Band 7 Senior Financial Accountant

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Band 7 Senior Financial Accountant x2

£44,347 - £50,549 per annum*

Job Description

Location | St Mary's Hospital

Responsible to | Technical Accoutnant

Professionally Accountable to | Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

Hours per week | 37.5

* Inclusive of London weighting

Apply Today

imperial@allenlane.co.uk

Contact

Brooke Cooper

020 3056 1390

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust Values

We are absolutely committed to ensuring that our patients have the best possible experience within our hospitals. We are looking for people who are committed to delivering excellent patient care, whatever their role, and who take pride in what they do. We place a high value on treating all patients, customers and colleagues with respect and dignity, and seek people who strive for excellence and innovation in all that they do.

We value all of our staff and aim to provide rewarding careers and benefits, fulfilling work environments and exciting opportunities.

Kind: We are considerate and thoughtful, so you feel respected and included.

Collaborative: We actively seek others’ views and ideas, so we achieve more together.

Expert: We draw on our diverse skills, knowledge and experience, so we provide the best possible care.

Aspirational: We are receptive and responsive to new thinking, so we never stop learning, discovering and improving.

Aim of the Role

To provide support to enable an efficient, effective and comprehensive technical accounting support function within the Trust thereby ensuring reliability of reported figures.

To assist in ensuring the accurate and timely completion of statutory accounts and monthly financial returns.

To provide assurance on the integrity of the ledger and high level quality timely accounting reporting

To be accountable to the Technical Accountant for adherence to the Trust financial policies and procedures, statutory requirements and requirements from the Department of Health.

Key Working Relationships

Deputy CFOs
Associate Directors of Finance
Head of Financial Accounts & Technical Accountant
Business Partners and Budget Holders
Financial Controller
Other finance staff
Internal and External Auditors
External Bodies (e.g. Imperial College, suppliers and other NHS bodies)
Department of Health / NHS Improvement
VAT and Other Advisers

Key Result Areas

To deliver high quality accounting services which achieve targets for timeliness, accuracy and financial control. Ensuring integrity of financial ledger, consistency of financial data.

To maintain the integrity of the financial systems within the Trust, to assist with the development of financial policies and practices as required.

To assist with the month end process for financial accounts and reporting to external agencies, and to assist in the production of the Trust Annual Accounts and liaise with external and internal audit.

To provide support for Financial and external reporting – preparation of statutory accounts, VAT returns, agreement of balances and other requires returns.

Performance Management - staff management responsibilities

Organisational Structure

Main Tasks and Responsibilities

Operational Responsibilities

Provide appropriate and timely financial information and advice to the Technical Accountant so as to enable the Trust to fulfil its financial responsibilities. (i.e. Completion of monthly FIMs returns)

To support the capital accounting of the Trust and advise on all aspects of capital. Maintain an accurate and up to date asset register, monitor expenditure on all capital schemes, manage depreciation journals and reconcile the asset register on a regular basis.

Provide expert financial advice and financial technical support to members of the Trust’s capital investment group.

To ensure the Trust complies with current VAT and HMRC requirements and be able to provide technical advice to the Trust on VAT, including commissioning external advice where appropriate.

Support the accurate and satisfactory completion of statutory accounts and returns to ensure that the Annual and Year End monitoring returns are made in accordance with the agreed timetables

To support the Technical Accountant to ensure that the financial and other systems of the Trust meet all statutory requirements, through the development and implementation of appropriate policies and procedures (including Standing Financial Instructions) and through appropriate audit and control

Report on the Trust compliance with statutory financial duties and targets (CRL, EFL and BPPC)

To support the Technical Accountant to ensure the timely and accurate month-end reporting in accordance with the agreed timetable and standards

To support the Technical Accountant to ensure the Annual Accounts process is completed within agreed timescales and complies with relevant policies, procedures and legislative requirements.

Be responsible for ensuring the integrity of the data in the ledger.

Quality assure the Trust’s monthly finance performance reports.

Be responsible for maintaining specifications for standard reports to take into account any internal/external requirements.

Follow best practice in managing balance sheet accounts, in particular working capital, control accounts and inventories.

Control systems and Statutory responsibilities

Constantly review the integrity and development of systems for managing the financial and accounting practices within the organisation.

Contribute significantly to the streamlining of accounting processes and accounting systems, particularly with respect to the automation of routine tasks.

Ensure the Trust’s policies procedures, and Standing Financial Instructions are strictly adhered to.

Lead the implementation and development of discrete policies and procedures.

To support the Technical Accountant to ensure that internal and external audit recommendations relating to financial procedures and systems are implemented.

Liaise with internal and external auditors to provide relevant information, appropriate accommodation and any other resources required to perform their duties effectively.

