Chief Principal Accountant Chief Principal Accountant

The Finance service works closely with all services across the Council to develop financial plans, ensure sound financial management and work collaboratively to enable the ambitions of the Council while ensuring the appropriate use of public funds. The Corporate Finance team, as part of the Finance service, provides financial accounting support to both Surrey County Council and Tandridge District Council. This role involves collaborating with Tandridge DC and fulfilling tasks as part of that Joint Working Agreement. About the Role As Chief Principal Accountant you will act as the Council's technical expert on financial accounting, providing advice on accounting practices, staying abreast of, and communicating the impacts of, changes in accounting standards and regulations. Leading on the production of the annual Statement of Accounts, in this role you will work across the finance team to ensure compliant and timely accounts. You will manage an effective relationship with the Council's external auditors to ensure the smooth running of the audit process. Other key areas of the role include working with Tandridge DC as part of the joint working agreement, developing accounting policies, maintaining the Chart of accounts to ensure compliance with financial reporting standards, completion of government returns and responsibility for charity finances. The position has one direct report. This is a great opportunity for an ambitious and driven financial accountant, to play a pivotal role in improving the Council's year end processes. Shortlisting Criteria To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following

• Fully qualified accountant (CCAB Qualified) with knowledge and expertise in local authority financial accounting
• Experience of producing the statutory accounts, preferably within public sector
• Knowledge and experience of Unit4 or other financial systems
• People Management experience
• Ability to manage workloads and meet challenging deadlines
• Ability to collaborate across teams
• Possess good communication skills
• Demonstrate ability to interpret complex financial standards and apply them to practical examples
  
  This role has a starting salary of £59,868 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week.
We are looking for a technically proficient, dynamic and forward-thinking Chief Principal Accountant to join our Corporate Finance team, part of the Finance Service at Surrey County Council. We are proud of our strong focus on continuous improvement and our commitment to learning and development. We promote agile working as a team and we split our time between working from home and working in the office (at least 2 days per week). The role is offered on a hybrid basis and offers flexibility to work from any of the four main Surrey offices. Rewards and Benefits
• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependants leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources