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Home · Roles recruiting · Chief Accountant

Chief Accountant

£65,325 - £72,027 per annum + £3,203 car benefit

Purpose of post

  • To determine the Council’s accounting policies and ensure their consistent application throughout the Council, in conformity with best practice, professional standards and relevant voluntary codes of practice, in order to facilitate the proper administration of the Council’s financial affairs.

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  • To advise on the development and application of the Council’s financial policies and practices and provide corporate advice to ensure the Council’s financial health.

 

  • To lead, manage, motivate and direct the Accountancy Division of Finance, and consult with, liaise with, and direct Finance Managers of each directorate in accounting matters

 

  • To contribute through the Finance divisional management team to the overall management of the Finance Division, and the achievement of its aims, objectives, statutory obligations and targets

 

  • To act as Deputy Section 151 Officer and play a key part in the development of the Council’s financial strategies.

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Principle responsibilities

  • Determine and document consistent accounting policies for the Council in accordance with best practice, proper professional standards, and relevant codes of practice, ensuring their application throughout the Council by consulting with, instituting regular liaison with, and providing definitive guidance to all Finance Managers across the Council’s departments.

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  • Lead, manage, develop, inform and motivate employees of the Accountancy Division to ensure the timely delivery of cost-effective, continually improving corporate financial services to the Council, its Executive, and departments, while continually focussing on improving efficiency and minimising cost. Contribute to the corporate management of the division in its role of developing and implementing policy, reviewing and monitoring operational and performance issues.

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  • Plan, secure, allocate and manage resources within the Accountancy section so that service delivery standards can be met, including developing, maintaining and monitoring working practices and methods to ensure that these remain cost-effective, efficient, and economic, reflect best practice and provide equality of opportunity. Resolve operational problems and issues as they arise -giving guidance to employees as appropriate.

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  • Lead the Council’s preparation of the revenue budget and capital programme, ensuring the forecasting of resources and expenditure requirements, working in collaboration with Councillors, the Chief Executive and Directors, the Heads of Resources, Finance Managers, and cost centre managers, taking into account robustness, value for money, health, safety and equalities issues. Advise Councillors on the implications of their proposals. Present the budget and capital programme to the Head of Finance, Corporate Directors, and Councillors in accordance with Council and legal requirements. Ensure that budgets are provided correctly, implemented, managed, continuously monitored and reported on to Corporate Directors, Executive and Scrutiny thereafter, and that access to external funding sources are maximised and income generation initiatives promoted. Ensure that the budget of London Luton Airport Limited is prepared appropriately and reported to the Council’s Airport Board.

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  • Lead and play a major role in the closure of the Council’s accounts and the preparation of the Statement of Accounts, ensuring that the Statement is prepared in accordance with the Accounts and Audit Regulations, relevant codes of practice, local authority accounting panel advice, and the requirements of the external auditor. Manage the external audit process ensuring that audit queries are answered quickly and appropriately, minimising cost.

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  • Facilitate the co-ordination and development of medium and long-term strategic financial planning and policy development within Luton Borough Council and for London Luton Airport Limited, working with accountancy staff, Heads of Service, and Corporate Directors, integrating financial planning with corporate planning, to produce financially viable strategies, plans and policies, which embrace best practice, equality of opportunity and continuous improvement. Monitor all new legislation, regulation and accounting standards, and, working in collaboration with relevant officers and other stakeholders, analyse and advise on its impact and ensure its implementation where appropriate. Co-ordinate the development and review of annual and long-term work programmes, development plans and action plans and ensure that they are kept up to date, monitored and that any deviations are addressed.

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  • Establish and maintain constructive and influential working relationships with other Council officers and members, relevant external agencies, partners and other stakeholders in order to ensure that the Council is able to deliver real and effective transformation on an ongoing basis, balancing effectiveness with the need to reduce net budgets on an ongoing basis. Play a key role in any relevant formal consultations and service reviews.

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  • Develop and maintain effective corporate management systems for setting, monitoring and reviewing statutory and operational performance indicators and targets including financial reporting, writing and presenting reports as required, and responding to Member enquiries, and take early constructive action to remedy deviations in performance including responding to and resolving service related complaints.

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  • Manage the Council’s banking arrangements, ensuring that they are maintained effectively and in accordance with financial regulations.

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  •  Ensure that Section 151 responsibilities are discharged in respect of the postholder’s accountabilities, deputising as the Council’s statutory Chief Finance Officer in the absence of the Head of Finance to ensure that proper and effective financial administration is maintained throughout the Council.

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Supervisory management

The Accountancy Division has 16 staff. The postholder also supervises professional standards and has an advisory/monitoring role to all financial staff via the Finance Managers.

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Financial budget(s)

Income

 

  • Manager of the cost centre manager responsible for £110 million investments, at March 2012) and London Luton Airport Limited (approx £32m pa)

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  • Influence over - and when acting as deputy s151 officer personal responsibility for - the Council’s entire income (approx £570 million, 2011/12).

 

Operating Costs

 

  • Cost Centre manager of Corporate Accountancy (approx £920k, 2011/12); Manager of the cost centre manager responsible for borrowings (£293 million, at March 2012) and London Luton Airport Limited (approx £14 million pa).

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  • Influence over - and when acting as deputy s151 officer personal responsibility for - the Council’s entire revenue and capital budget (approx £900 million, 2011/12).

 

Project Costs

 

  • The postholder will be expected to provide some advisory support to key corporate projects, of a variety of size (up to Luton Dunstable Busway, £90million).

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Financial responsibilities

Responsibility for the Council’s accounting practices and policies as set out in this job description.

