Suffolk County Council
Address: Endeavour House, Ipswich, Suffolk, IP1 2BX - Hybrid
Salary: £48,163 per annum (pro rata for part time)
Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
Contract: Permanent

At Suffolk County Council, we’re reimagining what local government can achieve. As a Senior Accountant, you’ll help us to shape Suffolk’s future as we enter this period of change. We are looking for someone who is innovative with a drive for continuous improvement to help us make the best use of our resources. If you’re ready to make a difference, we can use your skills to help deliver positive change across the communities that the Council serves.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

You will be the Finance lead for the support, maintenance and delivery of the Council’s financial systems. Using your skills and expertise, you will develop innovative solutions to problems and processes to ensure the most effective use of these systems, with a strong focus on continuous improvement, automation and increased self‑service for users.

You will be responsible for the development, testing and implementation of changes to finance systems, making informed recommendations on how the Council can adopt best practice and use systems efficiently. In doing so, you will help the Finance team provide high‑quality data to the Council and its partners, utilising and contributing to the development of reporting tools.

You will lead on the management and provision of expert advice in relation to the financial system, applying highly specialised knowledge to develop and implement procedures and controls that mitigate risk and provide the Council with robust, timely and reliable information. You will also act as the escalation point for staff requiring advice and assistance with complex financial systems issues.

The role involves close liaison with other departments on the implementation of projects that impact finance, including responsibility for user acceptance testing and formal sign‑off. You will operate within established guidelines and practices, though not always rigidly following set procedures, and will be expected to use your judgement and initiative to make recommendations that support strategic decision‑making.

As a key senior member of the Council’s Finance team, you will be prepared to work flexibly across a range of financial accounting and reporting responsibilities to support the delivery of wider team objectives. You will also provide support to the implementation of Local Government Reorganisation and Devolution as required.

You will need

CCAB (e.g. CIPFA, ACCA) or CIMA qualified.
a broad base of financial experience and knowledge, preferably gained from a public sector background.
to work well as part of a team, mentor and manage staff as required.
to competently represent the Chief Financial Officer as required.
to be trustworthy, diligent and motivated, and able to work without close supervision.
to be adaptable to meet changing requirements and needs.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.

If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

This role sits within the Corporate Finance team, a team of twelve responsible for delivering a wide range of effective financial management and reporting activities across the Council.

The postholder will have direct line management responsibility for a member of the team and will play an active role in mentoring and developing staff within Finance and more widely across the Council, particularly as new processes and service changes are implemented. The role reports to the Lead Accountant (Systems, Training & Transformation).

Working closely and collaboratively with colleagues across the wider Finance team is a key part of the role, supporting the achievement of shared objectives. With responsibility for maintaining and developing the Council’s financial systems, the role offers a significant opportunity to shape how Finance operates in the future and to influence ways of working across the organisation.

The role is based at Endeavour House in Ipswich, with an expectation of office attendance at least two days per week. One of these will be the team day on Tuesdays, with hybrid working in place for the remainder of the week.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Rebekah Schoenthal (she/her) for a casual conversation. You can reach her by calling 01473 265577 or emailing Rebekah.Schoenthal@suffolk.gov.uk.

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word).

Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word).

Tell us about a piece of work where you led on financial analysis or a project that enabled transformation or efficiency. How did you identify opportunities for improvement and what was achieved?
Describe a time when you interpreted new or changing legislation or guidance and explained the financial implications to non-finance colleagues or senior leaders.
Share an example of how you have maintained data integrity across financial systems and processes.
Tell us about a situation where you proactively identified the need for change, for example due to customer expectations or organisational priorities. What actions did you take?

Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details).

Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page.

Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at recruitment@suffolk.gov.ukor 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 2 June 2026.

Interview date:Week commencing 22 June.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you’ll enjoy:

up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
diverse and active staff networks
flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).

Suffolk County Council

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