Senior Accountant, Grade 7, Fixed Term Contract, Liverpool/Newport in Rottingdean

Are you good at applying analytical skills to inform decision making? Would you like to work for a national regulator and make a difference to society? Do you enjoy working as part of a multi-disciplinary team?

The Accountancy team is a close-knit team of 16 that leads on providing expert accountancy advice to the Commission’s case work, proactive projects relating to charity finances, as well as leading on policy proposals with a significant Accountancy element and advising on strategic projects within the business.

Working in and influencing multi-disciplinary teams of caseworkers and lawyers you will improve and drive case outcomes and enhance our credibility through your expert accountancy interventions in the highest risk casework. You will be responsible for delivering and explaining complex analysis that informs the commission’s understanding of how charities are operating.

This role operates at Grade 7, requiring significant personal discretion, strategic thinking and professional authority. The post-holder will work within broad direction, take ownership of complex issues, and make decisions that may have implications beyond their immediate work area, including impacts on policy, organisational effectiveness and the Commission’s external reputation. Seeing the bigger picture is an important aspect of this role.

You will contribute to the strategic leadership of the Accountancy team and Legal and Accountancy Services Directorate, supporting Business Plan delivery, leading priority projects, building capability and ensuring the Commission’s regulatory approach is informed by developments in the charity accountancy framework and wider external environment.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• Take ownership of the accountancy advice you provide to Commission’s highest-risk, most complex and sensitive regulatory cases, exercising personal discretion and professional judgement to determine the appropriate regulatory response.
• Using investigative skills you will analyse complex and incomplete financial evidence, assess risk, make decisions and produce reports detailing your analysis with reference to Charity Law, UK GAAP and the Charity Accounting and Reporting Framework that may have significant organisational or reputational impact. Some of this work will be carried out at charity premises.
• Where required you will provide witness evidence based on your analysis and this may involve assisting law enforcement or other regulators and agencies.
• You will pro-actively identify risks and solutions, making decisions to ensure that our resources are managed effectively.
• Act independently on day-to-day operational and technical matters within broad strategic direction, escalating issues only where there are significant policy, legal, or risk implications.
• Provide authoritative strategic accountancy briefings and advice to the Senior Management Team, Executive Committees and Board, to inform organisational decision-making, risk appetite and strategic direction.
• Take responsibility as subject matter expert for ensuring that the Commission’s regulatory approach and operational projects are informed by and developed in accordance with the UK charity accountancy framework.
• Take responsibility as subject matter expert for developing internal and external accountancy guidance and policy proposals advising on content to ensure it is developed in accordance with the UK charity accounting framework.
• Provide visible professional leadership across the Commission, building capability through coaching, quality review, knowledge transfer and training delivery.
• Act as a senior representative of the Commission, when engaging with external regulators, trustees, professional advisers and accountancy bodies, and influencing external stakeholders to support effective regulation and protect public trust.
• Take responsibility for team projects and objectives and drive adoption of best practices and processes and continuous improvement initiatives across the team. This will include being innovative with technology.