Summary

We are the public body that looks after England`s historic environment. We champion historic places, helping people understand, value and care for them.

We are currently seeking a focused individual to join our finance team as a Senior Financial Accountant to manage all aspects of financial accounting for the organisation and its customers. This is a key role where you will be responsible for the delivery of statutory duties for Historic England and other group entities and customers.

We offer a wide benefits package including a competitive defined benefit pension scheme to which we make 28.97% employer contributions, a generous 28 days holiday, corporate discounts, free entry into English Heritage sites across the country and development opportunities to ensure you achieve your goals.

To view our full range of benefits please follow the link here.

The role requires regular attendance to the Swindon office.

What you will be doing:

• You will be ensuring complete and accurate financial ledger records. While providing an overview of balance sheet reconciliations and ensuring their timely completion and review.

• Managing the preparation of financial accounts on a timely basis. You will be a key contact for the external auditors to allow them to complete audits within deadlines.

• Prepare and submit VAT and corporation tax returns for the group in line with deadlines.

• Manage period end, general ledger and reconciliation cycles.

• Manage the financial accounts processes around the creation and use of restricted funds in line with SORP guidance and audit needs.

• Manage specific periodic accounting and budgeting needs as required.

• Manage the Fixed Asset Register and related entries (including WIP and IFRS 16, for example) in the General Ledger, ensuring they remain reconciled, complete and accurate.

• Oversee the financial accountants and financial accounts assistant, mentor staff, and collaborate directly with HR on any issues involving people. Assure the upholding and promotion of organisational behaviours and values, as well as the fulfilment of our legal obligations and the standards outlined in our policies.

What we are looking for

• Fully qualified CCAB accountant (or equivalent) with proven experience of preparing statutory accounts

• Good practical understanding of VAT.

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.

• Strong customer relationship management experience

• Experience successfully managing a team

• High-level user of Microsoft Office with knowledge of financial systems.

• Committed to meeting deadlines and goals both individually and as a team.

Please note your application will be scored and assessed against the above criteria.

We are an equal opportunity employer which values diversity and inclusion. If you have a disability or neurodiversity, we would be happy to discuss reasonable adjustments to the job with you. Having won the Gold Award from MIND for workplace wellbeing in seven consecutive years, we also recognise the importance of a healthy work-life balance.

We are an inclusive employer and believe that flexible working options are for everyone. We want to make sure our working arrangements don’t prevent anyone from joining us because of their personal circumstances. We also want to provide you with the best balance in your home and work life that we can.

We are open to considering options including job sharing, part-time working, compressed hours working and different working locations, including hybrid working. Please visit our jobs pages or contact us to find out more.

Why work for Historic England

We are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for everyone. Diversity helps us to perform better and attract more people to support our work. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds.

We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and candidates with disabilities as they are underrepresented within Historic England at this level.

Historic England want all of our candidates to shine in the recruitment process. Please tell us what we can do to make sure you can show us your very best self. You can contact us by email at recruitmentTeam@Historicengland.org.uk if you have any recruitment queries. 

At Historic England we use a hiring system called Applied. Applied is a behavioural science-backed recruitment platform that reduces bias, improves quality of hire and increases diversity. We do not use CV application for the majority of our hiring processes. You will answer a selection of questions that allow our hiring teams to test your skills and suitability for the role.

To ensure a fair and inclusive recruitment process for everyone the use of AI or automated tools is not permitted.

Provisional interview dates; Early November 2025

Please follow the link for a full copy of the Job Description –

https://cms.historicengland.org.uk/media/es5p3sao/zw-senior-financial-accountant-jd-oct-2025.odt