Assistant Principal Officer

On behalf of EANI, we are looking for an Assistant Principal Officer (Inside IR35) for a 3 Month Contract.
Remote with travel to offices for meetings. (Omagh, Armagh, Ballymena, Dundonald or Belfast)
This is a key post within the Corporate and Capital Accounting Service which will enable the service to meet its capital budget and accounting reporting requirements, including yearend reporting. This role in the Capital Budget and Reporting Function is key and will include direct engagement with teams across EA that play a vital part in ensuring EA meets its statutory and compliance requirements in relation to the capital budget.
The post-holder will manage relevant interfaces with other EA services including capital budget holders, the Corporate Reporting team and Finance Business Partners, and will also act as a key contact for relevant external parties including NIAO, DE and WGA departments and agencies requiring balance verification.
The APO - Capital Budget and Reporting Function will work with the Functional lead to optimise financial reporting through continuous monitoring and improvement to deliver a first class service. The post-holder has responsibility for contributing to a responsive and proactive service that delivers real, measurable efficiencies & performance improvements to all customers.
As an Assistant Principal Officer, your main responsibilities will be to:

- Lead the finance support for elements of the capital budget including complex areas, overseeing the engagement with capital budget holders and resolving issues within functional guidelines.
- Key role in the yearend capital budget and accounting procedures, liaising across teams and contributing to the overall achievement of deadlines.
- Contribute to resource management within the capital team
- Support the Functional Lead within the Capital Budget and Reporting Function to deliver service requirements including finance support to the capital budget and the annual accounts process, including working jointly with across the service to ensure a consistent and cohesive service is delivered.
- Support the Functional Lead in the on-going operational delivery of the service.
- Manage capital budget and yearend processes as assigned by the functional lead, including maximising efficiency and overall effectiveness of services.
- Assist in the oversight of workload distribution & all activities undertaken by service through work plans, ensuring the responsibilities of the function are delivered within agreed statutory requirements and at all times identifying mechanisms to continually improve service delivery.
- Share responsibility for the development of strategies, frameworks, toolkits and initiatives to sustain the continuous improvement of the Service with a particular focus on financial governance and compliance.
- Ensure the development of, and lead on related innovative and effective systems & procedures to ensure that the function is customer-orientated, providing a centre of accounting expertise and advice for budget holders.
- Take responsibility for resolving any service issues/problems/queries/escalations through analysis and investigation, as appropriate, if referred to him/her by Functional Leads within the service. This may include responsibility for resolving complex issues and problems within financial guidance and accounting standards. Escalate issues and communications to the Functional Lead or Head of Service as required.
- Through use of weekly and monthly reports, continuously monitor performance and act upon information to ensure that all activity is progressed in a timely manner in accordance with reporting requirements, raising areas of concern with the Functional Lead and agreement on strategies to resolve.
- Maintain clear audit trails in all actions taken ensuring that lessons learned are appropriately actioned.
- Lead and/or contribute to continuous improvement projects with an emphasis on digital and online approaches in conjunction with Functional Leads.

**Essential**:

- Part qualified accountant with current membership of one of the five CCAB bodies (ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, ICAS or Chartered Accountants Ireland) (ICAI) or CIMA or equivalent.
- Proven ability to achieve targets and objectives within a demanding and pressurised environment against challenging deadlines and through engaging team members.
- Demonstrable experience of delivering an effective high-quality service to service users.
- Demonstrable experience in the successful management of two of the areas listed below* in a complex organisation
- Finance policy, procedures and processes;
- Financial planning and strategy;
- Capital budget setting, monitoring and control;
- Provision of advice and support to budget holders;
- Maintaining and developing Fixed Asset Registers.

Please be aware that this role can only be worked within the UK and not Overseas.