Sandwell Council is partnering with Robertson Bell in the recruitment of a Finance Development Accountant (Systems) on a permanent basis. This is an important role within the Finance and Transformation directorate, focused on supporting service improvement, strengthening financial capability across the organisation, and driving consistent, high quality financial practices.
You will work closely with finance colleagues and wider stakeholders to support the development of people, processes and systems, helping to embed best practice and support the Council’s ongoing improvement journey.
The organisation:
Sandwell is a metropolitan borough in the Black Country, which is made up of six towns Oldbury, Rowley Regis, Smethwick, Tipton, Wednesbury and West Bromwich.
Located in the West Midlands, Sandwell borders Birmingham city, Dudley borough, Walsall borough and Wolverhampton city. The borough has excellent access to the national motorway network with five junctions feeding into the M5 and M6 motorways serving the South West, South East and North West regions of the UK.
Sandwell also benefits from a mainline train station Sandwell and Dudley and the Midland Metro. The borough has 1, hectares of parks, playing fields and local green space, and over 30 miles of canals.
Sandwell Council is on a powerful journey of improvement and transformation. Having become the fastest council ever to exit intervention, and shortlisted for Most Improved Council at the LGC Awards, they are proud of the progress they’re making and the direction they’re heading.
The Finance team is growing and ambitious, with a strong focus on learning and development, supporting colleagues to build rewarding careers while helping shape outstanding public services. As they work towards becoming a CIPFA accredited employer, this is an exciting time to join a team that values talent, invests in people, and is committed to excellence.
The role:
1. Lead on the development, optimisation and ongoing management of the Oracle Fusion finance system, ensuring it is configured to meet organisational needs.
2. Design and deliver bespoke financial reports from Oracle Fusion, improving the quality, accessibility and efficiency of financial reporting.
3. Drive continuous improvement across finance systems, leading project streams to enhance Oracle Fusion processes and functionality.
4. Act as the key link between finance and system implementation teams, translating business requirements into practical system solutions.
5. Identify opportunities to streamline and automate finance processes through effective use of systems and technology.
6. Contribute to the development of financial capability by supporting colleagues in the effective use of Oracle Fusion and related reporting tools.
7. Provide support to trainee accountants, ensuring their development towards a CIPFA qualification is progressing appropriately.
8. Play a key role in supporting the organisation’s journey towards CIPFA accreditation, contributing to a strong learning and development culture.
The successful candidate will have:
9. A full CCAB accountancy qualification.
10. Experience working within large or complex organisations, ideally within the public sector or similar environments.
11. Proven hands on experience working with Oracle Fusion, including configuration, optimisation and report building.
12. Strong technical understanding of finance systems, with the ability to troubleshoot issues and implement improvements.
13. Experience developing bespoke financial reports and improving reporting processes within a complex environment.
14. A solid grounding in financial accounting principles and financial reporting requirements.
The closing date for applications is the 17th of May. Applications will be under continuous review before the closing date, so please submit your CV to our exclusive search agent Robertson Bell as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.