Are you an experienced Financial and Tax Accountant?  Looking for an opportunity to be part of a dynamic and complex organisation?  Want a role where you can blend transactional activity with driving continuous improvement?

You’ll be responsible for managing and reconciling the Fixed Asset Register, which includes transport and infrastructure with a current value of £695 million.  Being able to identify continuous system and process improvement is a key part of your role. 

This is a unique opportunity to join a dynamic and complex organisation, where you’ll have a blend of transactional activity whilst driving continuous improvement and the chance to be involved in exciting projects to provide your tax and financial accounting expertise on.

As the Financial & Tax Accountant you’ll work closely with the Financial Accountant to provide, financial accounting and tax support and advice to the WMCA and its subsidiaries.

In addition, you’ll also proactively assist the team in:

• Preparation of the statutory financial statements for the WMCA
• Ensure tax compliance for WMCA and Group
• Provide VAT training to the finance team and wider business
• Give technical advice on accounting, tax and VAT to the WMCA ad it’s subsidiaries
• Completion and submission of the annual Whole of Government Accounts (WGA)
• Ensure that all HMRC and Government statutory returns are submitted by stipulated deadlines

 What you will be doing?

• Assist and prepare statutory financial statements for the West Midlands Combined Authority and its group
• Support internal and external audit requests and other compliance activities
• Take a pivotal role in managing WMCA’s assets within the fixed assets register. Including, supporting continuous system and process improvement and development
• Assist and leading in the preparation of monthly Balance Sheet reporting
• Support in the implementation of new accounting standards in accordance with the Local Authority Code of Practice
• Prepare and submit Intrastat and VAT returns for WMCA and its subsidiaries
• Ensure correct VAT treatment on transactions for WMCA and its subsidiaries
• Provide financial accounting and tax advice on standard transactions and develop knowledge and experience on more complex transactions
• Assist in the design and delivery of VAT training to the finance team and wider business

A full job description is available at the end of this advert.

Our Finance & Business Hub provides essential high-quality, responsive, and agile enabling services to the West Midlands Combined Authority and its directorates in areas such as human resources, procurement, commercial investments, assurance and appraisal, financial control and administration, and financial and business planning and performance reporting.

We are a cohesive team of forward thinking, insightful, innovative and high-performing professionals who, through our consultative and business partnering approach, influence, support and coach managers and senior leaders to help them achieve business objectives. By doing so, we help to ensure sound decisions are made and it is in this capacity that we are seen as a respected point of contact within the organisation.

About you

You’ll already have experience in financial accounting (preparing period and final accounts), VAT and month end processes and routines.  As well as experience or liaising with HMRC and auditors. 

We are also looking for you to demonstrate:

• Experience of liaising regularly with senior staff and supporting them in carrying out their duties
• Good communication and inter-personal skills, comfortable with liaising with other teams and external parties
• High attention to detail and the ability to produce work to an excellent presentational standard
• Experience working either with audits or within public practice
• Desire and ability to learn and develop new skills and be able to embrace change with a ‘can do’ attitude
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a busy team, with experience of delivering to strict deadlines

About us

Our role in the West Midlands has never been more important and in these extraordinary times we’ve shown we can step forward, speak up for our region and bring people together. Everything we do is focused on making life better for people in the West Midlands – that’s our reason for being here and it drives every move we make. We lead and support others to deliver our shared future vision for the region – a happier, healthier, better connected place to live and work.

We fully believe that we are only as great as the people who work for us and are committed to providing a positive, healthy and inclusive working environment where our people feel valued and respected. We’re ambitious, forward thinking and determined to find better ways of working, always leading the way in what we do. We trust and support each other to get the job done, and encourage creativity, originality and curiosity from those who work with us.

We are a “Leaders in Diversity” accredited organisation, are in the Inclusive Top 50 Employers List and are one of The Times Top 50 Employers for Women. As a Disability Confident Employer, we have made a positive commitment to interviewing all applicants with a disability who meet the essential role criteria. We are committed to building a team of people with varied backgrounds and experiences as we recognise that this will only benefit us as an employer, the more inclusive we are the better our work will be, and welcome applications from young people, Black, Asian and ethnic minority groups and women at senior levels.

We’re dedicated to providing a broad range of rewards and benefits and constantly benchmark our benefits packages to ensure they are attractive for all our people. As well as a competitive salary, employees also receive 27 days annual leave (plus public holidays) and access to a great pension scheme.

Furthermore, wherever possible we will offer flexible working options which assist work-life balance. We are very happy to discuss a flexible working pattern that suits your needs, so please do not let that be a barrier to applying. If your values align with ours and you’re committed to working towards creating a future we can all be proud of, we want to hear from you.

About your application

The online Application Form you'll be asked to complete plays a key part in our recruitment and selection process. We use the information you provide to decide whether to invite you for an interview. It is important that you complete the Application Form as fully and accurately as possible. You will be asked to upload a Supporting Statement (not a CV) and this should include specific examples which demonstrate how you meet the essential criteria for the role for which you are applying. 

If you would like to discuss alternative methods to the online application as a reasonable adjustment please contact the Resourcing Team by email (careers@wmca.org.uk).

Location

16 Summer Lane, Birmingham, B91 3SD. Hybrid working conditions are currently in place which means working remotely and coming to the office when required.

Supporting documents
Financial & Tax Accountant