VAT Accountant

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• VAT_Accountant_Job_Description_-_August_2025
• VAT_Accountant_Advert_Narrative
• Supplementary_Information_Form__External__-_VAT_Accountant
• Conditions_of_Service_-_November_25_-_Template

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You will also be required to input your name and email address and will be invited to complete an equal opportunities questionnaire.

Knowsley Council is an award-winning Local Authority, named Local Authority of the Year in the Municipal Journal Awards 2024.

We are an Accredited employer under the Liverpool City Region Fair Employment Charter, demonstrating that we are committed to the principle of fair employment and we are dedicated to providing a healthy, fair, inclusive and just workplace.

Come join us and be part of our success.

Get to Know the Borough of Knowsley

Thank you for your interest in joining our team at Knowsley Council. Knowsley is one of 6 Local Authorities that comprise the Liverpool City Region (the others being Liverpool, Sefton, St Helens, Wirral, and Halton). The Council’s vision is to support Knowsley residents to thrive, and we want to achieve this by:

• Delivering effective, high-quality services to positively impact the lives of Knowsley residents.
• Encouraging growth that benefits everyone ensuring our communities and town centres flourish.
• Delivering targeted support to encourage fairness and opportunity for those residents facing the biggest challenges.

Recent achievements in Knowsley have highlighted the Council’s ability to deliver impactful change, setting the stage for future progress. These achievements include:

• Sustained growth in the population - with 160,000 residents currently living in Knowsley.
• Growth in the economy - with the number of jobs in Knowsley increasing from 69,000 to 79,000 in the last five years. Knowsley is also home to more than 4,000 businesses.
• 4,000 new homes being built in the Borough over the past five years.

Working for Knowsley Council

Knowsley Council prides itself on having a flexible and supportive approach to work. This includes a combination of home and office-based working, flexible working, generous leave entitlements, options to purchase additional leave, and a range of opportunities for learning and development.

The Council has a wide-ranging employee benefits programme (including Wellbeing and Employee Assistance, salary sacrifice schemes, and discounted gift cards from leading UK retailers) and there is also free car-parking across the Borough.

We place a great deal of emphasis on induction for new employees. We want our employees to feel supported and valued and be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to contribute to the work of the organisation as soon as possible. To help you settle into your new role you will be provided with a full induction programme – which will help you navigate your arrival at Knowsley Council and make sure you have everything you need for your new job.

The Financial Management Service

The Financial Management Service provides advice to officers across the Council, helping them manage the financial resources they use to deliver services to Knowsley residents. Each team’s core activity is based on an annual workplan which includes budget setting; budget monitoring; closure of accounts; the provision of financial advice to service managers and elected members; and the development of the Council’s financial strategy.

The Service also includes the Council’s internal audit function which provides assurance on the effectiveness of the Council’s arrangements for risk management, internal control, and governance.

Knowsley Council has gained an excellent reputation in recent years for strong and effective financial management. This has been led by the Financial Management Service and has enabled the Council to manage the many challenges faced by local government over the last decade.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced, motivated VAT accountant who can work constructively and proactively with colleagues both within FMS and corporately. The postholder will report directly to the Team 4 Finance Manager, with occasional matrix structure arrangements depending on project demands.

Candidates should have a sound understanding of Local Government VAT requirements, and specifically how our ongoing capital projects and any future major development work involving external companies would impact the Council's VAT arrangements.

At Knowsley Council we will consider requests for flexible working. For most roles, the following types of flexibility are usually possible: flexible hours, working from home, compressed hours, part-time.

We welcome applications from residents and beyond, regardless of background, belief, or identity, recognising the value that diversity brings to our organisation. We particularly welcome applications from individuals from Black and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and candidates with disabilities as we acknowledge their underrepresentation in our workforce.

See the benefits of working for Knowsley MBC https://www.knowsley.gov.uk/yes.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applicants.

At Knowsley we value our applicants and want them to feel well-informed and welcomed. If you have any questions about this specific job role or what it is like to work at Knowsley, please contact:

Cathy Cairns, cathy.cairns@knowsley.gov.uk

0151 443 3361

If you are interested in this vacancy, please complete the supplementary info document attached to this vacancy and attach this to your CV as one document.

Please note if a CV and supporting statement does not reflect the person specification it is unlikely to be shortlisted.