Chief Accountant

Chief Accountant

Bromsgrove / Redditch, Worcestershire
£45,091 – £48,226 per annum (Grade 9 – subject to job evaluation)
Finance and Corporate Resources

### About the Role

We are currently recruiting for an experienced Chief Accountant to join the shared Finance and Corporate Resources service supporting our client in Bromsgrove and Redditch.
This is an excellent opportunity for a fully qualified accountant with strong technical accounting, financial management and leadership experience to take responsibility for key financial functions across two local authorities.
Reporting to the Assistant Director of Finance and Customer Services, you will lead on the preparation of statutory accounts, oversee treasury management, manage balance sheets and coordinate revenue and capital budgets.
You will also manage and develop a team of finance professionals, ensuring robust financial controls, accurate reporting and compliance with relevant accounting standards and statutory requirements.

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Key Responsibilities

Lead the preparation and production of the annual Statement of Accounts for the client, ensuring compliance with statutory deadlines and accounting standards.

Manage the year-end closedown process, coordinating financial reporting activities and ensuring timely completion.

Oversee the councils' balance sheets, fixed asset registers and associated accounting processes.

Coordinate revenue and capital budgets, including General Fund Estimates and Housing Revenue Accounts.

Oversee treasury management activities, including borrowing, lending, cash flow and banking arrangements.

Manage and monitor corporate finance budgets, identifying variances and supporting effective financial planning.

Maintain financial controls across the general ledger, reconciliations and financial systems.

Oversee the administration and financial monitoring of both councils' capital programmes.

Liaise with external auditors and coordinate the statutory accounts audit process.

Provide technical accounting advice and financial guidance to senior managers and stakeholders.

Lead, manage and develop a team comprising a Technical Accountant, Systems Accountant and two Reconciliation Officers.

Identify opportunities to improve financial processes, reporting systems and overall service efficiency.
### Essential Skills and Experience

We are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:

Fully CCAB-qualified accountant (e.g. ACCA, ACA, CIPFA or equivalent recognised CCAB qualification).
Minimum 5 years' post-qualification accounting experience.
Proven experience preparing and producing statutory Statements of Accounts.
Strong technical accounting knowledge, including relevant accounting principles and financial reporting standards.
Experience managing and monitoring complex revenue and capital budgets.
Previous experience managing, supervising and developing finance staff.
Experience working within a complex financial environment.
Strong understanding of financial controls, reconciliations and financial management systems.
Excellent analytical, problem-solving and financial reporting skills.
Ability to communicate complex financial information effectively to senior stakeholders.
Strong leadership skills with the ability to motivate and develop a team.
Strategic thinking and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
Full driving licence.
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Desirable Experience

Previous experience working within local government or public sector finance.
Experience preparing local authority Statements of Accounts.
Knowledge of local government financial reporting requirements and statutory accounting frameworks.
Experience overseeing treasury management and capital accounting.
Experience working with external auditors and managing year-end audit processes.
Degree-lev…