Together we are Trusted to Serve Scotland.
We are looking for a Management Accountant to join our Finance team at Scottish Water. In this role, you will be responsible for providing clear and relevant financial information and analysis to business teams, enabling them to track, understand, forecast, and effectively control costs.
What you'll do
You will provide regular and ad-hoc financial reports to monitor and explain operating costs, communicating this information to the business team on an ongoing basis. You will support the team in forward planning and setting financial performance targets across business plans, annual budgets, and quarterly forecasts. Additionally, you will develop new tracking reports and analysis tools to strengthen project cost control and enhance understanding of whole life costs. Part of your remit will also involve finding innovative ways to capture and present financial and non-financial information, such as linking costs to activities or creating new performance reports. Supporting and coaching the business team on financial policy, processes, and controls will also be a key aspect of your role.
What you'll bring
To be considered, you should hold a relevant accountancy qualification, be part way through achieving one, or be able to demonstrate an equivalent level of qualification by experience. A strong grasp of accounting principles and management accounting techniques is essential. You must be able to clearly explain financial concepts in accessible language for non-finance colleagues, while also understanding business processes and terminology. Confidence in challenging and influencing others, including those in more senior positions, is important.
You will need strong analytical skills, with the ability to interpret cost data, identify drivers and trends, and communicate your conclusions clearly and accurately. Proficiency in IT tools, particularly Microsoft Excel, is required, along with experience using Oracle or an equivalent financial system. The role also demands the ability to work agilely and collaboratively within the team and across departments, contributing to wider improvement projects beyond your daily responsibilities. Experience with Power BI and Oracle EPM would be advantageous, though training can be provided.
As part of our Finance team, you will provide service across the organisation, while also working closely with business colleagues throughout Scottish Water on a daily basis.
The location for this role is flexible but some travel to our Central Scotland based offices will be required.
Looking out for you
While the work we do is important, we know it’s not the only thing that matters. That’s why we make sure you have everything you need to find a good work-life balance.
The role is suitable for flexible and hybrid working but you will be required to work occasionally from offices within the central belt. But you’ll get plenty of time to recharge with 38 days of holiday every year (including public holidays). And you can even buy five more if you need a little extra time. You can also take paid time off to volunteer in your community.
When it comes to major life events we have family-friendly policies around adoption, maternity, and parental leave. And for the everyday? We embrace flexible working.
For your future, there’s our pension (the ‘know-what-you’ll-get-when-you-retire’ kind), as well as life assurance.
As for some nice extras? You can expect an annual company bonus. Not to mention access to SW Splash – handy rewards that can save you money on holidays, bills, and shopping.
The not-so-small print
This role will be a Grade 7. If you’re new to Scottish Water, you’ll join us on a starting salary of £41,000. Performance-driven pay progression would then allow you to move through the range to a maximum of £51,970.
If you’re interested in this role – or know someone who might be – we will be accepting applications until midnight on the 28th April 2025. Please include a cover letter with your application.
Job offers at Scottish Water are conditional, and will be confirmed on completion of our pre-employment screening, e.g. referencing, criminal record checks, license checks, etc. Screening is conducted on our behalf by a third party, and must be completed before your start date. Don’t worry - we’ll only start these checks once you’ve accepted an offer.
A few final things worth knowing…
Research shows that some people avoid applying for jobs unless they can meet every single criteria. If you’re interested in this job, but don’t tick all the boxes, apply anyway! We hardly ever hire people who can do every part of a job from Day One. Everyone has a learning curve. So don’t rule yourself out!
Let us know if there are any changes we can make to our recruitment process to help you perform at your best. Lots of our people have disabilities or neurodiverse conditions (including some of our recruiters!). We're also aware that some people might be experiencing temporary challenges because of life events, like menopause. We’re very used to making adjustments, so please don’t be afraid to ask.
As part of our commitment to developing a flourishing Scotland, it’s important that all our employees are Scottish taxpayers. If you join us, your home address will need to be in Scotland. If you don’t already live here, you'll need to commit to moving here within your first three months.
Finally (finally!), candidates who haven’t submitted an application in the last 12 months will have their records removed from our recruitment database. You won’t need to do anything. Your data will be automatically deleted.
We’re here to help. Ask us anything at [email protected]