Trainee Accountant - Waverley Court

Job Description

Corporate Services

Trainee Accountant - fixed term until 31/03/2028
Waverley Court

Salary: £26,788 - £30,751
Hours: 36 per week

Purpose of Job

Graduate Trainee Accountants will undertake a range of placements across a number of teams within the Finance function. The work is likely to include:

- Management accounting
- Budget preparation
- Financial accounting
- Financial control
- Project work
- Internal auditing

There may also be opportunities to gain some experience in the following areas:

- Treasury management
- Procurement
- Payment processing
- Financial information systems

Graduate Trainee Accountants will be required to show measurable improvement in their performance over the specified three and a half year training period. Objectives will be set at the start of each placement and assessed at the end of each placement. At the end of the three and a half years fixed-term contract, a position with the Council is not guaranteed, although candidates will be encouraged to apply for internal positions towards the end of their placement. If at the end of the three and a half year period a position has not been secured, candidates will leave the organisation.

The post offers new entrants to the labour market the chance of paid employment combined with the opportunity to be trained in the relevant occupational area. The post includes the opportunity to gain valuable work experience, to contribute to the work of the department and to gain a nationally recognised accountancy qualification.

Major Tasks

In the early stages of employment, Graduate Trainee Accountants are closely supervised, however, as you gain more experience, you will be expected to carry out duties on your own or as lead officer on occasion and to be able to prioritise your workload appropriately.

You will follow a well-established structured training programme which has achieved Best Practice Employer accreditation. The trainee programme takes approximately three years.

During the placement, Graduate Trainee Accountants will undertake a range of tasks and will be required to:

• follow a recommended course of study over three years, which involves day release training courses delivered through web-based tuition classes;
• complete all the professional accountancy examinations required for the CIPFA qualification within three and a half years. A mentor will provide support and guidance throughout;
• demonstrate satisfactory achievement in terms of academic results and level of commitment to studying;
• undertake, with appropriate guidance and supervision, allocated financial and non-financial tasks accurately, within the agreed timescales;
• acquire and be able to demonstrate a sound understanding of the role of local government, the Council's structures and its decision-making mechanisms;
• acquire and be able to demonstrate a sound understanding of the processes and operations of each team / section you are placed in;
• work in a planned and organised manner, following instructions and procedures;
• acquire sufficient practical experience, knowledge and skills to be able to provide reassurance to more senior staff, that all relevant issues in respect of a matter or project have been / are being dealt with competently;
• clearly communicate issues and options, provide advice, respond positively to feedback and take appropriate action;
• work as part of a team to provide efficient and effective services to internal and external customers; and
• undertake any other duties as required.

An essential requirement of the post is that the postholder must hold an Honours degree (any discipline).

Requirements

Creativity and Innovation
The postholder will work to the relevant procedures within the team in which they are based. The postholder is required to gain experience of the duties undertaken in the designated team within Finance. The postholder will require to have the ability to interpret complex information / issues and provide appropriate advice and guidance to a wide range of people. The postholder will be required to use financial systems, spreadsheets and a variety of ICT packages.

Contacts and Relationships
The postholder will be in daily contact with a range of staff at all levels within the Council.
The postholder will examine, analyse and collate financial information and prepare analysis / reports as required.

They will demonstrate an understanding of the role of local government, the Council’s structure and its decision-making mechanisms.
They will demonstrate by the end of each placement, a sound understanding of the processes and operations of that section of the Finance division.

The Graduate Trainee Accountant will be required to maintain a Development Log detailing key learning experiences.

Decisions Discretion
The post-holder will make daily decisions in relation to prioritising their workload and meeting deadlines, using their own personal judgement, in collaboration as necessary, with the appropriate workplace supervisor.

They will be expected to organise their own workload, identifying priorities and deadlines.

They will be expected to manage and progress a range and variety of different workplace projects, utilising initiative as required.

Decisions Consequences
The postholder will be expected to satisfactorily complete a range of tasks to agreed objectives and within the required timescales.

Resources

The postholder will use a variety of ICT equipment in an office environment.

The postholder will have access to a range of information and will be responsible for ensuring this information is handled correctly and stored appropriately.

Work Demands
The postholder will be expected to carry out tasks with increasing efficiency and proficiency as their competence within the role grows. They will be expected to progress within their skills area and apply their learning to workplace situations.

The postholder will be expected to complete a range of tasks and projects to defined work deadlines. Trainees will generally be allocated a range of work during each placement by their placement managers and as such will have limited control over the timing, etc. of these activities, however, within most tasks, trainees will be required to work with little direct supervision and will be expected to plan and organise the approach to the tasks they are allocated.

The postholder will be expected to study for the CIPFA professional accountancy qualification. This will require a significant amount of private study in order to successfully complete the professional examinations within three and a half years.

Responsibilities

As part of our goal to improve our organisational culture and create a great place to work together for the people of Edinburgh, we want to make sure that we’re bringing the best people into our roles, not just in their skills and experience but also in their approach to work.

To help achieve this, we’re changing the way we interview and assess candidates by moving from a competency-based interview approach to a behavioural and technical (skills for the job) based approach. This new way of interviewing will allow us to assess how you think and how you would bring Our Behaviours of Respect, Integrity and Flexibility into your ways of working.

We're committed to creating a workplace culture where all our people feel valued, included and able to be their best at work, and we recognise the benefits that a diverse workforce with different values, beliefs, experience, and backgrounds brings to us as an organisation.

You can find out more on Our Behaviours web page Our Behaviours – The City of Edinburgh Council

Our salary range typically reflects the initial starting salary and annually increases until it reaches the top of the range.

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