Financial Accountant

**Salary**: Up to £36,000

**Job Type**: Full Time, Permanent
**Location**: Head Office

**Benefits**: Competitive pension, 26 days holiday plus bank holidays, increasing with service, cycle to work scheme, season ticket loans for public transport plus much more.
Reporting to the Senior Financial Accountant, the Financial Accountant will support the delivery of a comprehensive and professional accounting function to Great Places Housing Group
**PURPOSE OF ROLE**:

- To maintain a system of quality assurance over financial processes both within the department and across the wider business;
- Production of financial information for statutory and regulatory financial returns;
- To undertake quality checks on financial information produced by the finance team.
- Assisting with the production of the individual company statutory accounts, and the quarterly soft closes;
**CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- To ensure the responsibilities of the post are carried out in a way that reflects the standards, vision and values of Great Places;
- To deliver value for money and manage resources effectively and efficiently, ensuring that targets (financial and non-financial) are met;
- To suggest ideas for change to ensure we are always efficient and effective, with a focus on digital delivery of services;
- To promote Great Places to employers, sector bodies, and the local community, developing effective partnerships with employers, the funding agencies and other representative bodies;
- To observe all policies / procedures / working practices / regulations and in particular to comply with Great Places Equality and Diversity Policy, Health and Safety Policy and Safeguarding Policy
- To undertake appropriate training and staff development.
- To identify and develop individual contribution in the delivery of the Great Places competency framework

**KEY RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- Prepare routine journals under the direction of the Senior Financial Accountant, including group recharges & monthly salary postings;
- Produce the quarterly VAT returns and reconciliations;
- Maintain all transactional accounting records in line with agreed document retention policies;
- To ensure the Group’s financial systems and processes are effective and fit for purpose in relation to VAT
- Prepare and submit regulatory returns, such as ONS surveys;
- Liaise with tax advisors over tax treatments and for corporation tax calculations
- Assisting the Head of Financial Services with control reviews
- Assist with the production of financial information for statutory accounts for year end, and quarterly soft closes;
- Monthly salary variance analysis in assistance to the management accounts team;
- Production of the Financial Services budgets and assistance with salary budget setting;
- Review and challenge balance sheet reconciliations from the wider finance team;
- Ad hoc project work.

**Qualifications and Professional Memberships**:

- Studying towards a professional accounting qualification, such as ACCA, CIMA (would consider strong QBE)
- Qualified to minimum GCSE grade C or equivalent in English and maths

**EXPERIENCE & SKILLS**:

- Use of full range of Microsoft Office, with specific knowledge in Excel
- Exposure to VAT, preferably within housing
- Ability to complete tasks in an accurate and timely manner when working under pressure
- Attention to detail
- Good written and verbal communication
- Effective liaison with staff/other stakeholders to give information/find information/resolve problems
- Organisation and ability to time-manage work load
- Able to deliver a high standard of customer service
- The ability to develop and project a positive image of Great Places through personal, written and oral skills

**PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES**:

- An ability to work in uncertainty
- Ability to work as part of a team as well as on own initiative
- Professional and value led with integrity, inclusivity and respect for diversity
- Commitment to work in partnership with others for the benefit of Great Places
- Ability to work flexibly and when needed outside normal working hours

Ref: 136 767