and develop finance staff.
- Contribute to finance projects, service transformation initiatives and continuous improvement programmes.
- Experience working within Local Government Finance or another large, complex public sector organisation.
- A strong understanding of local authority financial management, governance and statutory accounting requirements.
- Experience leading budget preparation, financial monitoring, forecasting and management reporting.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, including complex formulas, financial modelling and data analysis.
- Experience using financial management systems and reporting tools such as Power BI or equivalent.
- Excellent analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex financial information and present clear recommendations.
- Strong stakeholder management skills with the confidence to challenge and influence senior managers.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex financial information to non-finance audiences.
- Qualified Accounting Technician (AAT) or equivalent relevant finance qualification, or significant demonstrable experience.
- Experience within Local Government Finance or a comparable public sector environment.
- Strong knowledge of budget management, financial reporting and financial governance.
- Advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
- Experience working with corporate financial systems.
- Part-qualified or fully qualified accountant (CIPFA, ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent).
- Experience supporting Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) development.
- Experience producing statutory returns and grant claims.
- Previous staff management or supervisory experience.
- Experience using Power BI or other business intelligence tools.
Apply Now If you're an experienced Accountant or Senior Accountant with a background in local government finance and are looking for your next interim opportunity, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today with your up-to-date CV.
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