Principal Accountant

A fantastic Principal Accountant job opportunity at Canterbury City Council.

Are you an accountant who is capable of making a difference and giving back to the community by working in local government?

We are looking for a Principal Accountant to join our team. If you want to work in a cultural and vibrant city whilst also being close to the coastal towns of Whitstable and Herne Bay this could be the perfect place for you to develop your career. This is a very exciting time to work at Canterbury with major changes due to the Levelling Up Funding.

What’s in it for you?

• An excellent starting salary
• Flexible, hybrid working arrangements that support and encourage a good work-life balance.
• We’ll support and encourage your career by providing excellent opportunities for training and development.
• Generous annual leave entitlement, starting at 23 days PLUS 3 additional days over the Christmas period whilst the Council offices are closed. There is also the option to buy additional annual leave.
• We do not work on Bank Holidays.
• A fantastic local government pension scheme.
• Employee perks, including multiple retailer and lifestyle discounts to tackle the cost of living and help you enjoy your free time.
• Free use of Canterbury’s Park and Ride for an easier commute.

About this Principal Accountant job opportunity:

• As our Principal Accountant, you’ll lead the strategic risk management, tax management, audit liaison, and budget monitoring for the general fund revenue account.
• You will be responsible for our statutory obligations regarding VAT, including advising on the correct VAT treatment of supplies, tax planning, and fraud prevention.
• You’ll contribute to the financial year-end processes relating to publishing the Statement of Accounts and the Local Government Transparency Code.
• As an expert in your field, you’ll provide financial advice to support the council’s objectives and tax affairs.
• You’ll lead on budgeting, forecasting and financial planning processes, ensuring accuracy and alignment with corporate plan objectives within a challenging financial environment for local authorities.
• As our new Principal Accountant, you will monitor and analyse financial performance, ensure robust controls are followed and collaborate with stakeholders.

Working pattern:

• Full-time, Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays
• 37 hours per week
• Flexible working hours and location
• We'll have a full week off over Christmas, plus 23 days of annual leave to use throughout the rest of the year.

Your skills:

• Able to continually develop and improve your specialist knowledge within the context of Local Government.
• An effective team player.

Your knowledge:

• Understanding of Local Government Finance
• Understanding and knowledge of accounting regulations
• Knowledge of financial systems
• Understanding and knowledge of financial legislation
• Understanding of government guidance on specific service areas
• Knowledge of Financial Regulations and Contract Standing Orders

Your experience:

• Experience in preparing and managing budgets
• Experience in managing people
• Experience in writing and presenting finance reports
• Managing changes in processes and procedures within a team setting

Your qualifications:

• CCAB qualified or substantial work-related experience.
• 5 GCSEs including Maths and English grades C/4 or above