Financial Accountant

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Level: 2B

Salary: £46,000 to £55,000 dependent on skills and experience

Location: Chilcomb, Winchester (Hybrid working, min. 3 days per week in HCT office/venues)

Hours: 37 (Flexible or part-time arrangements will be considered)

Type of Contract: Permanent

Job Description: Financial Accountant

Do you want to use your accounting expertise to support culture, creativity and communities

As our Financial Accountant, you will be central to ensuring Hampshire Cultural Trust’s financial control, statutory compliance, and reporting excellence. This is a critical role within our Finance & IT team, responsible for leading core accounting processes and ensuring we meet our legal, audit, and governance obligations with confidence and accuracy.

You will lead the Trust’s accounting principles, controls, and reporting framework, overseeing statutory accounts preparation, VAT compliance (including partial exemption), payroll and expenses processes, and the annual financial audit. You will manage the sales ledger, oversee reconciliations, ensure robust internal controls are in place, and prepare returns to HMRC and Companies House.

This role also line manages a small team, and you will build a high-performing, collaborative team while developing capability and future potential. You’ll work closely with the Finance Director and support reporting to trustees, funders, and external stakeholders.

A bit about you

You’ll be a technically strong, detail oriented qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent or part-qualified with significant experience) with proven experience producing statutory and management accounts.

You will:

• Have significant experience leading financial controls and accounting processes

• Be confident managing audits and working with external auditors

• Have strong knowledge of VAT, HMRC and Companies House returns

• Be experienced in payroll, expenses, and pension processes

• Be comfortable analysing complex financial data and translating it into clear reporting

• Be confident using finance systems and have strong Excel skills

You will combine technical expertise with strong leadership capability, motivating and developing your team while maintaining high standards and attention to detail.

Experience in the not for profit or charity sector is highly desirable, as is experience in grant management or multi-site environments.

What it’s like to work for us

Hampshire Cultural Trust creates inspirational cultural experiences that enrich and transform lives. We operate 20+ attractions and deliver outreach and engagement programmes across Hampshire. We value diversity, equity and inclusion and are committed to supporting the wellbeing and development of our staff.

The benefits of working for us

· 7.5% Employer pension contributions

· Generous occupational maternity, adoption and paternity pay

· Enhanced occupational sick pay

· Electric Car Lease Scheme (terms and conditions apply)

· Generous compassionate leave scheme

· Paid emergency leave

· Industry leading Employee Assistance Programme

· Access to same day GP appointments for employees and their immediate family

· Life assurance scheme (x3 annual salary)

· Interest-free Season ticket loans and travel loans from first day of employment

· Charity Worker Discounts Scheme (savings on retail, leisure, groceries, travel etc.)

· Access to free eye tests and vouchers towards glasses for VDU use

· Free flu vaccination vouchers

· Cycle to Work Scheme

· Health Cash Plan (cashback on dental, optical, medical for monthly subscription cost)

· Opportunities to learn, develop and progress

· Free tea and coffee

· Team Card - Free access to venues for friends and family, and discounts across café and retail.

We will be running a dynamic recruitment process so we would encourage candidates to submit an application as soon as possible as we will be interviewing candidates before the closing date.

To apply please fill in the application form with an up-to-date CV. We do not require covering letters for this position however would be grateful to receive context to your application.

Closing date for applications: 12 April 2026

To find out more about us visit our website www.hampshireculture.org.uk and https://careers.hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk/

If you have any queries relating to the recruitment process, please email people@hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk

• Department
• Finance and IT
• Role
• Financial Accounting
• Locations
• Chilcomb House
• Remote status
• Hybrid
• Yearly salary
• £46,000 - £55,000
• Employment type
• Full-time
• Job Level:
• 2B

Need to talk to us?

Use the live chat function to speak directly to the Hiring Manager or drop us a message at: recruitment@hampshireculturaltrust.org.uk.

Alternatively you can talk to us directly on: 01962 396678

Our employee benefits:

• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays (pro-rated for part time working)

• 7.5% Employer pension contribution

• Generous occupational maternity, adoption and paternity pay

• Generous occupational sick pay

• Life assurance scheme - 3x annual salary

• Industry-leading Employee Assistance Programme

• Interest-free season ticket loans and travel loans from first day of employment

• Access to 24/7 GP appointments for you and your immediate family

• Free eye tests and vouchers towards glasses

• Charity worker discounts scheme

  (savings on retail, leisure, groceries, travel etc.)

• Health cash plan

  (cashback on dental, optical, medical for monthly subscription cost)

• HCT Team Card

  (free access to our admission charging venues and discounts across café and retail)

• Free Flu vaccination vouchers

• Cycle to work scheme

Our recruitment - what to expect

• Step 1 – Application

  Check out who we are and find the role for you. Applying through our application form we'll find out about you and you an even add a fun flair to your application.

• Step 2 - Catch-up

  Once we've got your application one of our team may reach out to find out more about you, your interest and to tell you about life at HCT. This is an informal catch-up.

• Step 3 - Interview and Assessment

  Depending on the role you may have 1 or 2 stages of interviews. These will often include a task related to the role. We'll send a guidance pack prior to the interview to give you some hints, tips and to help prepare.

• Step 4 - Offer and Onboarding

  Congratulations! We really think you could make your mark at HCT, so you'll receive your verbal offer and we'll start formally welcoming you.

Life at HCT

Not your traditional museum or art gallery

HCT is all about changing lives through culture and it is only through our staff and volunteers that we make that happen. We are selective on those who join us as we expect all of our teams and colleagues to uphold HCT’s values of being confident and creative in all circumstances. To strive for excellence with everything we do whilst taking responsibility and ownership for all aspects of our work as a trust in order to deliver amazing things through teamwork. All of this is underpinned by our keen strives to respect everyone’s individuality and uniqueness.