About the team we are recruiting to

We are a dynamic Financial Management Team responsible for providing a diverse range of functions to drive the Council to fulfil its transformational journey. We deliver the full range of financial management and accounting services to facilitate effective delivery of services to support the people of Coventry and deliver projects which are redefining the infrastructure of the city. Working flexibly with internal officers and external partners we aim to ensure finance is at the heart of everything that the Council does. The organisation has a high expectation of our service, and we will continue to support and develop our staff to have the skills to deliver a quality service.

What is the job role?

Are you confident and experienced in providing financial management and accounting advice to senior managers?

Are you a genuine team player who enjoys building productive relationships within organisations?

We are looking for an Accountant to compliment the Finance Support Team within Financial Management.  The role will be varied providing a selection of technical accounting and management duties in order to support City Council services and the completion of their Statutory Financial Statements.

The main duties and responsibilities of this role include:

• Targeted and specific budgetary control support and process improvement 
• Support the development of new and existing financial training courses to service users and develop a customer focused Finance Support Team
• Responsibility for centralised costing and budgeting tasks
• Management of Foster Payment process system within Finance Support

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Who are we looking for?

This is an excellent opportunity for a qualified or qualifying accountant who is ambitious and flexible with a good technical grounding and the ability to prioritise workloads.

You will have sound knowledge and understanding of accounting principles and practice, excellent interpersonal skills and an ability to engage with people at all levels to achieve appropriate outcomes. You will excel in numerical, analytical and problem-solving skills as well as having excellent communication skills.

The ability to work under your own initiative, use independent judgement, tact and decisiveness while working under pressure to deliver a first class financial and customer service and drive change against a backdrop of changing priorities is required.

When applying for this role you will be asked to write a personal statement. Linked to the person specification and above, please include the following information in your application: 

• What accounting, excel and transferable skills can you offer
• Explain how you have previously used your numerical, analytical and problem-solving skills within a financial context
• Demonstrate your communication and interpersonal skills within a financial service
• Provide examples of how you are self-motivated and deliver outcomes
• How you have delivered good customer services within a financial context

For full details on the application process please read the attached document on our jobs page labelled 'Coventry City Council Application Process'

All attachments for the job can be found here

Interview date(s): 15th & 16th September 2020

About Coventry

Coventry is a lively, multicultural city, which embraces old and new. Around the modern city centre there are traces of history everywhere – in the old city walls, the timber-framed buildings and the reconstructed medieval Spon Street. But Coventry has always had an eye on the future, and is now firmly focused on regenerating and re-inventing itself to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. With major developments and new projects taking place right across the city, Coventry City Council is the place to be!
There's a huge buzz about the city – Coventry ranks as the 8th best city to live, work and do business in the UK, and is the UK City of Culture 2021 ! We believe this will help put Coventry on the map for all the right reasons. You can feel the sense of local pride throughout the city as we build towards this momentous year. It also offers a unique, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to those joining us to play their part in it.
We genuinely believe that Coventry City Council is a special place. You will be joining Coventry City Council during an exciting time to become part of a team that contribute to achieving our visions for the city. We have made our council a place where we look after our people, making sure you're happy in your work and given everything you need to succeed. We've created friendly, welcoming workplaces where everyone is working towards the same cause, providing the best possible services for the city of Coventry.
As a council with improvement at its heart, we’re committed to making life better for the people who live and work in Coventry. We’re equally concerned with the quality of life enjoyed by our people, so by joining us, you won’t just be helping the community, you’ll be helping yourself too.
Not only do you get to work alongside great people that are helping to improve services for our community we offer great benefits too! For your valued contribution we will provide a fantastic benefits package including;

• Flexible working arrangements
• Generous annual leave allowance starting at 27 days and rising to 32 days
• Pay progression through multiple increments
• Outstanding local government pension scheme
• Learning & Development with access to certified courses.
• Access to an award winning Occupational Health Team
• Vibrant employee networks 

Coventry City Council