Principal Accountant

We Are St Helens Borough Council

Located in the heart of the Northwest close to Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire, St Helens is a transformational Council which is passionate and ambitious for the communities we support.

We provide a wide range of local authority services to the residents, businesses, schools, and visitors to the borough. We can only do this because of our highly valued, highly skilled workforce.

Working together, our workplace vision and values guide our organisation, and the contribution of our workforce is key to our culture journey. Employees with us receive a wide range of benefits including well-being in work, financial benefits, ways of working and learning and development support.

The Council is at an exciting stage of a significant transformation programme, with the modernisation of the finance function integral to these plans.

We currently have an opportunity for an ambitious person, either AAT qualified or in possession, or nearing completion, of a CCAB/CIMA qualification to support the Finance Business Partner and Finance Manager in delivering financial support across the Council’s Place Directorate.

Successful candidates will be pivotal and valued members of the Accountancy team - working with service areas in the provision of timely, accurate and high-quality budget and financial management support and advice; completing statistical returns; providing financial information; contributing to budget setting and the year-end closure of accounts and production of financial statements.

A sound knowledge of accounting principles and techniques is necessary, together with excellent communication and team working skills and high levels of self-confidence.

The Council can offer you:

• A competitive salary,
• Access to the Local Authority Pension Scheme (LGPS), with a generous employer pension contribution (on top of your own contribution),
• A generous annual leave allowance,
• Access to a number of salary sacrifice schemes,
• Access to our benefits platform which offers a wide range of discounts and money saving opportunities,
• Hybrid working - working in a way that adds most value,
• Flexible and agile working arrangements,
• Support with health and wellbeing,
• Professional development opportunities,
• Friendly, warm and welcoming team,
• A rewarding, challenging career.

For an informal discussion about this role please contact Glenn Howard – Finance Manager at

Janet Cross - Finance Business Partner at

St Helens Council is a Disability Confident Leader. This means that the Council guarantees an interview to disabled applicants who demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria for the job, as detailed on the Person Specification, and will, for qualifying disabled candidates, make reasonable adjustments within the interview/selection process.

We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds, who share our values, our commitment to inclusion, and who will help us on our journey to transform our organisation. The Council guarantees an interview to disabled applicants who demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria for the job, as detailed on the Person Specification, and will, for qualifying disabled candidates, make reasonable adjustments within the interview/selection process.

All Council employees are required to abide by the ethical standards embodied by the 7 Nolan Principles

St Helens Borough Council is a Disability Confident Leader. Disability Confident Leader lead the way in helping to take action that changes attitudes, behaviours, and cultures for the better.

All Council employees are required to abide by the ethical standards embodied by the 7 Nolan Principles

All Council employees are required to abide by the ethical standards embodied by the 7 Nolan Principles:
Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, and Leadership.