Senior Financial Accountant in London - Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited

Job Purpose

Lead technical accounting, financial reporting and balance sheet management to ensure accurate, compliant and transparent financial statements. Provide expert advice on accounting, VAT, reserves, capital programmes and energy schemes while supporting strong governance, audit readiness and financial decision-making.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Reporting & Technical Accounting

• Lead year-end closedown and production of the Statement of Accounts
• Ensure compliance with CIPFA codes, accounting standards, statutory requirements and audit expectations.
• Maintain data integrity through reconciliations, balance sheet reviews and chart of accounts management.
• Prepare financial statement disclosures and provide financial analysis and advice for reports to senior leaders, members and external stakeholders.
• Manage VAT compliance, returns, partial exemption calculations and HMRC enquiries.

Balance Sheet & Reserves Management

• Oversee council-wide balance sheet reconciliations and monitoring.
• Manage reserves accounting, year-end movements and Movement in Reserves Statement adjustments.
• Develop and maintain robust bad debt provision methodologies.

Programme & Financial Management

• Manage SALIX and other energy-saving schemes, including funding, payments, repayments and reserve reconciliations.
• Support budget setting, budget monitoring, capital programme management and financial control.
• Deliver financial analysis and reporting to support organisational performance and strategic objectives.

Governance, Audit & Compliance

• Strengthen internal controls, address control weaknesses and promote financial governance.
• Prepare and quality assure statutory returns, grant claims, FOI responses and other regulatory submissions.
• Support internal and external audits and implement recommendations.

Stakeholder & People Management

• Act as a key finance representative, providing expert guidance across the Council
• Supervise and develop finance staff, promoting high performance and financial literacy.
• Deputise for the Senior Financial Reporting Manager and contribute to finance transformation and service improvement initiatives.

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