Principal Accountant
Posted 1 week ago by Service Care Solutions
£30 Per hour
Inside
Hybrid
Sunderland, England, United Kingdom
Summary: The Principal Accountant role based in Sunderland involves managing financial operations within a local government context, requiring relevant accountancy qualifications and a strong understanding of local government finance. The position entails providing financial reports, managing year-end processes, and ensuring compliance with accounting standards. The role also includes supporting financial planning and delivering accurate forecasts to inform the annual Business Plan.
Key Responsibilities:
- Support financial planning and deliver accurate forecasts to inform the annual Business Plan.
- Provide monthly financial reports, including revenue, capital, and balance sheet insights.
- Manage technical finance operations such as cash flow, banking, tax, income, and payments.
- Lead the financial year-end close process and liaise with external auditors to deliver final accounts.
- Produce statutory returns, grant claims, and audit-ready working papers.
- Provide financial input to business cases, project appraisals, and due diligence.
- Support service reviews and performance monitoring with robust financial analysis.
- Ensure compliance with accounting standards, financial regulations, and council procedures.
- Respond to FOI requests and represent finance at internal and external meetings.
- Stay up to date with financial legislation relevant to council companies.
- Perform other duties as required by senior finance leadership.
Key Skills:
- Relevant accountancy qualification (e.g. CIPFA, ACCA, ACA, CIMA) or equivalent experience.
- Strong understanding of local government finance and company accounting.
- Proven ability to communicate complex financial information to non-finance stakeholders.
- Experience with financial planning, reporting, and audit processes.
Salary (Rate): £30.00/hr
City: Sunderland
Country: United Kingdom
Working Arrangements: hybrid
IR35 Status: inside IR35
Seniority Level: Mid-Level
Industry: Other
Principal Accountant
Sunderland Based
Hybrid Working Available
Monday to Friday 09:00-17:00
37 Hours per week
£30ph Umbrella
£26.67ph PAYE Inclusive or £23.80ph PAYE Exclusive
Role Overview:
MUST have relevant accountancy qualification (e.g. CIPFA, ACCA, ACA, CIMA) or equivalent experience. MUST have strong understanding of local government finance and company accounting.
- Support financial planning and deliver accurate forecasts to inform the annual Business Plan.
- Provide monthly financial reports, including revenue, capital, and balance sheet insights.
- Manage technical finance operations such as cash flow, banking, tax, income, and payments.
- Lead the financial year-end close process and liaise with external auditors to deliver final accounts.
- Produce statutory returns, grant claims, and audit-ready working papers.
- Provide financial input to business cases, project appraisals, and due diligence.
- Support service reviews and performance monitoring with robust financial analysis.
- Ensure compliance with accounting standards, financial regulations, and council procedures.
- Respond to FOI requests and represent finance at internal and external meetings.
- Stay up to date with financial legislation relevant to council companies.
- Perform other duties as required by senior finance leadership
Proven ability to communicate complex financial information to non-finance stakeholders
Experience with financial planning, reporting, and audit processes.
Service Care Solutions also offers a £250 referral bonus! So, if you know of anyone who would be perfect for this position and they are placed into work, you will receive £250 for the referral once their probationary period has been completed.
If this role is of interest, please just respond to this advert with an up to date copy of your CV or call Jake on 01772 208969