At a Glance
- Tasks: Support budget holders with monitoring, forecasting, and insightful variance analysis.
- Company: Join Salford City Council, dedicated to improving services for residents.
- Benefits: Opportunities for professional development and a chance to make a real impact.
- Other info: Exciting time to join as we modernise our finance systems.
- Why this job: Be a trusted finance partner and help shape financial decisions in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Strong management accounting experience and excellent communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 30000 - 40000 £ per year.
About Us
At Salford City Council, we are committed to delivering high‑quality services that improve outcomes for our residents. Our Finance function plays a vital role in supporting informed decision‑making, protecting public funds, and ensuring value for money across the organisation. Our management accountancy teams work closely with services to understand how resources are used, identify financial risks early, and support sustainable delivery. Collaboration, constructive challenge, and forward‑looking financial insight sit at the heart of what we do. This is an exciting time to join Salford. We are implementing a new finance and procurement system, modernising the way we work and strengthening financial management across the Council.
About the Role
We currently have an Accountant vacancy within our Place Directorate. This post is firmly focused on management accounting and financial business partnering. The purpose of the role is to support budget holders to manage their resources effectively by providing robust budget monitoring, forecasting, and meaningful variance analysis, alongside constructive challenge and advice. You will work closely with managers to understand financial performance, explain variances, identify risks, and support decisions about spend and resources.
Core day to day activities will involve:
- Owning budget monitoring, forecasting and reforecasting for assigned service areas
- Producing clear and insightful variance analysis, explaining drivers rather than just reporting movements
- Working directly with budget holders to understand spend patterns, pressures, and resource plans
- Challenging assumptions, profiling, and value for money in a constructive and professional way
- Providing forward‑looking financial analysis to support operational and strategic decisions
- Identifying emerging financial risks early and supporting managers to take corrective action
- Supporting continuous improvement, including the implementation of the new finance and procurement system
This role involves regular engagement with non‑finance colleagues and requires confidence in explaining financial information clearly and pragmatically.
Not for you if you are primarily looking for:
- Accounts payable or accounts receivable roles
- Treasury or cash‑management‑focused positions
- Financial accounting, audit, or statutory reporting‑led roles
- Roles with limited stakeholder engagement or financial challenge
About You
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate:
- Strong management accounting experience, including budget setting, monitoring, forecasting, and variance analysis
- Experience working directly with budget holders or non‑finance managers
- Confidence to challenge financial assumptions and spending decisions in a supportive and evidence‑based way
- An ability to translate complex financial information into clear, actionable insight
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- A proactive and collaborative approach to improving financial management and ways of working
(Desirable) Experience within a public sector finance environment, ideally local government, with an understanding of grant funding, regulatory frameworks and public sector financial processes. You may be fully qualified, part‑qualified, or actively working towards a professional accountancy qualification. We are happy to discuss development pathways for the right candidate.
What success looks like in this role
Within your first months, you will be a trusted finance partner to services—providing meaningful variance analysis, producing reliable forecasts, and helping managers understand and actively manage their financial position.
Contact and Application Information
To find out more about this role, please contact Paul Guest at: paul.guest@salford.gov.uk Please do not send CVs to this email address, as they will not be accepted. When applying, please ensure your supporting statement clearly sets out how your experience meets the requirements of the role, including examples of budget management, forecasting, and variance analysis.
Accountant in Swinton employer: Salford Council
Salford City Council is an exceptional employer, dedicated to fostering a collaborative and forward-thinking work culture that prioritises the professional growth of its employees. As part of our Finance function, you will play a crucial role in shaping financial management while benefiting from opportunities for development within a supportive public sector environment. Join us in this exciting phase of modernisation as we implement new systems to enhance our services and make a meaningful impact on the community.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Accountant in Swinton
✨Tip Number 1
Get to know the company inside out! Research Salford City Council's recent projects and financial strategies. This will help you tailor your conversations and show that you're genuinely interested in their mission.
✨Tip Number 2
Practice your financial storytelling! Be ready to explain complex financial concepts in simple terms. This is key when engaging with non-finance colleagues, so make sure you can break down your insights clearly.
✨Tip Number 3
Show off your collaborative spirit! Prepare examples of how you've worked with budget holders or managers in the past. Highlight your ability to challenge assumptions constructively and support decision-making.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining the team at Salford City Council.
We think you need these skills to ace Accountant in Swinton
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Us Your Experience:When you're writing your application, make sure to highlight your management accounting experience. We want to see how you've handled budget setting, monitoring, and variance analysis in the past. Use specific examples to show us what you've done!
Be Clear and Concise:We love a good story, but keep it relevant! Make sure your supporting statement is clear and to the point. Explain complex financial concepts in a way that anyone can understand. This will show us you can communicate effectively with non-finance colleagues.
Demonstrate Your Collaborative Spirit:This role is all about working closely with others, so let us know how you've collaborated with budget holders or managers before. Share examples of how you've provided constructive challenge and support in financial decision-making.
Apply Through Our Website:Don't forget to apply through our website! It's the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it’s super easy to navigate—just follow the prompts!
How to prepare for a job interview at Salford Council
✨Know Your Numbers
Before the interview, brush up on your management accounting skills. Be ready to discuss your experience with budget monitoring, forecasting, and variance analysis. Prepare specific examples that showcase how you've helped budget holders manage their resources effectively.
✨Communicate Clearly
Since this role involves explaining financial information to non-finance colleagues, practice translating complex financial concepts into simple terms. Think of a few scenarios where you successfully communicated financial insights and be prepared to share them.
✨Show Your Collaborative Spirit
Salford City Council values collaboration, so highlight your experience working with managers and stakeholders. Share examples of how you've partnered with others to improve financial management or challenge assumptions in a constructive way.
✨Be Proactive About Risks
Demonstrate your ability to identify financial risks early. Prepare to discuss instances where you spotted potential issues and took corrective action. This shows you're not just reactive but also forward-thinking, which is crucial for this role.
