Assistant Accountant

at  NatureScot

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE: (PLEASE REFER TO THESE IN YOUR SUPPORTING STATEMENT)

• Ability to plan and prioritise workloads
• Experience of effective communications, especially the ability to convey complex or contentious information clearly and confidently
• Ability to work accurately and to deadlines
• Good interpersonal skills that contribute to collaborative/team working and customer orientated service provision
• Ability to be flexible and adaptable in response to changing priorities
• Strong sense of responsibility, effort and commitment
• Experience in using email, MS Word, Excel and Microsoft Teams and ability to learn other systems quickly
• Good organisational and time management skills
• Be qualified to a minimum of an Accounting Technician (AAT), be working towards AAT or have the relevant work experience in this area
• Experience of working on Financial Statements and understanding and applying relevant accounting standards within a public sector context.

JOB PURPOSE SUMMARY

A member of the NatureScot Financial Accounts section within the Finance, Planning & Performance Team. The role is essential in supporting the organisation to effectively manage its Annual Report and Accounts Project.

AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

The role of Assistant Accountant will support the following business goals:

To assist in the monitoring and updating of the organisation’s assets:

• Ensure that assets are classified as per accounting policies
• Assist in the reconciliation between the Fixed Asset Register and General Ledger
• Assist in ensuring evidence is maintained to support the assets as per audit requirements
• Take the lead on annual verification and checks of assets/inventory within each unit
• Action any amendments resulting in the verification checks
• Manage assets under construction and enter the relevant journals within our financial system, Oracle Fusion.
• Provide support to the Financial Accountant as required, including but not limited to:
• Liaise and co-ordinate with staff to ensure that all information required to support the production of the annual accounts is provided within deadlines
• Take responsibility for allocated annual accounts sections and prepare audit file to a high standard ready for external audit including critical reviews against relevant accounting policies including IFRS16: Leases, IAS38: Intangible Assets, IFRS5: Assets Held for Resale, IAS16: Property, Plant & Equipment
• Provide cover and assist with Transaction Services and Treasury functions as well as other work undertaken by the Assistant Accountants
• Lead and manage the accounting for leases within NatureScot applying IFRS16: Leases where appropriate from source documents to annual accounts disclosures and including the day-to-day management and updating of the lease accounting module.