Principal Accountant - Financial Accounting

Job introduction

About the role

Brighton & Hove City Council is seeking a full time Principal Accountant (a senior finance role) to work jointly with a Principal Accountant based in East Sussex County Council to provide an integrated financial accounting service within the Orbis Partnership. The key role of the service is to jointly lead the production of annual financial statements for the two authorities and their other contracted clients. We are seeking a self-motivated, articulate and competent individual who is passionate about public service and delivering high quality services.

The successful candidate will be highly organised, have good communication skills, be a good problem-solver and will focus on delivery and customer service. They will also have good knowledge and experience of financial accounting and systems, financial reporting standards and closure of accounts processes.

In this role you will jointly lead an Orbis 'Centre of Expertise' which is an integrated service currently providing financial accounting services to East Sussex County Council and Brighton & Hove City Council as well as contracted services to South Downs National Park Authority and the East Sussex Fire Service. The service is very successful and efficient and produces high quality financial statements working closely with the external auditor and other finance teams, including financial systems support.

This role is primarily based in Brighton & Hove City Council as part of the wider Finance function and brings with it a range of benefits that people in our team enjoy, including working within;

• a wider Orbis Partnership with East Sussex and Surrey County Councils which opens opportunities to meet and collaborate with other people;
• a gender-balanced, friendly service with a wide age range and one where we very much welcome diversity and encourage all of our staff to support our LGBT, BAME and Disability Worker Forums.
• a flexible workplace where we accommodate a wide range of working. patterns and are keen to help staff maintain a good work-life balance. 
• a team that develops its staff and 'grows its own'. Many of our current managers came through apprenticeships or entry level positions. The council provides a wide range of training and development opportunities for staff at all levels.

***Important Information***
As part of the application process we require you to answer some additional questions to support your application called 'Branching Questions'. These questions form part of the online application process, accessed via the 'Apply' button. You will also be able to upload your CV.

Additional information

Your starting salary will be pro rata if the above position is part-time or term-time only.

Work Permits: We may be able to obtain a Work Permit for this post but this is subject to meeting the requirements of the UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) Points-based Immigration System. Please see Gov.uk for more information on the Skilled Worker Visa.

From 6 April 2011 the Home Office has placed a permanent restriction on the number of migrant workers that all Tier 2 (General) Sponsors can recruit. Due to the restrictions we cannot guarantee that individuals that meet the requirements of the Points-based Immigration System will be issued with clearance to obtain work permits.

Company information

Please see the Orbis Partnership webpage for further details on Orbis.

Please note this role requires a Standard DBS Check.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community but particularly encourage applicants from a BME or White Other background as well as those who identify as, LGB, male or trans as these groups are currently under-represented in our Directorate workforce.

As part of Brighton & Hove City Council's ongoing commitment to redeployment, please note that this vacancy may be withdrawn at any stage of the recruitment process, without prior notice if a suitable redeployee (internal employee at risk of redundancy) is identified.