Principal Accountant

We Are St Helens Borough Council

Located in the heart of the Northwest close to Liverpool, Manchester and Lancashire, St Helens is a transformational Council which is passionate and ambitious for the communities we support.

We provide a wide range of local authority services to the residents, businesses, schools, and visitors to the borough. We can only do this because of our highly valued, highly skilled workforce.

Working together, our workplace vision and values guide our organisation, and the contribution of our workforce is key to our culture journey. Employees with us receive a wide range of benefits including well-being in work, financial benefits, ways of working and learning and development support.

Making A Difference as a Principal Accountant in the Finance and Accountancy Service

The Council is at an exciting stage of a significant transformation programme, with the modernisation of the finance function integral to these plans.

We currently have an opportunity for an ambitious person, either AAT qualified or in possession, or nearing completion, of a CCAB/CIMA qualification to support the Finance Business Partner and Finance Manager in delivering financial support across the Council’s Place Directorate.

Successful candidates will be pivotal and valued members of the Accountancy team - working with service areas in the provision of timely, accurate and high-quality budget and financial management support and advice; completing statistical returns; providing financial information; contributing to budget setting and the year-end closure of accounts and production of financial statements.

A sound knowledge of accounting principles and techniques is necessary, together with excellent communication and team working skills and high levels of self-confidence.

The Council can offer you:

• A competitive salary,
• Access to the Local Authority Pension Scheme (LGPS), with a generous employer pension contribution (on top of your own contribution),
• A generous annual leave allowance,
• Access to a number of salary sacrifice schemes,
• Access to our benefits platform which offers a wide range of discounts and money saving opportunities,
• Hybrid working - working in a way that adds most value,
• Flexible and agile working arrangements,
• Support with health and wellbeing,
• Professional development opportunities,
• Friendly, warm and welcoming team,
• A rewarding, challenging career.

We very much look forward to receiving your application.

Please can you ensure that you provide a supporting statement detailing how you meet all of the essential and desirable criteria.

Essential Criteria
For each essential criterion, provide a specific example demonstrating how you meet it. Use evidence from your experience, qualifications, achievements, and skills.

Desirable Criteria

If you meet a desirable criterion, give a relevant example as evidence.

If you do not fully meet a desirable criterion, explain:

• Any related or transferable experience you have.
• How you would approach the task or requirement.
• Your willingness and ability to learn and develop in that area.

We recognise that candidates may use AI tools to support their application. However, applicants should use AI with caution and ensure that all information, examples, achievements, and responses submitted are their own. Applications should accurately reflect your skills, knowledge, and experience, as these will be explored further during the selection process.

Interested to Find Out More?

You can review our full job description details, and person specification information here.

For an informal discussion about this role please contact

Glenn Howard – Finance Manager at [email removed]

Janet Cross - Finance Business Partner at [email removed]

Please note we reserve the right to close the advert early should we receive a sufficient number of applications and encourage you to apply early to avoid disappointment.

We plan to interview candidate’s the week following the advert closing date

Be scam aware: St Helens Council will never ask applicants to share payment information or charge recruitment fees when applying for vacancies. If in doubt, contact [email removed]

St Helens Council is a Disability Confident Leader. This means that the Council guarantees an interview to disabled applicants who demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria for the job, as detailed on the Person Specification, and will, for qualifying disabled candidates, make reasonable adjustments within the interview/selection process.

Equality & Diversity

We encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds, who share our values, our commitment to inclusion, and who will help us on our journey to transform our organisation. The Council guarantees an interview to disabled applicants who demonstrate that they meet the essential criteria for the job, as detailed on the Person Specification, and will, for qualifying disabled candidates, make reasonable adjustments within selection.

All Council employees are required to abide by the ethical standards embodied by the 7 Nolan Principles

St Helens Borough Council is a Disability Confident Leader. Disability Confident Leader lead the way in helping to take action that changes attitudes, behaviours, and cultures for the better.

All Council employees are required to abide by the ethical standards embodied by the 7 Nolan Principles

We reserve the right to close the advert early, with sufficient applications. Apply early to avoid disappointment.

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NOLAN Principles of Conduct in Public Life.
All Council employees are required to abide by the ethical standards embodied by the 7 Nolan
Principles: Selflessness, Integrity, Objectivity, Accountability, Openness, Honesty, and Leadership.