Principal Financial Accountant

Principal Financial Accountant

London Borough of Barking & Dagenham (LBBD)

📍 Barking - Hybrid working - 3 days office 💰 £57,239 per annum (PO7) 🕒 35 hours per week (Monday - Friday) 📄 Permanent 📅 Start Date: ASAP (subject to notice period)

About the Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and qualified finance professional to join the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham as a Principal Financial Accountant within Corporate Finance.

Reporting to the Senior Financial Reporting Manager, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring the integrity, accuracy and transparency of the Council's financial reporting and statutory accounts.

This is a high-profile position where you will lead the year-end accounts closure process, oversee financial accounting activities, provide expert technical advice, and support robust financial governance across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

Lead the annual closure of accounts process and support the production of the Statement of Accounts, Group Accounts and Whole of Government Accounts. Ensure compliance with statutory accounting requirements, CIPFA Codes of Practice and audit standards. Oversee balance sheet management, reconciliations, reserves accounting and financial reporting. Provide expert advice on technical accounting matters, VAT compliance and complex financial issues. Support financial governance, risk management and continuous improvement initiatives. Lead on bad debt provisions and balance sheet monitoring. Manage SALIX and other energy efficiency schemes. Support internal and external audits and implement audit recommendations. Produce high-quality financial reports and present findings to senior stakeholders, elected members and external partners. Coach and support finance colleagues, promoting professional development and best practice.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have:

A fully qualified CCAB accountancy qualification with membership of a recognised accountancy body. At least 3 years' accounting experience, including 2 years post-qualification experience. Significant experience delivering year-end accounts and statutory financial reporting. Strong technical accounting knowledge, including financial reporting standards and regulatory compliance. Experience working within a large, complex public sector organisation, ideally local government. Knowledge of VAT, balance sheet management, reserves accounting and financial governance. Excellent analytical, communication and stakeholder management skills. The ability to influence, challenge and build effective working relationships across a wide range of stakeholders. Experience of driving process improvements and managing competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

Benefits

Diverse, inclusive, and safe social work teams, with active employee-led networks that drive inclusive practice Flexible working (including "condensed hours", flexi-time, part and term-time working) A range of learning & development opportunities, ranging from core and specialist training, accredited post-qualifying modules with our partnership Higher Education Institutions and mentoring Access to Perkbox: our new employee benefits & rewards platform that offers a range of deals and discounts, a space that helps you take care of your wellbeing inside and outside of work and access to home and tech essentials without the upfront costs Access to a diverse range of employee support networking groups Up to 32 days annual leave Local Government Pension Scheme Support for employees with caring responsibilities Support for employees who are members of the armed forces reserves or adult cadet volunteers Workplace adjustments for employees with a disability or long-term medical conditions Employee Assistance Programme Credit union membership Cycle purchase scheme Discounted gym membership Season ticket and travel loans

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