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Band 8A Technical Accountant (Capital)

£51,383 - £57,596 per annum*

Job Description

Location  |  St Mary's Hospital

Responsible to  |  Head of Financial Accounts

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

The Technical Accountant is a key role in the Finance Directorate, with responsibility for supporting the Head of Financial Accounts to oversee and manage the financial accounting team, to provide expertise in complex technical areas including cash-flow forecasting, capital accounting, VAT, and to support the production of the statutory annual accounts, ensuring the application of financial reporting standards. This role is responsible for the provision of a high quality timely Capital accounting service.

Key Working Relationships
  • Deputy CFOs

  • Associate Directors of Finance

  • Head of Financial Accounts

  • 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

  • To maintain the integrity of the financial systems within the Trust, to develop financial policies and practices as required, and liaise with external and internal audit and counter-fraud

  • To lead the month end process for financial accounts and reporting to external agencies, and to assist in the production of the Trust Annual Accounts and the external audit process

Organisational Structure
Main Tasks and Responsibilities

Operational Responsibilities

  • Provide appropriate and timely financial information and advice to the Head of Financial Accounts so as to enable the Trust to fulfill its financial responsibilities. (i.e. Completion of monthly FIMs returns)

  • To manage 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 be the VAT expert for the Trust’s capital projects and ensure the Trust complies with current VAT and HMRC requirements.

  • 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 Head of Financial Accounts 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 Head of Financial Accounts to ensure the timely and accurate month-end reporting in accordance with the agreed timetable and standards.

  • To support the Head of Financial Accounts 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 Head of Financial Accounts 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 relationship to capital accounting) 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 financial 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 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 duties

  • Deputise for the Head of Financial Accounts 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 postholder.

Band 8A

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 including VAT, Inventory, Cash (App-CV)

  • Knowledge of 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)

  • Providing quality accounting services and financial advice to senior financial staff (Ass-Int)

  • Proven experience of resolving complex financial accounting issues and communicating these at all levels (Ass-Int)

  • Managing capital accounting processes, planning, monitoring, reporting using asset management systems (Ass-Int)

  • Managing month and year end financial processes in a timely and accurate way (Ass-Int)

  • Experience of working on capital projects (Ass-Int)

  • Working effectively and efficiently in a fast-changing and complex environment (Ass-Int)

  • Developing staff competences and behaviours, including managing difficult conversations (Ass-Int)

  • Managing a wide range of  internal and external stakeholder relationships, including negotiating outcomes to problems (Ass-Int)

  • Experience of developing policies and practices to guide financial management, and of delivering training to service users (Ass-Int)

Desirable

  • Significant experience of working within 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

  • Meet the requirements of the role with any reasonable adjustments (Ass-Int)

Values

Essential

  • Demonstrable ability to meet Trust values (Ass-Int)

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