Job Title: Financial Management Accountant
Employer: Carlow County Council
County: Carlow
Closing Date: 3pm, Thursday, 10th July 2025
Starting Salary: €80,165
About the Employer:
Carlow County Council is one of 31 Local Authorities in the Republic of Ireland. Carlow County Council consists of 18 members elected every five years and the county is divided into the three Municipal Districts of Carlow, Muinebheag & Tullow.
Carlow County Council provides services to a population of over 62,000 citizens in the areas of housing, integration, regeneration, roads, transportation, planning, environment, libraries, economic and community development, tourism, fire and emergency response, parks, amenities, heritage, arts, and water services.
At a strategic level, the Council operates through its Corporate Policy Group comprising the Cathaoirleach of the Council and the Chairs of the local authority’s four Strategic Policy Committees as well as a Municipal District representative. The Chief Executive and the Council’s Management Team play a key role in supporting and advising this policy group.
The Council has over 400 employees and can offer exciting careers across our services in various roles such as engineering, technical, financial, management, administration, library services, fire services and general services.
The headquarters are in Carlow Town and there are also offices in Tullow and Muinebheag. The Council operates within an annual revenue budget of €81 million and a multi-annual three-year capital budget of €306 million.
About the Role:
The purpose, duties and responsibilities of the Financial Management Accountant include but are not limited to the following:
• Preparation of the statutory accounts for Carlow County Council
• Assisting with the compilation and preparation of the statutory Local Authority Budget
• Liaising with internal and external stakeholders including Auditors, Department of Housing and Local Government, Office of the Revenue Commissioners, National Oversight and Audit Commission, Banks and funding providers
• Ensuring that the entities under the Chief Executive’s control adhere to currently accepted accounting standards and relevant codes of practice
• Management and control of the day-to-day operations of the Finance Department and its sections
• Operation and development of the Council’s accounts receivable/debt management function
• Monitoring and implementing/improving internal controls and checks to ensure good financial control, safeguarding of assets etc.
• Ensuring the rapid, timely and accurate preparation of financial and management reports through the use of automated systems
• Monitoring, interpretation and reporting on monthly management accounts for senior management and their sections
• Preparation, implementation and on-going review of the Local Authority’s finance plans including management of capital budgets
• Financial planning and analysis including ad-hoc financial analysis and modelling
• Introduction of reporting structures and systems in line with new requirements of legislation/ circulars / value for money reports
• Providing financial advice and assistance to internal departments to support the achievement of the Corporate Objectives and support devolved budgeting structures
• Ensuring the adequacy of financial systems in the Council and, in particular, their support by adequate information systems
• Implementing changes in existing financial systems as required
• Promoting and assisting the implementation of good practice in Risk Management, Procurement, Value for Money, Shared Services, Efficiency and Effectiveness
• Managing and developing staff in the finance function to ensure the highest standards of proficiency and work with a variety of non-finance teams, and to ensure the training and development of employees
• Operation and development of the Council’s Debtor Management & Credit Control functions
• Cash flow management, Treasury & Loan reporting and management
• To implement the agreed strategies to meet and to expand or improve the range, quantity or quality of existing services and to recommend changes in strategies as required
• Develop and maintain the property interest register
• Build effective teams, develop motivation and commitment and maintain sound employee relations and morale in accordance with good employment practice and relevant legislation
• Participate and take part in duties as required as part of the Occupational Health and Safety Management System to promote and ensure the safety, health and welfare of employees within the team
• Participate and take part in the duties as required as part of the organisational response to Climate Action to promote and ensure capacity building, empowering change and delivering action
• Any other duties and responsibilities that may be assigned from time to time.
About You:
It would be ideal if the successful candidate had the following Essential Skills and Experience:
• Knowledge of accounting methods, procedures, processes and contemporary management accounting techniques and principles
• Extensive experience in leading, developing and implementing financial and resource allocation strategies that support Strategic Corporate objectives
• Experience in the identification of critical financial issues and of briefing senior management and/or Board
• Extensive experience of analysis, conceptual thinking and problem solving in Finance and Business Management
• Experience of staff supervision and performance management
• Highly developed relationship management and interpersonal skills and a capacity to promote co-operation, trust and openness amongst staff and customers
• Highly developed oral and written communication skills, including negotiation, report writing and presentation skills
• Excellent working knowledge of integrated Financial Management Systems, Microsoft Office suite and/or equivalent
• Experience in risk management and procurement
• An ability to determine priorities and organise workloads in order to produce quality output within tight timeframe
• Proven ability to work under pressure and think laterally in dealing with a wide range of issues
The Closing Date for this competition is Thursday, 10th of July at 3pm.
We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and encourage applications under all nine grounds of the Employment Equality Act.
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