Accountant (Children's)

Job Title: Accountant

Grade: E

Directorate: Finance

Responsible to: Finance Managers

Last Review Date: January 2026

Job Purpose

To support the Finance Manager with the management of the Council’s financial position through the setting of the Council’s detailed and corporate budget and supporting the departments in the management of those budgets throughout the year.

This will include the relevant reporting of the financial position throughout the year to officers and Members and identifying options for improving the financial position.

Values & Accountabilities

Our Shared Values:

• Together, we hold ourselves to account to get things done. We do this by demonstrating accountability and integrity.
• Together, we make possible what cannot be achieved alone. We do this by being collaborative and focusing on impact.
• Together, we will listen and act to continually improve. We do this by being responsive to local people and the issues they raise and adapting our approach to achieve better outcomes.

Corporate Accountabilities:

• To work with colleagues to achieve service plan objectives and targets.
• To comply with data protection legislation and the council's Information Security Policy, including supporting policies.
• To be willing and able to work in a flexible and agile way with regard both to hours of work and location of work, including remote and home working, as required, subject to service needs and requirements.
• To participate in performance development, talent reviews and one-to-ones and to contribute to the identification of your own and team development needs and goals.
• To actively promote and comply with the council's diversity and equality policies.
• To ensure full compliance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 etc., the council's Health and Safety Policy and all locally agreed safe methods of work.
• To fully understand and be aware of the commitment to Section 17 'Duty of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 to prevent crime and disorder'.
• At the discretion of the senior management, to undertake other activities as, from time to time, may be agreed consistent with the grade and nature of the role.
• To undertake and maintain relevant mandatory training in line with legislation.

Key Service Accountabilities:

• To work with Finance Manager to provide a comprehensive financial business partnering service. Working with Budget Managers to assist with costing activities and help identify and confirm areas of potential pressures and savings
• Anticipate and identify financial issues affecting the business, help managers to ensure net expenditure is within budget, escalate any business issues not resolved by Service Managers
• Contribute to regular monthly meeting with business area to challenge and scrutinise (offer critical evaluation of) monitoring figures
• Undertake service analysis to support the year-end position and the Accounts
• Work with the Commercial and Strategic Finance Teams to produce robust financial and commercial analysis as required including for business cases
• Contribute to financial modelling of new services or changes to existing services, work with business area and/or third parties to enhance financial and business performance
• Support line manager in being the liaison point between the business and the Senior Leadership Team
• Provide support to Budget Managers during budget preparation, monthly monitoring, year/end closure of accounts, help them to understand the financial information required and processes to be followed
• Contribute advice on application and interpretation of financial regulations and standing orders and the Council’s financial procedures and practices
• Look for opportunities to implement continuous improvement so that Thurrock Council can be best in class
• Other duties as directed

 

Person Specification

Information for Applicants

The person specification provides an outline of the experience, skills, and abilities we expect the successful applicant to possess. You should match your own skills, experience, and abilities to those listed below. Tell us in what way you meet the requirements.

 

Essential Criteria

• CCAB/CIMA (Or Overseas Equivalent): Full or Part Qualified
• Degree

Skills and abilities (All tested in application, interview and assessment).

• Ability to deploy relevant business and commercial knowledge and techniques including project, programme and change management techniques, research methodologies, KPIs, standards.
• Ability to lead, motivate enthuse, inform and develop people, both within the team and those in other departments
• Effective presentation, communication and interpersonal skills
• Wide understanding and experience of strategic financial planning and techniques and their application in a budget setting scenario
• Effective and demonstrable commercial and financial skills
• Excellent IT skills including Excel, Word and MS365 packages

Experience: (All tested in application, interview and assessment).

• Experience of maintaining partnerships and productive working relationships within a complex policy and service environment with senior managers and councillors, and a wide range of other bodies, such as partner organisations, communities, public agencies and statutory bodies
• A proven track record of analysing and providing advice and guidance on local government finance and policy issues including legislative change and horizon scanning

Values: (All tested in application, interview and assessment).

• To behave in accordance with our values.
• Commitment to the principles of agile working including the ability to work flexibly with regards to both hours of work and location of work including remote and home working as required.
• Understanding of and commitment to principles of equality and diversity and compliance with Thurrock Council policies.

Desirable Criteria:

• Knowledge of the issues facing local government and those relevant to service/functional responsibilities, together with the legal, financial and political context of public sector management and the statutory responsibilities of this post.
• Experience evidenced by a record of working in a significant organisational function or service in a large multi-disciplined organisation with comparable scope, budgets and resources, including of commercial and financial management