Senior Financial Accountant

Location: Edinburgh

Are you a qualified accountant, with full membership with one of the CCAB recognised bodies or CIMA, looking to take the next step in your career and make a meaningful impact within a public sector organisation? This is an exciting opportunity to lead a key Financial Accounting and Finance Systems function, playing a central role in delivering high-quality financial operations, strengthening financial controls, and driving continuous improvement across systems and processes. In this role, you will oversee critical areas including statutory reporting, treasury management, and financial systems, while supporting organisational decision-making through your technical expertise and insight. You will also lead and develop a dedicated team, helping to build capability and deliver excellence in a fast-paced and evolving environment. If you are motivated by the opportunity to influence change, enhance financial governance, and contribute to the efficient and effective use of public resources, we would encourage you to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Month-End and Year-End Processes: Lead the timely closure of accounting periods, ensuring all journals are accurately recorded, balance sheet accounts (including control accounts) are fully reconciled, and all internal control processes are completed within agreed timescales.
• Statutory Reporting: Support the preparation and review of annual statutory financial statements, ensuring full compliance with the FReM, SPFM, and IFRS standards. Ensure all supporting working papers are robust, clearly documented, and able to withstand detailed audit scrutiny.
• Process Improvement: Proactively identify opportunities to enhance accounting systems, strengthen internal controls, and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of financial processes. Lead and implement continuous improvement initiatives where appropriate.
• Technical Accounting: Provide expert technical accounting advice to both finance and non-finance stakeholders, including guidance on the implications of decisions and changes in accounting standards (e.g. IFRS 16).
• Leadership and Management: Provide effective leadership to the Financial Accounting and Finance Systems team, including setting clear expectations, supporting professional development, and fostering a culture of continuous learning and high performance.
• Financial Policy: Contribute to the development, review, and implementation of COPFS financial policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with best practice and regulatory requirements.
• Finance Systems: Act as the lead system administrator for core financial systems, ensuring appropriate system controls, performance, and service levels are maintained. Oversee and support the implementation of system upgrades and enhancements as required.

Please note this is not an exhaustive list and other duties may be required as appropriate to the role.

Person Specification

The successful candidate will be a fully qualified CCAB or CIMA accountant with strong knowledge of public sector accounting requirements, including FReM, SPFM and IFRS Accounting standards. They will demonstrate the ability to deliver accurate, high-quality work to tight deadlines, while effectively planning and prioritising both their own workload and that of their team. Strong communication and interpersonal skills are essential, with the ability to build effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders. The role requires technical competence in balance sheet reconciliations and financial control, alongside experience of financial systems and a proactive approach to process improvement. Candidates will also demonstrate sound judgement, integrity, and an awareness of financial and reputational risks, with the ability to support and develop others within a team environment.

Applicants must use the additional information section of the application to detail their qualification, which should be fully qualified accountant with full membership of one of the CCAB member bodies (ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAS or Chartered Accountants Ireland) or CIMA. Applicants who do not include this information will not be eligible to progress to the next stage of recruitment. Please note that part qualified applicants will not be eligible.

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant
• Memberships: CCAB recognised bodies or CIMA

Behaviours

• Changing and Improving
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

Technical skills

Fully qualified accountant with full membership to a recognised CCAB or CIMA professional body. Skilled in using finance systems and tools (preferably including Sun and Q&A) with strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and other MS applications.