Financial Management Accountant (Temp)

SECTION 1: INTRODUCTION

Cork County Council invites applications from suitably qualified persons, who wish to be considered for inclusion on a panel from which temporary vacancies for Financial Management Accountant may be filled.

The Local Government sector in Ireland is made up of 31 local authorities and 3 regional assemblies. Local authorities are the closest and most accessible form of Government to citizens. Cork County Council is the local government authority for County Cork.

SECTION 2: ROLE

The Financial Management Accountant is a senior position within the Finance Department reporting to the Director of Finance. The successful candidate will be responsible for modernising and managing change in the finance function. They will be responsible for introduction of new initiatives, policies and procedures and working with multidisciplinary teams to deliver financial and tax services within the local authority.

The successful candidate will work in a dynamic and progressive Local Authority which provides a multiplicity of services to County Cork.

The Finance Department has responsibility for:

▪ Financial and management accounting - including the preparation of revenue and capital budgets, and the Annual Financial Statement;

▪ Management of long and short-term finances, including investments and borrowings;

▪ Development and improvement of financial systems;

▪ Accounts Payable;

▪ Accounts Receivable;

▪ Payroll;

▪ Commercial Rates;

▪ Insurance;

▪ Motor Taxation;

▪ Procurement Management & Compliance;

▪ Corporate Financial Governance oversight and Business Continuity;

Local Government is placing a greater emphasis on strategic management, accountability, performance management and customer service. As a key member of the finance management team you will be required to make a valuable contribution to the strategic management of the finance function. This is an opportunity for an experienced finance professional to fully utilize their professional, technical and management skills in an environment that promotes a high-performance culture.

SECTION 3: DUTIES

The person or persons appointed will work under the direction and control of the Director of Finance, Deputy Director of Finance or any other officer designated by the Chief Executive.

The Financial Management Accountant duties shall include but are not limited to the following:

▪ Preparation of the statutory accounts;

▪ Compilation and preparation of the statutory Local Authority Budget and capital programme;

▪ Liaise with internal and external stakeholders to include auditors, Department of Housing and Local Government, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform (DPER), Office of the Revenue Commissioners, National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC), Banks and funding providers;

▪ Ensuring that the entities under the Chief Executive’s control adhere to currently accepted accounting standards and relevant codes of practice;

▪ Management, control and development of the day-to-day operations of the Finance Department and its sections;

▪ Monitoring and implementing or improving internal controls and checks to ensure good financial control, safeguarding of assets of the local authority;

▪ Operation and development of the Council’s accounts receivable or debtor management functions including loan administration, collection of commercial rates, goods and service charges etc;

▪ Ensuring the Council is tax compliant;

▪ Ensuring the rapid, timely and accurate preparation of statutory and other financial and management reports through the use of automated systems;

▪ Monitoring, interpretation and reporting on monthly management accounts for senior management and their sections;

▪ Preparation, implementation and on-going review of the Local Authority’s finance plans including management of capital budgets;

▪ Financial planning and analysis including ad-hoc financial analysis and modelling;

▪ Introduction of reporting structures and systems in line with new requirements of legislation, circulars, value for money reports etc;

▪ Providing financial advice and assistance to internal departments to support the achievement of the Corporate Objectives and support devolved budgeting structures;

▪ Cashflow Management, Treasury and Loan Reporting & Management;

▪ Ensuring the adequacy of financial systems in the Council, and in particular, their support by adequate information systems;

▪ Implementing changes in existing financial systems as required;

▪ Promoting and assisting the implementation of good practice in: Risk Management; Procurement; Value for Money; Shared Services; Efficiency and Effectiveness;

▪ Managing and developing staff in the Finance function to ensure the highest standards of proficiency and work with a variety of non-Finance teams;

▪ Attendance at Council and committee meetings when required;

▪ Other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned from time to time.

SECTION 4: ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA / QUALIFICATIONS

Character

Each candidate must be of good character.

Health

Each candidate must be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

Education, Training, Experience etc.

Each candidate must, on the latest date for receipt of completed application forms:

(a) Possess a professional accountancy qualification and be a member of a recognised body of accountants, and

(b) Have satisfactory experience of accountancy work, including management accounting and or financial accounting, and

(c) Be experienced in the management of staff, and

(d) Possess knowledge of public sector finance.

Age

Age restrictions shall only apply to a candidate where he or she is not classified as a new entrant within the meaning of the Public Services Superannuation Act, 2004. A candidate who is not classified as a new entrant must be under 70 years of age.

