Finance Officer

About the role

We’re looking for two finance officers to join our Financial and Commercial Services team on two-year fixed-term backfill contracts. Both posts are identical and sit at Grade 7, with a clear progression route to Grade 9 on achieving full AAT membership and demonstrating the full range of skills for the role.

These roles combine two core areas of work: financial systems and bank reconciliation. Day to day you’ll be working with the Council’s financial systems to maintain accurate records and support colleagues, while also reconciling bank accounts, investigating discrepancies and keeping everything balanced and up to date.

You’ll be part of a busy finance team, working to tight deadlines – particularly around the accounts cycle – and building good working relationships across the organisation.

• Reconciling the Council’s bank accounts accurately and to agreed timescales
• Investigating and resolving discrepancies in a timely way
• Working with the Council’s financial systems day-to-day, including ledgers such as AR, AP and GL
• Maintaining accurate financial records for designated services or activities
• Producing financial reports and information for managers and colleagues
• Supporting managers with budgets, forecasts and monitoring
• Managing your workload to meet deadlines, reprioritising when needed
• Contributing to process improvements and team development

You don’t need to be fully qualified to apply. You’ll need to be working towards AAT (or hold an equivalent qualification) and be committed to your development. What matters most is that you’re accurate, methodical and good at communicating financial information clearly to people who aren’t finance specialists.

You’re comfortable working with financial systems and spreadsheets, and you can manage your own workload without needing constant direction. If you’re already fully AAT qualified and can demonstrate the full range of skills, you may be appointed at Grade 9.

• Working towards AAT membership, or an equivalent qualification
• Evidence of learning and CPD across finance tasks and processes
• Experience of providing financial reports and support to managers or colleagues
• Good working knowledge of financial systems and spreadsheets, including ledgers (AR, AP, GL)
• Understanding of financial management principles
• Able to communicate financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues
• Well‑organised, with the ability to prioritise and manage your own workload
• Access to sensitive information; requires a Basic Criminal Records Check

This is a fixed term contract, for two years. At Dorset Council we value flexible working. This is a hybrid role with much of the work able to be done remotely, with occasional travel to County Hall, Dorchester, and other locations as required.

For an informal conversation about the role please contact Sarah Thomas, sarah

Basic Criminal Records Check required. See our policy on the employment of ex-offenders.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible; if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK‑based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process.