Finance Officer

Our local authority client based in East London are urgently seeking an experienced Finance Officer.

Main Purpose of Job

To support the relevant Group Manager/Accountant in the provision of a value adding, customer focused business support and relationship management service to relevant budget holders and Heads of Service to ensure their financial needs are met. This includes supporting the delivery of sound financial planning, management, closure of account, project support & advice, management accounting, reporting, statutory/statistical returns (including returns to government departments and tax returns), and coordination of financial arrangements for a given division/area across both revenue, capital (as appropriate).

Key Accountabilities

• Provide effective, responsive, proactive and valued business support relationships with given areas, work with and support them in achieving their outcomes while driving financial improvements and delivering excellent customer service. This includes taking ownership to ensure the outcomes are delivered and working collaboratively with other colleagues/services to do this where necessary.
• Promote good working relationships with the external/internal auditors and contribute to the prompt resolution of any audit queries. Providing support where necessary to senior officers with regard to audit queries.
• Ensure the council’s accounts reflect the true accounting position and transactional postings to the chart of accounts are correct at source, for relevant areas.
• Enable service users, through training, guidance, and other means (as appropriate) to enhance knowledge and promote a culture of compliance with defined financial processes and controls. To ensure that the financial governance requirements are understood and accepted by the business and that the implications of non-compliance are made clear for given areas.

Knowledge & Experience

• Knowledge of local authority accounting requirements.
• Knowledge of budgets and accounts within a large organisational setting - preferably local government
• Good theoretical knowledge of local authority accounting requirements, UK accounting standards and their application in a local authority context.
• Have knowledge and understanding of financial planning, management and financial frameworks in a large organisation - preferably local government
• Experience of working in local government finance for budget setting (both revenue and capital), budget monitoring and closure of accounts

Please apply with your updated CV ensuring that any gaps in employment are explained.

At this point, may we take this opportunity to thank you for the interest you have shown in this role. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of applications that we receive, it is not always possible to respond to everyone. Therefore, unless you hear from us within the next 7 days, your application for this vacancy will have been unsuccessful.