Deputy Principal Accountant-
JOB_53062964672895Job type
TemporaryLocation
BelfastWorking Pattern
Flexible Working,Full-timeSpecialism
Public Service AccountingIndustry
Government & Public ServicesPay
£24.64- £25.64
ACCA, Qualified Chartered Accountant, Qualified Accountant, CIMA, Governance
DEPARTMENT: Department of Finance
DIVISION: Digital, Security and Finance Shared Services
BRANCH: Contract, Governance and Accountability
LOCATION: Goodwood House, Belfast
BACKGROUND
1.1 Contract, Governance and Accountability Division is responsible for ensuring both Finance Shared Services (Account NI) and the Contractor complies with the governance and financial management requirements of the ASP Agreement, while also delivering on a diverse range of corporate governance/finance
activities and manage staff engagement and workforce planning.
activities and manage staff engagement and workforce planning.
JOB PURPOSE/MAIN ACTIVITIES
2.1 Reporting to the Grade 7 Head of Division (HOD) the role holder will be responsible for overseeing the Account NI contract management work stream and support the Head of Division in the management of the ASP Agreement and financials, to ensure that the Contractor and Authority adhere to the terms and conditions of the contract. Key activities include:
2.2 Programme Change Process/Contract Financials (30%)
- Oversee the Programme Change Process in line with ASP Agreement and existing internal governance arrangements;
- Carry out contractual and financial evaluations on Programme Changes to ensure the charges are in line with the price strategy as set out in the ASP Agreement and forward to SMT with supporting evidence on a timely basis. Evaluations encompass VFM scrutiny, finance options (budget and/or funds), funding arrangements, payment options (milestones, service charges), accounting treatment and budget implications;
- To manage the Programme, Change on a weekly basis and liaise with the DoF Finance Business Partner in relation to capital and revenue financial requirements and affordability/funding arrangements, etc.
- To maintain an in-depth knowledge of the Contractor base case cost/price model to support the transparency of charges, evaluate and challenge Contractor prices, ensure charges are in line with the original agreed pricing principles.
- To update and reconcile the base case cost/price model on an annual basis, ensuring annual inflation RPIs are accounted for within labour rate cards, third party charging and indexed service charges.
2.3 Finance Reporting (25%)
- To provide business area information to the DoF Finance Business Partner to facilitate finance and budgeting requirements, to include: -
- ACR pipeline forecasts including category/ financial analysis and submit In Year monitoring pressures/surrenders as required.
- Work Force Planning to include Staff FTE/HC reconciliations of NICSHR monthly Salary files, vacancy accruals forecasting and budget monitoring submissions to DoF BP.
- Capital and Revenue Programme spend projections for all DoF Forecasting returns and savings exercises as required.
- GAE Overhead licensing and service charge forecasting and monitoring
- Contractor payment authorisations within iProcurement.
- Monitoring and Supervision of iProcurement activity within FSS.
- Interim and year end statutory accounts completed returns.
- Non cash/ depreciation forecasting as ASP asset is re life to reflect contract extensions and sustainability investment.
- Liaison with Heads of Divisions and Deputy Principals to ascertain forecasted programme revenue/capital expenditure both in year and subsequent financial years;
- Liaise with Contractor to obtain pricing, payment arrangements, funding and delivery and report at finance meetings;
- Summary reporting monthly contract meeting between Contractor Programme Director and ACNI Director of Financial Services. Includes:
- Provision of cumulative pipeline activity
- Expenditure and funding arrangements
- Detailed ACR pipeline and multiyear Sustainability 1 & 2 expenditure report for Senior Management Team as required.
- Provision of all other contract financials as required, includes:
- Contract Discount Management.
- Payment mechanism (service charge profile/Paragon postage/ Cloud Trade e Invoicing charging) – management & forecasting
- Sustainability and Business Continuity financial analysis;
- Asset in the Course of Construction for Infrastructure upgrades (AICC);
- Financial requirements for Exit Management and Integr8 as required.
2.4 Business Case Management (10%)
- To support the HOD in the monitoring of the Account NI Full Business Case Continuity Addendums and management of tolerance
% limits; - To support the HoD to review the extended Programme costs on an annual basis and liaise with the DoF Economist and CPD senior officers regarding cumulative expenditure pressures.
- To oversee the following in line with DoF policies and Account NI processes and procedures:
- All Programme Change/Contract Specific business case;
- All Programme Change/Contract Specific Post Project Evaluations
2.5 Payment Mechanism (10%)
Responsible for the monthly payment mechanism which includes;
- To establish the monthly service changes and credits to the Contractor, inclusive of Paragon postage charging model and Cloud Trade e Invoicing accruals and payment thereof;
- Reconciliation of lease removal adjustments going forward post contract extension.
- To determine the contract milestone payments and the management thereof;
- To approve the Contractors expenditure for example, service charges, implementation milestone payments, refresh milestones, inflationary uplifts, Retail Price Index.
2.6 ASP Agreement (10%)
- To provide financial/contractual commercial advice in all matters associated with the ASP Agreement, carry out detailed contract reviews and respond with supporting evidence on a timely basis;
- To oversee the change governance arrangements in relation to business sustainability and business continuity expenditure, while within contract extension period.
- To support the HOD in all contract negotiations and contract variations, ensuring proper processes are implemented.
2.8 Financial Qualilty Assurance (10%)
- Address audit requirements of Internal Audit, NIAO and DoF economic expenditure test drills. In addition, review and/or delivery of Contractor specific audits eg price model audits, project accounts audits, where required.
- To review the Contractor accounts on an annual basis, in line with contractual and agreed requirements and report to management on the Contractor’s financial performance and the excess profit sharing scheme.
- Update and reconcile the Contractor’s base case model annually, deploy model knowledge to challenge, quality assure charging and contract adherence;
2.9 Projects/Assignments (5%)
- To oversee the financial review of the Sustainability change programme and Account NI service continuity beyond 2023, ensuring expenditure is in line with the ASP Agreement commercials and that value for money is being demonstrated;
- Third Party customers ASP requirements - To support the HOD in the development of an overall price, taking account of account Contractor charges, SSC staff and running costs, accounting treatment, charging, funding considerations and advise management of financial reimbursement implications.
- Input to Integr8 programme requirements on a timely and thorough basis.
2.10 Other Ad Hoc (As required)
- Support to G7 and Grade 5 Finance Shared Services Director as required;
- Oversee the Contract Management and Support work stream, and ensure division objectives and work targets are completed to a quality standard and in line with agreed deadlines and targets;
- Any other duties as required.
What you'll need to succeed
The requirements are to be a Qualified Chartered Accountant or to be of an equivalent standard.
What you'll get in return
This role is hybrid with 1 or 2 days in the Belfast office a week, flexible working arrangements so if you are needing flexibility for childcare, school pickups etc this would be a perfect opportunity for you without the stress.
What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion on your career.
Deputy Principal Accountant-JOB_530629646728952025-03-262025-06-25
Talk to Anna McAllister, the specialist consultant managing this position
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JOB_53062964672895