About us
The Local Government Association represents local government in England and Wales. The LGA aims to set the political agenda and have a say in the national media on the issues that matter to council members.
The Strategic Finance Team aims to deliver highly effective customer-centric finance services that enables the LGA to deliver to outcomes. Operating efficiently, using existing processes and procedures to advise on best accounting practice to improve and enhance service delivery, through the timely and accurate management of financial transactions for the LGA.
The role
The Assistant Accountant – Management Accounts works in close partnership with the Financial Planning and Analysis Lead Accountant to:
1. Provide customer-centric financial support, advice and information to the team and a range of customers and organisations, responding to routine procedural queries as well as non-routine issues and requests.
2. Work on computerised financial transaction systems and standard software packages to support the delivery of effective budgeting systems throughout the year (including budget and forecasting profiling and adjustments as required).
3. 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.
4. Enable managers to meet their financial and budgetary responsibilities by providing effective financial support, challenge and monitoring.
5. Work without close managerial supervision (except in areas of particular technical complexity or sensitivity) with work subject to review on completion. Proactively identify problem areas and work with the business to develop improvements to systems and supporting processes.
6. Support the Financial Control team in the development and maintenance of financial systems data integrity, supporting the execution of effective quality financial control across the LGA. Take responsibility for maintaining the integrity of specific areas of financial data through operating/supervising associated controls.
7. Undertake benchmarking activities including analysing and manipulating data sets and presenting them in context to guide decision making.
8. Contribute to the design and delivery of training as appropriate to enable a culture of ownership amongst managers with defined financial processes and controls.
9. Carry out investigations as directed and reporting results, conclusions and recommendations.
The requirements
- Relevant financial qualification (AAT qualified or CCAB part-qualified or equivalent) or equivalent experience
- Experience of working with complex budgets and accounts
- Experience of working in a customer focus environment that enables managers to take responsibility of their financial accountabilities
- Experience of the financial management and production of comprehensive reports (e.g. statement of accounts)
- Ability to analyse problems and develop solutions, within policies and procedures and with advice available from the Strategic Finance Manager and Financial Planning & Analysis Lead
- Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise work to meet deadlines, and a concern for order and accuracy
- Excellent IT skills, including Word, Excel and PowerPoint with the ability quickly to learn new packages as required
You must have the right to work in the UK, the LGA are unfortunately unable to offer sponsorship visas. Evidence for the right to work in the UK will be requested at the interview stage.
Closing Date: 10pm, Sunday 10 January 2021
Interview Date: W/C 18 January 2021
As a Disability Confident Leader the LGA values diversity and encourages applications from all sections of the community