What's involved with this role: Job Title: Principal Accountant Ref: E Staffordshire 5275189 Pay rate: £28.25 per hour PAYE Role length: Anticipated 3 months The role: An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Financial Services team as a Principal Accountant. Reporting to the Chief Accountant, you will play a key leadership role in the delivery of effective and efficient financial services to the Council. This is a vital post within the Finance function, with responsibility for leading on key areas including revenue budget monitoring, statutory reporting, and medium-term financial planning. You will also contribute to the strategic financial management of the Council and support continuous improvement across the team. Key Responsibilities: Lead the in-year revenue budget monitoring and reporting processes in line with established Council guidelines Provide clear, timely, and innovative financial advice and solutions to officers and elected members Take a lead role in preparing the annual Statement of Accounts, ensuring compliance with all relevant standards and codes of practice Maintain expert knowledge of financial regulations and codes of practice, offering guidance on their application across the organisation Prepare the Council’s Medium Term Financial Strategy under the guidance of the Chief Accountant Identify and lead financial projects or initiatives aimed at improving efficiency and effectiveness Ensure accurate and timely completion of all statutory and non-statutory financial returns Provide expert financial analysis and advice in relation to grant funding and discretionary funding applications Supervise, manage, and develop staff within Financial Management, as designated by the Chief Accountant Support the financial training and development of managers and team leaders in their budgetary responsibilities What the client is looking for: CCAB/CIMA qualified with extensive post-qualification experience Strong track record in local authority accounting and budgeting Proven expertise in corporate management accounting in local government, including budget setting and in-year monitoring Experience of managing a team Skilled in interpreting and applying local authority codes of practice and financial regulations Experience of making a significant contribution to the production of the Statutory Accounts Experienced in providing high-quality financial and technical advice to budget holders and senior management Demonstrated ability to deliver financial guidance in multi-disciplinary environments Up-to-date knowledge of local authority finance, legislation, and accounting standards Excellent written and oral communication skills Strong analytical and problem-solving skills Excellent IT skills How to Apply: Quote the Job Title and Reference Number in your application. Submit your CV in Word format. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis—early submission is recommended. We will also add your details to our mail out lists. Please note you may receive details of roles outside of your immediate vicinity, as many candidates are able to relocate temporarily for work. Please disregard any such emails that are not of interest and let us know if you would rather not receive such mailouts and/or if you wish us to delete your details and prefer to apply direct to our advertised roles. If you do not hear from us within three working days, unfortunately your application has not been shortlisted on this occasion. Thank you for your interest in working with us. Please quote the Job Title & Vacancy Reference No. in your application, or we will be unable to match your CV to the role being applied for. JE Please note that clients invariably ask us to strip out contact details from CVs before we submit them for consideration. This is always quicker and easier to do if you send your CV to us in Word format, rather than as a PDF please.