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- Tasks: Provide expert financial support and advice across various departments.
- Company: Join Herts Finance Service, making a difference for over 1.2 million people.
- Benefits: Enjoy a competitive salary, market-leading pension, and flexible working options.
- Why this job: Be part of a team that drives financial excellence and supports vital community services.
- Qualifications: CCAB qualified or equivalent with strong analytical and communication skills.
- Other info: Opportunities for career development and a supportive work environment.
The predicted salary is between 42839 - 47181 £ per year.
Starting Salary: £42,839 with the opportunity to progress to £47,181 per annum (pro rata for part time)
Hours: 37
Location: Stevenage/Hybrid
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Resources
About the teams:
This is an exciting opportunity to join our Herts Finance Service in providing outstanding financial advice and support to a range of teams: Growth and Environment, Resources and Children's Service. Not only will you know that your role is providing value to over 1.2 million people within Hertfordshire, your contribution will be invaluable in achieving our core values.
- Growth and Environment: The role is part of the Growth and Environment Business Partner team, providing expert financial support and advice to the G&E department (including waste, highways, sustainability and Herts Futures). This role will be involved with supporting both internal and external stakeholders.
- Resources: This role is part of the Resources Finance Business Partner team, providing expert financial support and advice to the Resources department (including Property, Technology, Business Support, HR, Legal, Libraries and Insurance). The role is expected to focus on supporting the Property team initially, who have a challenging programme of savings to deliver, although responsibilities may change over time.
- Children's Services - DSG: You will join the Children's Services Finance Team, providing financial advice, monitoring, and support for funding allocated to the County Council to deliver education in schools and early years settings, services for children with additional needs, and related educational support functions. This role focuses on funding provided through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and requires strong analytical skills to use data effectively to produce clear, insightful management information on grant-related expenditure.
- Children's Services - Non-DSG: As a member of the Children's Services Finance Team, you will play a key role in providing financial support and guidance for the Children Looked After (CLA) budgets. Your primary focus will be on the Independent Placements area. Strong analytical skills and a high level of attention to detail are essential to help improve processes and support informed decision-making within the service.
About the role:
- Growth and Environment: The role will entail providing expert financial support to the finance manager within the Growth and Environment team. It will involve taking the lead and supporting on the in-year financial cycle including the medium-term financial planning process, preparing and reconciling monthly monitor reports and leading on year-end processes. Further key roles would be ensuring timely and accurate submissions for annual government returns and grant submissions.
- Resources: The role will entail providing expert financial support to the Head of Finance and Director of Finance. It will involve taking the lead and supporting on the in-year financial cycle including the medium-term financial planning process, preparing and reconciling monthly monitor reports and leading on year-end processes. The role will also be involved in financial support for business cases for disposals and alternative uses.
About you:
- Essential:
- CCAB qualified or equivalent or have significant proven experience.
- Ability to make effective use of multiple data sources and to use available tools to carry out detailed financial analysis.
- Ability to interpret, apply and explain financial policies, procedures and guidance.
- Ability to build relationships and communicate effectively with senior stakeholders, creating trust and confidence and being able to persuade and negotiate as to the actions required.
- Experience in presenting complex financial information to senior stakeholders to support proposed courses of action.
- Ability to manage competing priorities and flexibility to re-prioritise according to business needs.
- Experience in managing and leading a team.
We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.
Benefits of working for us:
- Market leading pension scheme with immediate eligibility.
- An employee support scheme providing discounts on all the essentials such as shopping, health and leisure vouchers.
- Support and welfare groups, with regular welfare sessions available to all staff.
- A career development and training programme for all.
- Hybrid and flexible working arrangements.
How to apply:
As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert/job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.
Additional information:
- Disability Confident: We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.
- English Fluency: The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required).
Salary range: £42,839 - £47,181 per year
Senior Accountants in London employer: Hertfordshire County Council
Contact Detail:
Hertfordshire County Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Accountants in London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance sector, especially those who work in local government or similar roles. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings and even referrals.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation and its values. Understand their financial challenges and think about how your skills can help them tackle these issues. This shows you're genuinely interested and ready to contribute.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your presentation skills! You might need to explain complex financial data to non-financial stakeholders. Being able to communicate clearly and confidently will set you apart from other candidates.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Accountants in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV is tailored to the Senior Accountant role. Highlight your relevant experience and skills that match the job description, especially your financial analysis and stakeholder management abilities.
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; showcase your achievements! Use specific examples where you’ve made a positive impact in previous roles, particularly in financial support and reporting.
Craft a Compelling Covering Paragraph: Use the short covering paragraph to give us a snapshot of who you are. Share your passion for finance and how your background aligns with our values and the needs of the teams you'll be supporting.
Proofread and Format: Before hitting send, proofread your application for any typos or errors. A well-formatted, error-free application shows attention to detail, which is crucial for an accountant!
How to prepare for a job interview at Hertfordshire County Council
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Senior Accountant, you'll need to demonstrate your financial expertise. Brush up on key financial metrics and be ready to discuss how you've used data to drive decisions in previous roles. Prepare examples that showcase your analytical skills and how they’ve benefited your past employers.
✨Understand the Role
Make sure you thoroughly understand the specific responsibilities of the role you're applying for. Familiarise yourself with the Growth and Environment, Resources, and Children's Services departments. This will help you tailor your answers to show how your experience aligns with their needs.
✨Build Rapport with Stakeholders
Since the role involves working closely with senior stakeholders, practice how you can build trust and communicate effectively. Think of examples where you've successfully persuaded or negotiated with stakeholders in the past, and be prepared to share these during the interview.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving abilities. Think about challenges you've faced in financial analysis or reporting, and how you overcame them. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses clearly and effectively.
