Assistant Accountant

Working within the Finance Division of the Council, you will be a confident, enthusiastic, and self-motivated individual with a positive disposition. Additionally, you will be required to display initiative and work well and collaboratively within a team environment.

You will assist in the development and implementation of financial and budgetary control systems, performance management frameworks and Service Level Agreements, as well as undertaking detailed financial monitoring of both capital and revenue income and expenditure accounts in accordance with the Council’s Financial Regulations. Your main duties will include, but are not limited to, budget preparation and monitoring, assistance in completing statutory accounts and statistical returns, provision of financial support to Council projects, assisting with the provision of financial support and assurances regarding the Council’s Arms-Length External Organisations, and provision of responsive and accessible financial advice and support to budget holders and other client officers. In addition, you will be required to support Accountants and Finance Managers in the development and maintenance of key financial procedural documents, preparation of Service Level Agreements, development of financial systems and, where appropriate, supervise and direct the activities of staff.

In undertaking these tasks, you will be responsible for ensuring compliance with the Council’s Financial Regulations and Schemes of Financial Delegation. You will, therefore, require a minimum of two years practical experience within a finance environment, experience of financial ledger / accounting systems, experience of using spreadsheets and databases, and be able to evidence analytical, numeracy, communication, and interpersonal skills. Additionally, the key duties of the post requires knowledge of online financial management information systems and modern software packages, along with the ability to organise work effectively to meet deadlines. You must have an HNC in Accounting or Association of Accounting Technician Qualification (Level 6) or equivalent accounting qualification.

Knowledge and experience of public sector accounting, report writing, presentation skills, and the ability to manage a diverse and varied workload are desirable, but not essential. A commitment to your own learning and development, attainment of Association of Accounting Technician qualification (Level 8), and an ability to travel to offices within the Council’s boundaries are also desirable.

Working here at North Lanarkshire Council

If you’re considering a career with us, you’ll be keen to know what’s in it for you. We have a great package of benefits available, from health and wellbeing to finances and family. This includes 27 days annual leave and 6 public holidays*, and a wide range of benefits available to you, find out more at work well NL. We also have a full package of learning and development through our learning academy LearnNL to help you reach your full potential and further your career.

For more information on local authority careers visit the myjobscotland career hub

North Lanarkshire Council are Happy to Talk Flexible

Working, we operate a Smarter Working Policy.

Click here to see our Recruitment Charter.

*For all casual/sessional roles, you will receive 12.1% of your hourly rate for every hour worked in total recompense for annual leave, including public holidays. These rates will be indicated separately on your payslip. You will only be paid for the hours that you work.

We are a Disability Confident Leader and offer a guaranteed interview to applicants who consider themselves to be disabled, as long as they meet the essential criteria of the person specification/job description.

We have also adopted the Armed Forces Community Covenant to show our support for service personnel, veterans and their families. We offer a guaranteed interview for service leavers, spouses, reservists and veterans, as long as they meet the essential criteria of the person specification/job description.

North Lanarkshire Council is committed to #KeepingThePromise. This means that if you have ever been in care (looked after at home with a social worker, lived with a relative other than your parents, experienced foster, residential or secure care) you are entitled to a guaranteed interview for this post, as long as you meet the essential criteria of the person specification/job description. This is one way North Lanarkshire is demonstrating our commitment to supporting Care-Experienced People.

The Plan for North Lanarkshire is to be the place to live, learn, work, invest and visit. The Council recognises that work is an important part of adult life and is critical to our wellbeing and shaping how we live. The Fair Work Convention’s Framework defines Fair Work as work that offers effective voice, fulfilment, opportunity, respect and security. We believe Fair Work can boost creativity, realise untapped potential and increase productivity. To find out more click on the link.

Alternative Application Packs can be requested in other formats for example, Large Print, Braille, and Audio. To request an alternative Application Pack please phone 01698 403151.

The following link contains our Easy Read documents which will help explain the process and what happens during the selection process: Easy Read – My NL

• ***PLEASE NOTE WE DO NOT ACCEPT CVS IN PLACE OF THE APPLICATION FORM. TO BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS VACANCY YOU MUST ENSURE AN APPLICATION FORM IS SUBMITTED. ANY CV SUBMISSIONS WILL BE DISREGARDED.***