Deputy Principal Accountant – Financial Management

Location: Goodwood House, Belfast
Pay Rate: Approx. £24.59 per hour
Hours: 37 hours per week
Working Pattern: Monday to Friday, 9.00am-5.00pm
Contract: Temporary Agency Assignment
Start Date: 5 October 2026
Expected End Date: 31 March 2027

JDR Recruitment is recruiting a Deputy Principal Accountant for a Northern Ireland Civil Service assignment within the Department of Finance.

This is a senior financial accounting role with responsibility for month-end processes, management reporting, statutory accounts, technical accounting advice, cash forecasting and oversight of key financial controls.

The Role

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading month-end financial accounting processes, including journals, reconciliations and balance-sheet assurance.

• Overseeing Trade Payables, Manual Accruals and Provisions.

• Preparing the monthly management pack and managing the financial reporting timetable.

• Ensuring general ledger codes are appropriately maintained across the wider finance team.

• Providing professional accounting advice on technical accounting matters.

• Reviewing financial information for FOIs, Assembly Questions, audit queries and other financial exercises.

• Supporting the Integr8 finance transformation programme.

• Leading preparation of the Departmental Resource Accounts, including interim accounts.

• Supervising preparation of NISRA Agency Accounts and Whole of Government Accounts information.

• Supporting the development and application of departmental Charging Policy.

• Reviewing charging models and Corporate Services overhead calculations.

• Overseeing cash forecasts, Parliamentary Grant reconciliations and investigation of monthly cash variances.

Essential Qualification

Applicants must have successfully completed the final professional examinations and be a full current member of a recognised professional accountancy body, including:

• Chartered Accountants Ireland

• ICAS

• ICAEW

• CIMA

• ACCA

• CIPFA

• Institute of Certified Public Accountants in Ireland

Essential Experience

Candidates must have at least two years’ post-qualification experience gained within the last ten years in a finance-related environment.

Relevant experience may include one or more of:

• Financial accounting or auditing

• Financial planning and budgeting

• Management accounting and cost analysis

• Treasury management

• Corporate governance and risk management

• Financial systems implementation

• Investment finance

• Forensic accounting or insolvency-related work

Desirable Experience

Previous experience within the Northern Ireland Civil Service and/or experience using Account NI would be advantageous.

Additional Information

The successful candidate will be subject to the relevant pre-employment checks and Standard security clearance.

If you are a qualified accountant with strong post-qualification financial accounting experience and are looking for a senior public-sector finance assignment, we would be keen to hear from you.

JDRBelfast