Overview
Vacancy Type: Permanent
Location: Headquarters
Pay Band: Please refer to full job description on SPS career site
Salary: £59,798 – £65,786
Closing Date: 2025-10-20
Hours of Work: Please refer to full job description on SPS career site
Job Purpose:
The SPS is responsible for all the prison establishments in Scotland managing £1.4b of fixed assets. The organisation is planning a significant level of capital investment over the next five years with a programme of replacing some of the oldest prisons within Scotland. The capital expenditure budget for 2025/26 is £355m.
The capital accountant is a critical role in the SPS Finance team in managing the reporting and control of the £1.4b on non-current assets and the budget monitoring of annual capital expenditure.
Responsibilities:
The Capital Accounting Manager will assist SPS Senior Management in the development and management of the Strategic Capital Plan. This will involve:
- Production of a monthly capital monitoring pack reporting on the period performance, investigating and reporting on significant budgetary variances.
- Providing updates on revised outturn forecasts on the capital programme, including advising on the necessary remedial action to meet spending targets.
- Involvement in the development and the maintaining of the Organisational Medium Financial Strategy (MTFS).
The Capital Accounting Manager will be responsible for ensuring:
- The integrity of the fixed asset register, ensuring additions, disposal, revaluations, and impairments are carried out accurately and in a timely manner. (The capital accountant will be supported in this task by a shared resource).
- To work with budget holders to develop and maintain equip
The Capital Accounting Manager will maintain and monitor the management of leases that fall under IFRS 16 reporting for leases, which includes:
- Review new leases to determine lease type ad appropriate treatment.
- Review leases for modifications and re-measurements due to lease changes and ensuring changes fully documented with related evidence.
- Prepare lease forecasting and modelling of lease scenarios.
The Capital Accounting Manager will be responsible for the preparation of the SPS statutory annual accounts and other ad hoc SG reporting requirements for the areas of:
- Fixed assets, including the impact of annual revaluations.
- Responsible for IFRS reporting for leases.
The Capital Accounting Manager will review and prepare ad hoc reports and schedules and be responsible for:
- Review of business cases for capital expenditure and lease costs submitted.
- Assisting in the development of financial policies and procedures.
- Performing ad-hoc finance related tasks.
Person Specification
SPS recruitment and selection practice is based on the fundamentals of our Behavioural Competency Framework. This identifies behaviours and standards required both of applicants seeking to join us, and our staff in their respective roles. Assessment of specific behaviours, of which there are twelve, will be determined by the role you are applying for. Whilst it is unlikely you will be assessed on all of them , you will be assessed on these identified as key to role.
Qualifications Requirements
Fully qualified accountant with membership of a recognised professional accountancy body such as ACCA, CIPFA, CIMA or ICAS.
Experience Requirements
Knowledge Skills Requirements
Experience of capital budget management and responsibility of Fixed Asset Register. (essential)
Ability to translate complex information into an easy-to-understand format for those who are not proficient within the subject. (essential)
Experience of working with senior management teams including project managers. (essential)
Experience of IFRS16. (desirable)
Selection Methods Please refer to full job description on SPS career site.
