Principal Accountant (Service Roles) at Croydon Council

, England, United Kingdom -

Full Time

Start Date

Immediate

Expiry Date

15 Apr, 26

Salary

55322.0

Posted On

15 Jan, 26

Experience

5 year(s) or above

Remote Job

Yes

Telecommute

Yes

Sponsor Visa

Skills

Financial Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring, Forecasting, Financial Analysis, Reconciliations, Financial Management, Stakeholder Engagement, Risk Management, Team Collaboration, Reporting, Accountability, Communication, Problem Solving, Attention to Detail, Time Management

Industry

Government Administration

Description

Job Details Job Title: Principal Accountant (X7) Application Closing date: Sunday 19 October 2025 Location: Bernard Weatherill House, Croydon Salary: £53,171 to £55,322 per annum Employment Type: Permanent Advert Croydon Council has faced significant challenges in recent years in terms of its financial position. The financial challenge is steep, but the Government has noted our strong progress, with an Executive Mayor, Cabinet, Chief Executive and Corporate Management Team, who all share a commitment to the task ahead and putting Croydon’s people first. This is a very exciting time to join Croydon as we move from the recovery and improvement phases to the transformational phase of our journey to bring the Council back to financial sustainability. Croydon is a fantastic place; a vital part of London’s growth story with a strong identity in its own right and this is a rare chance to make genuine change in a place of great opportunity. What we do together over the next three years will help shape the future of one of London’s most diverse and exciting boroughs. Following the recent restructure of the strategic finance function, we are looking to appoint seven Principal Accountants across the following services: Adult Social Care & Health (x3); Children, Young People and Education (x2); Streets and Environment (x1); and Resources (x1). As a Principal Accountant, you will be supporting the Finance Manager and Head of Strategic Finance, deputising when required. You will have finance business partner responsibility for overseeing financial planning, monitoring and coordination of financial arrangements for given service areas across both revenue and capital finance. Key responsibilities include: Being responsible for the financial business partnering support and financial processes for specific services covering both capital and revenue; Taking active ownership for delivering the key outputs during the year. This includes ensuring that deadlines are met and that outputs are of a high quality to support effective financial management; Establishing a strong working relationship with budget holders, with regular meetings, to help support them with their financial management accountabilities. This includes adopting a robust approach when necessary; Using information from directorates, produce regular, accurate and up to date forecasts based on financial analysis to aid budget preparation and monitoring purposes; Proactively respond to financial risks (such as overspending) and opportunities, advising on action and escalating issues where appropriate; Regularly perform reconciliations of balance sheet and income/expenditure accounts, investigating variances on a timely basis and taking necessary action. To be suitable for the role you need to hold a CCAB/CIMA accountancy qualification or have senior finance relevant accounting experience. You should have evidence of successfully managing key financial processes (budgeting, monitoring, forecasting, closing of accounts, completion of grants and statistical returns), and have experience of working successfully as part of a professional team to deliver strong financial management advice to managers, ideally within an environment of change. For more information about the role please refer to our dedicated recruitment site or for a confidential discussion contact Jack Murphy at Allen Lane – jackmurphy@allenlane.co.uk or 07921 335 786. To apply, please submit your CV to croydon@allenlane.co.uk alongside a supporting statement (no more than 2 pages) stating why you are interested in applying, what you can bring to this role and highlighting your relevant experience and suitability. PLEASE NOTE APPLICATIONS MADE VIA THE ONLINE SYSTEM WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED FOR THIS ROLE. Equal opportunities Croydon Council is an inclusive employer and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Subject to business needs, we will be pleased to consider applications from candidates seeking flexible working arrangements and support hybrid working, whereby staff attend the workplace for part of their working week and work from home, or elsewhere, remotely for the rest of the time. As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the advertised role. Croydon Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.

Responsibilities

As a Principal Accountant, you will support the Finance Manager and Head of Strategic Finance, overseeing financial planning and coordination for specific service areas. You will also establish strong relationships with budget holders to aid in their financial management responsibilities.