Senior Accountant

The Avon and Somerset Force is a large employer in the South West and is made up of over 5000 Police Officers, staff and volunteers.  The Force is structured into eight policing and enabling services directorates which form the backbone to its effective operation. If you're looking for a fresh challenge which offers variety and a genuine opportunity to broaden your experience and make a difference, come and join us in the Finance Team. This role is a 2 year Fixed Term employment contract.

Finance is at the heart of the organisation and reporting an accurate financial picture enables senior leaders to fully utilise valuable resources. The Finance team are friendly, supportive and work collaboratively applying technical financial expertise to a variety of operational issues; working closely with senior Force leaders controlling costs and managing budgets.  The majority of the Finance Team are blended workers and work between home and office during the working week.

Do you hold, or are you working towards an accounting qualification? If you have the experience of working in a financial environment and able to provide a wide range of financial services supporting the Corporate Business Partners, then we want to hear from you. 

You would be responsible for helping the Corporate Finance Business Partners to analyse and report on financial performance across the organisation. The role is highly collaborative in nature, applying technical financial expertise and professional accounting standards to operational issues to ensure that the organisation manages costs effectively.

In this role, your main responsibilities will be:

• To prepare and maintain financial plans, programmes and budgets, including the allocation of resources.
• To monitor revenue and capital budgets and report on variances and advise on remedial action.
• To provide financial advice and support to budget holders, partners and other external organisation including the
  preparation and interpretation of financial appraisals of projects.
• To assist in the closure of the annual accounts and produce outturn data in accordance with legislation.
• To develop the link between financial information and performance data and provide statistical analysis.
• To ensure that financial systems, practices and procedures are sound and in accordance with Financial Regulations.
• To promote and develop the use of technology in the management and control of financial systems.

Skills, experience and qualifications required:

• The post holder must hold or be working towards AAT or a CCAB accounting qualification or be a fully qualified Accounting
  Technician with accountancy experience in public finance.
• Previous supervisory experience is desirable along with experience of report writing and conducting research.
• Experience of communicating complex financial information to non-financial managers. Able to meet deadlines, prioritise workloads and work independently with focussed attention to detail.
• In depth knowledge of finance procedures and "best practice".
• A medium to high level competence in Excel and digital accounting systems
  
  What we can offer:-

Our values are key, each and every employee embraces these in everything they do:- CARING. COURAGEOUS. INCLUSIVE. LEARNING.
Our mission is forefront of it all, we are here across the whole of Avon and Somerset to SERVE. PROTECT. RESPECT.
How we reward you is linked to our culture, it’s about more than just salary.
At our Headquarters in Portishead, you will have access to free onsite parking, an onsite Gym, a Pension Scheme, a subsidised Canteen and an Onsite COSTA coffee just to name a few. Through a package of financial, lifestyle and health benefits, we support whatever stage of life you're in and the moments that matter.

To be eligible to apply for this role you must have a 3 year ‘checkable history’ in the UK – ideally this means that you would have been resident in the UK for the last 3 years.

Does this sound like the role for you? Click the link below to apply.