Group Accountant

Position: GROUP ACCOUNTANT
As the Group Accountant for Education and Inclusion, you will provide strategic financial leadership and expert advice to support the delivery of Council priorities.

You will:

* Lead financial management and business partnering across Education and Inclusion services.

* Act as the lead finance advisor for the High Needs Block, overseeing funding, expenditure, and financial sustainability.

* Deliver robust budget monitoring, forecasting, and financial reporting.

* Support transformation programmes through financial modelling, business cases, and option appraisals.

* Work with senior managers to identify savings, manage financial risks, and develop recovery plans.

* Contribute to the year-end closedown, Statement of Accounts, statutory returns, and external audit.

* Lead and develop the SEND Finance Team, promoting high performance and continuous improvement.

* Provide trusted financial advice to senior leaders to support effective governance and decision-making.

Essential Requirements

* CCAB or CIMA qualified, or able to demonstrate substantial equivalent experience at a senior level within a finance function.

* Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) and commitment to maintaining professional knowledge.

* Significant experience of delivering financial management within a large, complex organisation, ideally within local government or the wider public sector.

* Extensive experience of financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, financial modelling, and medium-term financial strategy development.

* Experience of leading or contributing to corporate and service improvement projects, working effectively across multidisciplinary teams.

* A proven ability to influence, advise, and challenge senior managers and stakeholders to support effective financial decision-making.

* Comprehensive knowledge of local authority finance, statutory accounting requirements, financial reporting standards, and governance frameworks.

* Experience of supporting the annual accounts process, including year-end closedown and the preparation of the Statement of Accounts.

* Understanding of the financial implications of commercialisation, income generation, and transformation within the public sector.

* Experience of leading, developing, and motivating professional finance teams to deliver high-quality services and continuous improvement.

What You'll Bring

* Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to interpret complex financial information and identify practical solutions.

* Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain financial issues clearly and confidently to non-finance colleagues, senior leaders, and elected members.

* Strong partnership and stakeholder management skills, with a collaborative approach to supporting services across the Council.

* A strategic outlook, with the confidence to provide constructive challenge and influence organisational decision-making.

* The ability to manage competing priorities, meet statutory deadlines, and maintain high standards of accuracy in a fast-paced environment.

* A commitment to public service values, good governance, accountability, and delivering value for money for local communities