Job Details
Deadline – 7/11/2025
Umbrella Rate : £570.69 a day, Inside IR35
Job Title: Chief Accountant
Directorate: Finance and Corporate Resources
Responsible to: Assistant Director Finance and Customer Services
Responsible for: 1 x Technical Accountant
1 x Systems accountant
2 x Reconciliation officers
Purpose of the Role
- To be responsible for and accountable to the Assistant Director Finance and Customer Services for the programming, administration, quality and control of the work of the Business Support team and the Technical Accounts, including Treasury Management function.
- To lead on the provision of robust and timely year-end processes and to produce the Statement of Accounts for both authorities within the required statutory deadlines.
- To be responsible for managing the Balance Sheet for both Redditch Borough Council and Bromsgrove District Council, to include the Fixed Asset Register.
- To co-ordinate the revenue and capital budgets for both districts in order to provide overall financial position for the Authority.
- To control the coding structure on which the ledger is based.
- To actively participate in the ongoing professional development of the Technical Accountant, system accountant and reconciliation officers.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
- To prepare the annual Statement of Accounts for each Council in accordance with current accounting International Financial Reporting Standards and the statement of Recommended Practice or equivalent and by the statutory deadlines set by central Government.
- To manage and mentor the Technical Accountant, who in turn will assist in the accounts preparation.
- To ensure that the Final Accounts Timetable is developed, roles and responsibilities are clear and deadlines are achieved.
- To provide a robust performance management framework in relation to final accounts and budget monitoring
- To assist with the Co-ordination of General Fund Estimates and Housing Revenue Accounts and to maintain all corporate budgets. To ensure all budgets are correctly loaded onto the ledger in a timely manner.
- To support the Financial Services Manager in the budget build and the monitoring and management of in-year budgets.
- To monitor the progress of identified savings in budgets and report any variances to the Financial Services Manager
- To liaise with external auditors with regard to approval of annual Statement of Accounts and changes in accounting requirement and systems
- To administer the overhead management system and calculate recharges to all Council services.
- To oversee the maintenance of the Council ‘Fixed Asset Register’ to ensure that the depreciation charge is correctly maintained and charged in a timely fashion. To ensure all records are maintained in accordance with the International Financial Reporting Standards and the Statement of Recommended Practice or equivalent.
- To act as an authorised signatory on the bank mandate, to authorise the payment of invoices and purchase requisitions.
- To oversee the Shared Treasury Management service, to ensure there is adequate cover for this role
- To authorise the approval for borrowing and lending of Council funds in
- accordance with the Treasury Management Policy. To ensure that the Capital and Treasury Management Officer is acting in the Council’s best interest when borrowing or lending Council funds. To ensure the Council’s bank accounts are effectively monitored on a daily basis and ensure the funds are effectively managed.
- To oversee the Capital Programme of both Redditch Borough Council and Bromsgrove District Council, to ensure they are administered effectively and in accordance with the relevant scheme.
- To oversee the Systems and Reconciliation team, responsible for undertaking reconciliations, maintaining systems and progressing system development.
- To maintain the Council’s general ledger and ensure appropriate controls are in place, to ensure all accounting periods are closed down in a timely manner.
- To manage the corporate finance budgets for both authorities.
- To maintain and monitor the Councils’ grants register and ensure all external funding is correctly receipted, recorded and allocated accordingly.
- To advise Service Managers, Assistant Directors and Senior Leadership Team (SLT) on accounting systems in accordance with Financial Regulations
- To arrange for the publication of the availability of the Statement of Accounts for public inspection and to respond to any requests from members of the public for information.
- To undertake any reasonable duties that may be determined from time to time by the Assistant Director Finance and Customer Services.
General Duties
- To ensure efficiency, effectiveness and equality in service delivery.
- To exercise proper integrity and respect of confidential matters and personal information obtained during the execution of the duties of this post.
- To reflect the Council’s core values and objectives in undertaking the duties of this post.
- To provide outstanding customer services to all customers, colleagues, elected Members etc in line with the Councils’ values and priorities. In particular by building trust, taking responsibility and assuming ownership of issues, actively listening, communicating with empathy and being flexible and adaptable to meet the needs of others.
- To understand and comply with the legal requirements of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and any other relevant regulations as detailed in the Council’s Health and Safety Policy Statement.
- To carry out duties and responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998; in particular, to take all reasonable care that no unauthorised loss or disclosure of personal data occurs.
- To undertake such other reasonable duties as may be requested by the Assistant Director Finance and Customer Services and/or the Chief Finance Officer.
Knowledge and Experience
| Knowledge and Experience | Essential / Desirable | To Be Assessed By | |
| 1. | 5 years post CCAB qualification experience | E | A |
| 2. | Experience of producing Statement of Accounts | E | A,I |
| 3. | Experience of Managing Staff | E | A,I |
| 4. | Experience of managing and monitoring budgets | E | A,I |
| 5. | Thorough knowledge of Accounting Principles | E | A,I |
| 6. | Experience of working in a complex financial environment | E | A,I |
Qualifications and Professional Memberships
| Qualifications and Professional Memberships | Essential / Desirable | To Be Assessed By | |
| 1. | Fully CCAB qualified | E | Ev |
| 2. | Full Driving Licence | E | Ev |
| 3. | Degree | D | Ev |
| 4. | 5 GCSE grades A-C inc Maths and English | D | Ev |
If you think this job role is for you, please send your CV to rebeccabentum@carringtonblakerecruitment.com
