Principal Accountant 11 views

Principal Accountant

Professional 1A

Publish date: Monday 28 October 2024

Closing date:  12pm midday on Friday 22 November 2024

Salary: £50,512 – £52,461 (SCP 42-50), 2024/25 pay award pending

Hours: 37 hours

Overview

West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS) is the second largest fire and rescue service in England, serving an area of 902km square and a population of more than 2.9 million people.

Our vision is ‘Making the West Midlands safer, stronger and healthier’.

This vision and the strategic goals outlined in ‘Our Strategy’ are what drives the people, professionalism and pride with which we serve our communities.

There is an opportunity to join WMFS in our Financial Management team as a Principal Accountant. We are looking for an enthusiastic qualified accountant with experience of financial accounting.

The role would suit someone with a fire sector or local government background. We’re seeking a professional with a can-do attitude, strong analytical skills and the ability to articulate financial information to a range of stakeholders.

Responsibilities

Reporting to the Finance Manager, you will be responsible for:

assisting the Treasurer and Finance Manager in providing a full and quality financial management service for WMFS

taking the lead role in the production of the Authority’s Statement of Accounts

complete government returns, statistical returns, questionnaires and grant claims in accordance with latest accounting practice

supporting the Finance Manager, and wider team, in the co-ordination of the annual budget setting process

supporting the Finance Manager and wider team in the monthly budget monitoring & forecasting process.

Experience and skills

Essential skills or experience

qualified accountant in possession of Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) qualification or equivalent

demonstrable experience of working at a senior level within with local government or fire sector finance

management experience within a finance environment

good knowledge of the CIPFA Accounting Code of Practice

ability to interpret, assimilate and translate financial information and to prepare reasoned reports from this information

ability to manage workloads and achieve deadlines

ability to communicate issues (both in writing and verbally) in an easy-to-understand format

thorough knowledge of accounting policies and practices and can demonstrate experience of adhering to them through previous work experience

attention to detail and accuracy in all work areas

willingness to be flexible in working hours to accommodate peaks in work.

Desirable skills or experience

experience of using the Oracle system

experience of implementing and developing financial systems.

Benefits

We offer a friendly working environment and benefits including:

flexible and agile working arrangements

free, on-site gym facilities

free, on-site parking.

We also offer access to an in-house occupational health (OH) facility, including OH health and fitness advisors, sports therapists, physiotherapists, cognitive behavioural therapy practitioners and counsellors.

In addition, employees have access to:

24/7 Employee Assistance Programme

wellbeing programmes

‘blue light’ discounts across many retailers, through partner schemes

Sports and Welfare scheme (for a small fee), with access to discounted products and services.

Diversity

We welcome applications from all eligible candidates. However, as women and Black and minority ethnic employees are currently under-represented in our service, we particularly encourage applications from these groups.

WMFS is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect the same of every staff member.

Successful candidates will be subject to necessary pre-employment checks, including – where applicable – relevant level Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, qualifications, medical clearance, identity and right to work. All applicants will be required to provide two suitable references.

How to apply

Please provide an updated copy of your CV and complete the application statement outlining your skills and experiences in line with the Job Summary.

Questions

If you have any questions about the role, or would like an informal discussion, please contact Rebecca Yates by email at rebecca.yates@wmfs.net