 

As a cost centre manager, ensure that assigned budgets are regularly monitored and the overall budget for the cost centre is not exceeded, in particular; assessing statements of income and expenditure on at least a monthly basis, together with records of commitments, to make predictions of the annual income and expenditure for all items of financial responsibility.

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Physical resources

Office accommodation and equipment.

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Context

This post is a third tier position and forms part of the Finance Service management team. Whilst the Head of Service will be both responsible and accountable for the services under his/her control, the day to day management of Corporate Accountancy will be delegated to this post holder. The post holder will provide practical assistance and advice in developing and implementing agreed policy, including acting as lead officer when required on matters involving or associated with Accountancy and Financial Management, working co-operatively with those leading transformation projects in order to make the ongoing net budget reductions that continue to be required throughout local government.

 

In addition, the post holder will be responsible for the management and development of the Corporate Accountancy division’s work programme and for the operational management of the resources required to deliver this programme and achieve agreed performance standards.

 

The post holder will ensure the consistent application of accountancy rules, facilitating excellent communications between corporate and departmental finance teams via regular meetings, consultation, the provision of clear and definitive guidance and effective and regular monitoring.

 

The post holder will also ensure that conditions exist for the Division’s employees to grow and develop in a confident learning environment. The post holder will deputise for the Head of Finance on an agreed basis with other third tier officers within the Finance Division.

 

There is a clear expectation that the post holder will, through his/her actions, demonstrate a real commitment to ensuring equality of access and treatment in employment and service delivery. The postholder will ensure that equal opportunities policies and activities are implemented in Corporate Accountancy to ensure quality for all in the way the service is delivered and that also reflects the Council’s commitment to work in active partnership with the community to regenerate Luton and improve the quality of life for all its citizens

 

The post holder will be required to attend meetings of the Council, its executive, committees, and other authorities and agencies, representing the Corporate Director and advising members as appropriate. This will require regular evening and occasional weekend working.

 

Key tasks will include ensuring that:

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  • the publication of the Council’s budget resolution, annual budget and final accounts is timely, accurate, and in accordance with all statutory requirements;

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  • the accounts are prepared consistently and are not subject to qualification by external audit;

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  • accountants take every appropriate opportunity to maximise income or minimise loss to the Council within proper accounting practice;

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  • Treasury Management is operated and developed in accordance with the Council’s approved policy;

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  • the accounts of London Luton Airport Limited are maintained appropriately and that the key tasks associated with Airport accounting are carried out in accordance with professional standards, including the assessment of the Airport’s business plans and the development of Council estimates based on those plans, and the use of any finance given by the Airport company to local organisations, including appropriate monitoring of such organisations to ensure value for money for the council;

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  • budget monitoring at directorate and corporate levels remains high among the Council’s priorities, and that any budgetary problems are brought to the attention of the Head of Finance, and Corporate Directors, at the earliest opportunity;

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  • the council maintains a culture of continuous financial improvement within the context of the budgets available;

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  • financially-related freedom of information requests and press enquiries are answered appropriately and within set deadlines.

 

The post holder should have a constant awareness of financial matters, including the financial markets, funding requirements and opportunities, in order to advise the Head of Finance, Director of Commercial and Transformation Services, other Directors and Members of the best way of maximising financial resources and achieving their agreed objectives.

 

The post holder will be required to play a key role in liaison with officers from other Councils, MPs, the Local Government Association, Councillors and Chief Officers in order to influence financial debates at a local and national level in the best interests of the Council whenever possible. The postholder will also be expected to develop and foster relationships with professional accountancy and financial groupings, to represent the Council’s interests and influence on national policy matters.

 

Section 151 of the Local Government Act places personal responsibility on the individual acting as Section 151 officer for the proper financial administration of the entire Council. That responsibility is enhanced by the provisions of the Audit Commission Act 1988, which enable the Commission (for so long as it exists) or the Authority to take action against individuals.

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Person specification

Key:

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Essential (E), Desirable (D)

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Application Form (A), Interview (I), Test (T), Proof of Qualification (Q), Practical Exercise (P)

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Experience

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  • Substantial experience of managing complex financial systems or procedures, including project management. (E, A, I)

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  • Substantial Financial and Budget management experience. (E, A, I)

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  • Substantial business planning experience (E, A, I)

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  • Substantial experience in managing contracts and complex agreements. (D, A, I)

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  • Experience of working within a political environment. (D, A, I)

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Skills / Abilities

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  • Able to consult, influence and negotiate with a range of people at senior level, both internally and externally to the Council. (E, A, I)

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  • Able to self-motivate, plan and prioritise workload to achieve a variety of tasks/objectives/ targets within tight deadlines. (E, A, I)

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  • Able to prepare and present reports on complex matters in an articulate and comprehensible manner with a style appropriate to the subject/audience. (E, A, I)

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  • Able to successfully apply high-level strategic and creative thinking combined with an ability to see tasks through to successful (E, A, I)

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Equality issues

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  • Demonstrable knowledge and understanding of equality issues and legislation - able to integrate equality policies into business plans, strategies, service delivery and employment practices. (E, A, I)

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Specialist knowledge

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  • Demonstrable and detailed knowledge of public sector financial regulation, legislation, codes of practice and accounting policy. (E, A, I)

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  • Knowledge of the Airport Industry. (D, A, I)

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Education and Training

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  • Qualified accountant (CCAB) - ie CIPFA, CIMA, ICA, ACCA (E, A, I, Q)

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We will consider any reasonable adjustments under the terms of the Equality Act (2010), to enable an applicant with a disability (as defined under the Act) to meet the requirements of the post.

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The Job-holder will ensure that Luton Borough Council’s policies are reflected in all aspects of his/her work, in particular those relating to:

 

  • Equal Opportunities

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  • Health and Safety

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  • Data Protection Act (2018)

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