Interim principal accountant

Interim Principal Accountant

📍 Location: Home‑based (office attendance once per month max - Ealing - London)
⏳ Contract: 3 months initially (very likely extension)
💼 Start: ASAP

💰 Rates:
£36.37 per hour (PAYE)
£47.74 per hour (Umbrella)

👋 The Opportunity

We're looking for an experienced Principal Accountant to join a London local authority on an interim basis.

Reporting into a Finance Manager and working closely with the Section 151 Officer, you'll provide senior‑level financial advice and business partnering support across key council services.

This role suits someone confident operating at a strategic level, influencing senior stakeholders, and ensuring strong financial governance.

✅ What You'll Be Doing

Lead finance business partnering for allocated service areas
Provide strategic and operational financial advice to senior managers
Support capital & revenue budget setting, monitoring and forecasting
Contribute to delivery of the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS)
Identify, manage and escalate financial risks
Support year‑end accounts closure and audit requirements
Deputise for the Finance Manager when required
Promote financial best practice and literacy across services

🧠 What We're Looking For

Essential experience:

Strong local authority finance background
Capital budget setting and monitoring experience
Revenue budget management experience
Experience managing or leading finance staff
Comfortable influencing and advising at senior management level
Able to explain complex finance matters to non‑finance colleagues

🎓 Qualifications

Fully qualified: CIPFA / CCAB / CIMA
(AAT considered with substantial senior‑level local authority experience)

🏡 Working Arrangements

Predominantly remote
Office attendance once per month maximum

Adecco acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and an employment business for the supply of temporary workers. The Adecco Group UK & Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer.

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