Financial Accountant - Fixed Assets

Overview

Are you an ambitious finance professional ready to take the next step in your career? We’re looking for a motivated Financial Accountant to join our Finance team and play a key role in shaping high‑quality financial management across the Council. As part of this varied role, you’ll take ownership of Fixed Assets and IFRS 16 lease accounting, ensuring these complex areas are managed with accuracy, insight, and robust financial control.

This is a fantastic opportunity to gain exposure to a diverse range of technical accounting disciplines Treasury Management, Collection Fund, Taxation, External Audit, Capital Accounting, Fixed Assets, and more while working collaboratively across the organisation. With a clear career/linked grade pathway, this role is ideal for someone who wants to grow, develop, and make a meaningful impact.

Contract: This is a fixed term contract/secondment opportunity until 31^st March 2027

About us

Our Financial Accounting and Control team ensures robust financial controls and compliance with regulatory, accounting, and auditing standards. We are proud of the services we deliver and the people who deliver them.

Why Join Us:

• Culture: Experience a fair and inclusive culture that promotes a positive work-life balance.
• Benefits: Enjoy generous leave entitlement, competitive pay aligned with our performance pay scheme, and a substantial employer pension contribution through the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Development: Opportunities for career growth and development, along with various discount schemes and more.

About the role

As a Financial Accountant, you’ll become a trusted technical expert, supporting the delivery of accurate, compliant, and insightful financial information across the Council. You’ll work closely with colleagues in Finance and with service areas to maintain robust financial controls, ensure statutory compliance, and help drive continuous improvement in our processes and systems.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Coordinating work programmes to ensure timely delivery of all technical accounting activities.
• Developing, implementing and maintaining systems, policies, and procedures within your specialist areas.
• Researching and assessing the impact of regulatory and accounting standards changes, ensuring the Council remains fully compliant.
• Conducting detailed financial analysis, preparing high‑quality reports, and offering recommendations to senior management.
• Supporting internal and external audit processes and ensuring effective implementation of audit recommendations.
• Streamlining and automating processes, contributing to our wider continuous improvement agenda.
• Building strong, collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders, representing the Finance service with professionalism and expertise.
• Contributing to Council-wide projects, providing technical advice, and supporting the implementation of complex accounting standards and regulations.

Any-Desk:
As an ‘any-desk’ worker, you’ll need to be connected to our network to access digital folders and resources, but this can either be from home or an office location when required. You will be required to work from the office a couple of times a week, depending on your role and team requirements.

About you

Essential experience & skills:

• Qualifications: Part-qualified/finalist CCAB or CIMA accountant, AAT qualified.
• Experience: Experience in finance within a medium to large organisation, with a track record in supporting the delivery of statutory financial accounts and working with external auditors.
• Skills: Excellent communication and collaboration abilities, attention to detail and a commitment to continual improvement.
• Attributes: A desire to excel in technical areas of accounting and a collaborative approach to driving service change.

Please refer to the job summary attached for further information about the role.

Other information

If you would like to have an informal conversation about this role, please contact Nicola Gyselinck (Chief Accountant) at [email protected]

Working arrangements: Any desk worker, working 2 days in the office (Aylesbury) and 3 days from home.

Interview date: 18th March, in person.

This post is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and/or unspent convictions

For further information on how long it takes for cautions and convictions cautions to become spent, please refer to our guide on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (updated 2023) | Nacro

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

Our values and culture

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

About the Business Unit

Resources cover a wide range of specialisms, including Human Resources, Finance, ICT and Business Operations. Our main focus is supporting the other directorates to provide the best possible service to our residents. To do that, we have to make sure we have the right people in the right roles across the organisation. From our finance teams, working strategically to ensure the best value from public money; to HR keeping our employees healthy and happy, each service is vital in making sure Buckinghamshire Council has what it needs to run effectively and efficiently.

As well as providing high quality services to other areas of the Council, you could also be helping us build on the revenue which comes from our external clients. If you are ambitious, customer-focussed and bursting with new ideas, we want to hear from you.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/