Principal Accountant

Principal Accountant
9 Month Contract | ASAP Start
£500 per day
Inside IR35 (via umbrella)
Hybrid Working

CVs are being reviewed immediately and interviews will be taking place shortly.

Are you an experienced Principal Accountant looking for a contract where you can take ownership of key statutory reporting and technical accounting functions? Reporting into senior finance leadership, you will play a pivotal role in year-end accounts production, collection fund accounting, VAT compliance, and balance sheet management. This is an opportunity to use your technical expertise to influence financial governance, support strategic decision-making, and ensure robust financial reporting across a complex local authority environment.

• Lead on Collection Fund Accounting
  , including council tax, NNDR returns, surplus and deficit calculations
• Take ownership of year-end closedown, Statement of Accounts, Group Accounts and Cash Flow Statements
• Provide expert technical accounting and VAT advice to finance colleagues and senior stakeholders
• Manage Balance Sheet integrity
  , reconciliations, reserves, grants accounting and chart of accounts maintenance
• Act as the key contact for audit queries, statutory returns and financial compliance
  , ensuring adherence to CIPFA guidance

• Proven experience delivering statutory accounts and year-end closedown within a Local Authority environment
• Strong knowledge of Collection Fund Accounting, VAT, Revenue Accounting and Balance Sheet Management
• Experience completing NNDR1-3, CTR1, Revenue Outturn Returns and Whole Government Accounts
• Ability to provide technical financial advice and confidently engage with senior leaders, auditors and external stakeholders
• CCAB qualified (or equivalent) with a strong understanding of local government finance and CIPFA regulations

This Principal Accountant opportunity will see you working on some of the most important areas of financial reporting, governance and compliance. As Principal Accountant, you will have the autonomy to lead on complex accounting matters while supporting continuous improvement across finance processes. This is an excellent opportunity for a Principal Accountant seeking a challenging and rewarding contract where your expertise will make an immediate impact.

Our clients are passionate about creating and evolving a diverse workforce and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant. Recruiting decisions are based on your experience and skills. Any reasonable adjustments in the workplace will be fully supported during the application and hiring process.