Work closely with external audit to ensure the Annual Accounts are delivered in accordance with the national timetable and without qualification.

Leadership

Plan and organise own work schedules and that of others to ensure activities are completed within agreed weekly, monthly and annual financial timescales and comply with Trust policies and procedures.

Develop and sustain professional standards within the Financial Services function.

Manage and develop the Financial Services function (especially in relation to capital accounting, VAT and management of the Balance Sheet as assigned) to ensure that the Trust receives high quality accounting and transactional financial services and achieves best value for money from its financial systems and services.

Appraise and develop staff through on the job training, professional academic studies, mentoring and Personal Development Planning.

Promote a culture where people feel empowered and accountable for service improvement. Ensure that any staff performance and disciplinary issues for the team are managed appropriately.

Education and experience

Hold a professional accountancy qualification (CCAB) or have 3 years accounting experience, with significant continuing professional development and significant experience.

Have practical experience in a range of accounting areas, financial computer systems and knowledge of accounting legislation.

Training

Develops, delivers and facilitates training sessions for finance and non-finance staff ensuring an understanding of financial policies and procedures of the Trust and the financial environment of the Trust.

Keep up to date with national and local FSD (Finance Staff Development) strategy, initiatives and opportunities. Help create a culture of learning and staff development and monitor departmental progress against the training strategy, policy and plan.

Take responsibility for the induction and training of finance staff.

Ensure the continued personal development of team members in line with Trust policy.

Communications

Liaise with internal and external auditors in audits designed to improve financial services.

Work closely with external audit to provide relevant information, accommodation and other resources required to perform their duties effectively, and ensure the Annual Accounts are delivered in accordance with the national timetable and without qualification

Provide advice on complex financial and corporate issues to non-financial managers.

Other specific roles

Deputise for the Technical Accountant as required

Carry out any other reasonable duties required.

Provide support and cover, as required, to the Finance Directorate

Contribute towards special projects as required throughout the Trust.

Scope and Purpose of Job Description

A job description does not constitute a ‘term and condition of employment’. It is provided only as a guide to assist the employee in the performance of their job. The Trust is a fast moving organisation and therefore changes in employees’ duties may be necessary from time to time. The job description is not intended to be an inflexible or finite list of tasks and may be varied from time to time after consultation/discussion with the post holder.

Band 7

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Person Specification

Key

Attributes measured through:

Application form (App)
CV (CV)
Assessment (Ass)
Interview (Int)

Education

Essential

Knowledge of financial and accounting procedures, financial reporting standards, and financial & other aspects of relevant legislation, gained through Professional Accountancy Qualifications (CCAB or equivalent) or have 3 years financial accounting experience (App-CV)
Knowledge of complex accounting areas such as VAT, Inventory, Cash or capital accounting (App-CV)

Desirable

Further relevant specialist training in technical skills and NHS financial management (App-CV)

Skills / Abilities

Essential

Technically competent with good accounting and analytical skills. (Ass-Int)
Knowledge of current accounting issues and a detailed understanding of the regulatory framework. (Ass-Int)
User of relevant financial systems and advanced skills in Excel (Ass-Int)
Able to solve complex, multi-dimensional issues, requiring concentration for long periods of time and analysis of complex data (Ass-Int)
Able to work autonomously with the skills to make decisions independently (Ass-Int)
Able to prioritise work for self and others, and to react quickly when decisions are required urgently (Ass-Int)
Able to reflect on own performance and recognise areas of development (Ass-Int)
Evidence of planning and delivering deadlines and service on time for self and teams. (Ass-Int)

Desirable

Specific experience of using eFinancials, Business Objects, Qlikview and other specific ICHT financial systems (Ass-Int)

Experience

Essential

Have experience in the preparation of the statutory annual accounts process (Ass-Int)
Proven experience of resolving complex financial accounting issues and communicating these at all levels (Ass-Int)
Managing month and year end financial processes in a timely and accurate way (Ass-Int)
Working effectively and efficiently in a fast-changing and complex environment (Ass-Int)
Experience of staff management skills including ability to lead, manage and develop staff (Ass-Int)

Desirable

Significant experience of working within the NHS (Ass-Int)
Significant experience of capital accounting and the use and development of fixed asset systems (Ass-Int)
Significant experience of VAT in the NHS (Ass-Int)

Communication Skills

Essential

Conveys financial concepts clearly and persuasively to non-financial managers (Ass-Int)
Advises and persuades senior budget holders on financial issues (Ass-Int)

Physical Qualities

Essential

Such as to meet the requirements of the role with any reasonable adjustments (Ass-Int)

Values

Essential

Demonstrable ability to meet Trust values (Ass-Int)