Assistant Financial Accountant in Fareham

On behalf of the DSTL, we are looking for an Assistant Financial Accountant (Inside IR35) for a 6 month contract based in Fareham office attendance 1-2 days a week or as required.

DSTL is the Ministry of Defence (MOD)'s science and technology organisation, providing unique expertise, crucial insights and delivering battle-winning solutions for the benefit of the nation and allies. DSTL is one of the principal government organisations dedicated to science and technology in the defence and security field. DSTL supplies specialist and sensitive services to MOD and wider government, working collaboratively with external partners in industry and academia and worldwide, providing expert research, specialist advice and invaluable operational support.

As a Assistant Financial Accountant, your main responsibilities will be:

• Supports the preparation of audited annual financial statements and external returns, acting as a key coordination point for NAO and other audit bodies.
• Manages audit liaison activities by maintaining robust reconciliations, preparing audit evidence packs, and providing clear explanations and supporting data for sample requests.
• Reviews, analyses, and interprets financial data to provide insight to managers, Finance Leadership, and wider finance colleagues, ensuring accuracy of accounts inputs and monthly reconciliations.
• Provides financial accounting and tax guidance across the organisation, escalating complex issues and engaging with MOD Technical Accounting and Tax Centres of Excellence where required.
• Ensures compliance with accounting standards, supports implementation of new rules, and works with the business to collate information for VAT returns, losses, special payments, and control account reviews.

Essential:

• Qualified or working towards qualification with CCAB or CIMA.
• Experience in NAO Audit Liaison.
• Good understanding of financial accounting and statutory accounts.
• Understanding of up-to-date financial reporting requirements (IFRS, FReM).
• Competent with Microsoft Excel.
• Strong interpersonal skills to establish and maintain good working relationships internally.
• Personal resilience in dealing with non-negotiable timescales and conflicting priorities.

Desirable:

• Awareness of government accounting and Managing Public Money.
• Experience of using Oracle Financial Cloud software.

PLEASE NOTE: SC Clearance is an essential requirement for this role, as a minimum you must be willing & eligible to undergo checks. Please note, due to the exceptional requirements of this position (short-term nature of this role and speed at which we require a postholder in situ) preference may be given to candidates who meet all of the essential criteria and hold active security clearance.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas. Our work in defence, security and intelligence requires our employees to be UK Nationals who are able to gain a high level of security clearance to undertake the projects we are involved in to protect us from security threats. For this reason, only UK Nationals will be able to apply for this role. If you are an international or dual-national candidate, and you think you have the skills we need, please consider applying to any of our government, security or defence partners.

Disability Confident

As a member of the Disability Confident Scheme, DSTL guarantees to interview all candidates who have a disability and who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of candidates who have a disability who meet all the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. This scheme encourages candidates with a disability and/or neurodivergence to apply. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

Armed Forces Covenant

DSTL guarantees to interview veterans or spouses / partners of military personnel who meet all the essential criteria for the vacancy. In cases where we have a high volume of ex-military candidates / military spouses or partners, who meet all of the essential criteria, we will interview the best candidates from within that group. In exceptional circumstances, we may also need to apply the desirable criteria in our shortlisting process which may include holding active security clearance.

In applying for this role, you acknowledge the following this role falls in scope of the Off Payroll Working in the Public Sector legislation.