Walsall Council
Finance Business Partner - Ref: RT00826
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Technical Accountant (Finance Business Partner) - Ref: RT00826
G10: £47,181 - £50,269 per annum
Location: Walsall / Hybrid working
Contract: Full Time, Permanent
Join our Financial Reporting Team
Are you a qualified accountant who enjoys applying accounting standards, solving technical accounting issues and producing high-quality financial reporting?
We're looking for an experienced accountant to join Walsall Council's Financial Reporting Team. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a passion for technical accounting who wants a varied role covering statutory accounts, external audit, VAT, leasing, financial reporting and charity accounting.
This is not a traditional management accounting or budget monitoring role. Instead, you'll play a key part in ensuring the Council meets its statutory financial reporting responsibilities while providing specialist accounting advice across a wide range of technical areas.
Alongside financial reporting responsibilities, you'll also support several Council charities through the preparation of management accounts and attendance at trustee meetings, giving you a varied and rewarding workload.
About the Role
As a Technical Accountant, you'll work alongside experienced finance professionals and play a key role in delivering the Council's financial reporting responsibilities.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Assisting with the preparation of the Council's annual Statement of Accounts and supporting working papers.
- Supporting the annual external audit process, liaising with auditors, responding to audit queries and helping ensure a smooth and efficient audit.
- Preparing monthly VAT returns and providing advice on VAT legislation, including Local Authority partial exemption rules.
- Managing the Council's vehicle leasing programme, working with operational teams to assess lease versus purchase options and carrying out the associated accounting, journals and monthly monitoring.
- Preparing financial journals and technical accounting adjustments.
- Preparing monthly management accounts for Council charities, supporting charity financial administration, attending trustee meetings and acting as Finance representative.
- Working collaboratively with services across the Council, schools, partner organisations and other local authorities to obtain information required for statutory reporting.
- Deputising for senior colleagues at meetings where required.
- Maintaining up-to-date knowledge of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), the CIPFA Code of Practice on Local Authority Accounting, UK GAAP and Charity SORP.
- Building strong relationships with colleagues across the organisation to provide high-quality technical financial advice and support.
No two days are the same, and you'll gain exposure to a broad range of complex accounting issues while making a real contribution to the Council's financial governance.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
About You
We're looking for someone who enjoys technical accounting and takes pride in producing accurate, high-quality financial information.
You'll be a qualified accountant (CCAB/CIMA) or actively studying towards qualification, with excellent analytical skills and the ability to interpret and apply accounting standards.
Ideally, you'll have experience of:
- Preparing statutory accounts or year-end financial statements.
- Financial reporting and technical accounting.
- Working with external auditors and responding to audit queries.
- VAT legislation and VAT administration.
- Preparing management accounts.
- Applying accounting standards and interpreting technical guidance.
- Producing clear and accurate financial working papers.
- Building effective working relationships with both finance and non-finance colleagues.
Experience within Local Government is advantageous but not essential. We welcome applications from candidates with strong technical accounting experience from a range of backgrounds who are keen to develop their knowledge of local government accounting.
Why Join Walsall Council?
At Walsall Council, you'll be joining a supportive and collaborative finance team where you'll have the opportunity to develop your technical expertise while helping deliver services that make a real difference to our communities.
In return, we offer:
- Salary of £47,181 - £50,269 per annum.
- Annual nationally negotiated pay awards through the NJC (subject to national agreement).
- Hybrid working, providing flexibility to work from home alongside office attendance and meetings where required.
- 29 days annual leave, plus Bank Holidays, increasing to 34 days after five years' continuous local government service.
- A generous Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
- Car Lease Salary Sacrifice Scheme.
- Ongoing professional development and support to maintain your professional qualification.
- The opportunity to work on interesting and varied technical accounting issues within one of the West Midlands' largest local authorities.
Ready to Apply?
If you're looking for a role where you can use your technical accounting expertise, broaden your experience and contribute to high-quality financial reporting within local government, we'd love to hear from you.
Join Walsall Council and help shape the future of financial reporting in a forward-thinking and supportive finance team.
View Job Description and Employee Specification
Important note: When completing your online application form, you will be asked to enter supporting information. You must enter a detailed supporting information statement describing how your skills, abilities and experience meet the specific criteria included in the employee specification. If you do not include a supporting information statement, you will not be shortlisted. Please also ensure that you complete the work history and qualifications sections of your application form. Please do not add a CV as we do not accept them. Please see our Information for Applicants leaflet for further information.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
We kindly request that recruitment agencies do not contact us regarding this job vacancy. We are not accepting agency applications or referrals at this time.
At Walsall Council, we appreciate that AI can be a useful tool for ideas or guidance. However, we encourage you to make sure your application reflects your own voice and experiences. Over-reliance on AI can make responses feel less personal, and we really want to understand what makes you unique. Your experiences, skills, and perspective are what set you apart, so please ensure your application as a whole – particularly your ‘Supporting Information’ – reflects your own voice.
Closing Date: 31st August 2026
Here at Walsall, we want to attract the best talent. That's why - as well as a satisfying and rewarding job - we offer a range of attractive benefits [https://go.walsall.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers-/benefits-of-working-for-us]. Working arrangements in most jobs are flexible (you may work flexitime, full or part time and job sharing is usually available) and you can expect generous holiday entitlements, a first class pension scheme and plenty of opportunities for training and personal development.
We advertise vacancies because we want the best talent available. If that's you, we're waiting for your application.
Living in Walsall
Part of the Black Country, famous for its enterprising and industrial past, Walsall is reinventing itself to become a progressive modern community. The borough is centred around the major town of Walsall, but also includes five smaller and distinctive district centres (Bloxwich, Aldridge, Willenhall, Darlaston and Brownhills), together with numerous villages.
Walsall Council is committed to Safer Recruitment. To achieve our commitment, we will ensure continuous development and improvement of robust recruitment processes and procedures that promote a culture of safeguarding amongst our workforce.
Social Work Matters - Children's Social Worker Recruitment
Some of our children require a special kind of support: yours. Visit our microsite [https://go.walsall.gov.uk/children-and-young-people/social-work-recruitment] to find out more about joining Walsall Council as a Children's Social Worker.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location