Property Accounts Manager

About the role and what we’re looking for

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a busy and forward-looking Strategic Property team serving two district councils.

We are seeking to appoint an enthusiastic and highly motivated Property Accounts Manager to provide professional financial services and advice to support the delivery of the Strategic Property function with responsibility for overseeing the property accounting function for both councils’ property portfolios.

The post will work with the Strategic Finance team to provide analysis and reporting of financial data to inform the work of the function ensuring compliance with the council’s financial regulations, the CIPFA code, and the applicable corporate financial systems and procedures.

About you

Your essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Strong all round accounting knowledge.
• Ability to collect, appraise, analyse and evaluate information.
• Strong organisational, interpersonal and communication skills, both written and spoken and the ability to plan and prioritise self and the team.
• Diplomacy, tact and negotiation skills both internally and externally across all levels of leadership.
• Ability to analyse financial data and produce and evaluate meaningful management information.
• Ability to troubleshoot, problem solve and think laterally.
• Good understanding of a Financial Management System and Property Information Management System.
• A sound understanding of accounting requirements.
• Numerate with a high degree of accuracy.
• Excellent IT skills, proficient in Excel and Word.
• Experience of maintaining financial records, budgets and case files.
• Experience of preparing financial reports and analysis for senior stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Understanding the need to comply with the council’s constitution, including its contract and financial procedures and regulations.
• Understanding and experience using data, financial information and performance measures to produce meaningful reports and evidence to support recommendations.

Your essential qualifications:

• Educated to A-level or equivalent.
• Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Qualified or equivalent.
• Minimum of 3 years’ experience working in an accounting role within the public sector or property related environment.

If you have the following experience or qualifications – it’s a bonus

• Knowledge of Concerto (Property Information Management System) and UNIT4 financial software would be an advantage.
• Experience of a complex property portfolio.
• Experience of debt management processes.
• Experience of implementing financial policies and procedures – essential.
• Experience of writing reports and papers.
• Experience in handling internal and external audit processes and meeting audit requirements.

The benefits we offer:

• A basic 25 days annual leave per annum, rising to 30 days after five years. You also have all the bank holidays to look forward to and time off between Christmas and New Year.
• Flexible working and annualised hours – a flexible approach to work that our employees love!
• Salary pay awards – most jobs give scope for a pay increase after six months or the following April (depending on your start date) and we also review salaries each April.
• A generous career average pension scheme which includes life insurance of three times your salary
• The opportunity to purchase a bike through Cyclescheme (cheaper than directly through a store) so that you can cycle to work!
• Various schemes to keep you healthy (reduced gym membership, free swims, free eye tests for DSE users and more)
• We give you two days per year to volunteer within the local community.
• A range of resources, support, and activities to help you maintain your wellbeing including a monthly wellbeing hour in addition to annualised hours (the ability to work flexibly as long as, over the course of the year, you complete your contracted hours) and annual leave.

You may also have experience in the following: Senior Accountant, Accountant, Financial Controller, Accounting Manager, Senior Financial Analyst, Audit Manager, Assistant Controller, Finance Manager, Financial Reporting Manager, Cost Accountant, Senior Internal Auditor, Finance Business Partner, Revenue Recognition Analyst, Senior Bookkeeper, Budget Analyst, etc.