Transport

Holders of the office shall hold a full driving licence for Class B Vehicles and when required to do so, shall drive a motor car in the course of their duties and for this purpose provide and maintain a car to the satisfaction of the local authority.

Required Skillset

In the context of the key duties and responsibilities for the post of Temporary Financial Management Accountant listed above, the ideal candidate will demonstrate the following knowledge, experience, skills and competencies:

▪ Knowledge of accounting methods, procedures, processes and contemporary management accounting techniques and principles;

▪ Extensive experience in leading, developing and implementing financial and resource allocation strategies that support Strategic Corporate objectives;

▪ Experience in the identification of critical financial issues and of briefing senior management and or Board of same;

▪ Extensive experience of analysis, conceptual thinking and problem solving in Finance and Business Management;

▪ Knowledge of taxation;

▪ Experience of staff supervision and performance management;

▪ Highly developed relationship management and interpersonal skills and a capacity to promote co-operation, trust and openness amongst staff and customers;

▪ Highly developed oral and written communication skills, including negotiation, report writing and presentation skills;

▪ Excellent working knowledge of integrated Financial Management Systems and Microsoft Office suite and or equivalent;

▪ Experience in risk management and procurement;

▪ An ability to determine priorities and organise workloads in order to produce quality output within tight time-frames;

▪ A proven ability to work under pressure and think laterally in dealing with a wide range of issues;

▪ Knowledge of the Centro FMS or other major financial management systems;

▪ Knowledge and ability to discharge the duties of the post concerned;

▪ Be suitable in all other relevant respects for appointment to the post concerned.

Candidates, if successful, will not be appointed to the post unless they:

▪ Agree to undertake the duties attached to the post and accept the conditions under which the duties are, or may be required to be, performed;

▪ Are fully competent and available to undertake, and fully capable of undertaking, the duties attached to the position.

SECTION 5: COMPETENCIES

A Competency Based Application form requires you to describe some of your personal achievements to date that demonstrate certain competencies (necessary skills and qualities) required for the position for which you are applying. For each competency, you are given a description of a skill or quality. You are then asked to describe a situation, from your own experience, which you think is the best example of what you have done which demonstrates this skill or quality.

It is essential that you describe how you demonstrated the skill or quality in question. Therefore, compose your replies carefully in this section and try to structure what you write so that you give specific information about what you have done for example, do not simply say that “X was successful”, describe exactly what you did and how you demonstrated the skill or quality in question.

For each example please include the following:

a) the nature of the task, problem or objective;

b) what you actually did and how you demonstrated the skill or quality and, where appropriate, the date you demonstrated it;

c) the outcome or result of the situation and your estimate of the proportion of credit you can claim for the outcome.

The information you present in your application may form part of a shortlisting process and may also be used to help structure your interview, should you be invited to one. A shortlisting process may be applied based on two or more of the competencies and on other information you provide in your application form.

Please note that, should you be called to interview, the board may look for additional examples of where you demonstrated the Knowledge, Experience, Skills and Competencies required for this post, so you should think of a number of examples of where you demonstrated each of the skills.

SECTION 6: TENURE

The fixed term contract duration is 36 months. The office is wholetime and temporary. The post is pensionable. A panel may be formed to fill this position and any future temporary vacancies for Financial Management Accountant which may arise during the lifetime of the panel.

SECTION 7: SALARY

The salary scale for the post is: €81,777 - €108,074 basic per annum.

€81,777 - €82,506 - €85,715 - €88,944 - €92,179 - €95,379 - €98,600 (Maximum),

€102,252 (1st LSI) (after 3 years satisfactory service on the Maximum), €108,074 (2nd LSI) (after 3 years satisfactory service on the 1st LSI).

Entry point to this scale will be determined in accordance with Circulars issued by the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government. In accordance with Departmental Circular letter EL 02/2011, a person who is not a serving local authority employee on or after 1st January 2011, will enter the scale for the position at a minimum point. Rate of remuneration may be adjusted from time to time in line with Government Policy.

SECTION 8: LOCATION OF POST

The position will be based initially in County Hall, Carrigrohane Road, Cork.

Cork County Council reserves the right to assign you to any department, premises or district in use by the Council, now or in the future. Changes in location of employment will not result in payment of disturbance money or compensation. The person appointed will be required to provide himself or herself at his or her own expense with the necessary mode of travel to and from work.

Holders of the office shall reside in the district in which their duties are to be performed or within a reasonable distance thereof.