Job summary
- Main area
- Senior Accounts Payable Officer
- Grade
- Band 4
- Contract
- 12 months (Fixed Term due to new system implementation and the role will be reviewed next year to determine if it is required on a permanent basis.)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 318-26-T0590
- Employer
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Victoria Warehouse
- Town
- Gloucester
- Salary
- £28,392 - £31,157 (pa, pro rata if part-time)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 17/09/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Senior Accounts Payable Officer, Band 4
Band 4
At Gloucestershire Hospitals, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the county’s largest employer, we are proud to provide high-quality acute, elective, and specialist services to more than 650,000 people across our county. Our care is delivered across Gloucestershire Royal, Cheltenham General and Stroud Maternity Hospital.
With over 9,000 employees representing more than 95 nationalities, bringing together a mix of cultures and experiences to the care that we deliver. Whether you’re beginning your NHS journey or looking to take the next step in your career, this is an exciting time to join us. We’re investing heavily in innovation, research, and transformation, with more than 100 active clinical studies and major developments underway across our hospitals.
We take pride in working as one team, driven by a shared ambition to grow, develop, and continually improve. Every contribution is valued and by combining our collective strengths, we support not only our diverse communities but one another. You can expect a warm, supportive culture and colleagues who are passionate about teamwork, professional development and delivering exceptional care. We offer structured development programmes, mentoring and leadership opportunities to help you progress in your career.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong. By joining our Trust, you will benefit from a comprehensive package that includes flexible working opportunities, generous annual leave, the NHS pension scheme, competitive bank rates, local discounts, access to on-site nurseries, reduced public transport costs, reward and recognition schemes and a wide range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
Be part of Gloucestershire Hospitals, explore your future with us today.
Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Accounts Payable team within Gloucestershire NHS Shared Service as a Senior Accounts Payable Officer on a 12-month fixed-term basis.
We are looking for an experienced and motivated individual with a good understanding of Accounts Payable processes who enjoys problem solving, providing excellent customer service and supporting colleagues.
The role provides an opportunity to develop broader Accounts Payable knowledge and experience, undertaking a range of senior technical responsibilities including payment processing, supplier master data, complex query resolution, financial controls, performance monitoring and supporting colleagues across the team.
This is an important time to join the service as we implement a new finance system and continue to review and improve the way we work. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to contribute to process improvements, system changes and the development of new ways of working whilst helping to maintain an accurate, efficient and resilient Accounts Payable service.
Additional contract details: Fixed Term due to new system implementation and the role will be reviewed next year to determine if it is required on a permanent basis.
Main duties of the job
The Senior Accounts Payable Officer will undertake a broad range of Accounts Payable activities and provide technical support across the service.
Key responsibilities will include processing invoices and payments, supporting payment runs and BACS processes, maintaining supplier information and supporting supplier master data governance, investigating duplicate or incorrect payments and resolving complex and escalated supplier and departmental queries.
The post holder will monitor workflows and performance, support the production of KPI information, contribute to financial controls and No PO No Pay requirements, and assist with month-end and year-end activities.
The role will also provide day-to-day guidance, training and buddying to colleagues and cross-cover across Accounts Payable processes to support service resilience.
The successful candidate will contribute to continuous improvement and will support the implementation of the new finance system, including testing, process changes, training and embedding new ways of working.
Working for our organisation
Gloucestershire NHS Shared Service provides financial and other support services to Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and other NHS organisations within Gloucestershire.
The Accounts Payable team provides a high-volume transactional finance service, working closely with colleagues across Finance, Procurement and operational services as well as with a wide range of external suppliers.
We are committed to providing an accurate, timely and customer-focused service whilst maintaining strong financial controls. The team is currently going through an exciting period of change with the implementation of a new finance system, providing opportunities to improve processes, increase automation and develop new ways of working.
We encourage team working, knowledge sharing and development and are looking for someone who will contribute positively to the team, support colleagues and help us continue to improve the service we provide.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For full details please see Job Description
The post holder will:
Prepare, validate, input and process Accounts Payable transactions including invoices, credit notes, payment requests, urgent payments and adjustments, ensuring payments are accurate and processed within agreed timescales.
Ensure invoices and payments comply with Standing Financial Instructions, Trust policies, procedures and delegated authorisation limits.
Support the preparation and processing of supplier payment runs, including BACS files, other payment methods and remittance advice.
Monitor Accounts Payable workflows and queues to support the prompt processing and payment of invoices.
Investigate and resolve supplier, departmental and stakeholder queries, taking ownership of more complex and escalated queries and escalating issues appropriately where required.
Support supplier master data governance, including the creation and maintenance of supplier records and changes to supplier bank details in accordance with agreed procedures and financial controls.
Identify, investigate and support the prevention of duplicate, incorrect or potentially fraudulent payments.
Review and reconcile supplier statements, investigating discrepancies and taking appropriate corrective action.
Process and monitor urgent and priority payments and escalate risks to service delivery where appropriate.
Maintain accurate financial records and appropriate audit trails.
Support the effective management of generic Accounts Payable mailboxes and ensure queries are responded to within agreed service standards.
Support electronic invoice interfaces and other system-generated transactions.
Assist with month-end and year-end processes as required.
Support the production and monitoring of departmental KPIs and performance information, identifying trends, recurring issues and opportunities for improvement.
Support compliance with Trust procurement and financial procedures, including No PO No Pay requirements.
Contribute to the review and improvement of Accounts Payable processes and working practices.
Support finance system developments and implementation, including system testing, process changes, training and the introduction and embedding of new ways of working.
Produce and maintain procedural guidance and desktop instructions.
Provide day-to-day guidance and support to less experienced colleagues and assist with the induction, buddying and training of new team members.
Maintain knowledge across a range of Accounts Payable processes and provide cross-cover during periods of annual leave, sickness, vacancies, training and peak workload.
Support workload prioritisation and service continuity during periods of high demand or system issues.
Work closely with Finance, Procurement, budget holders, managers, suppliers, auditors and other internal and external stakeholders.
Explain financial processes and requirements clearly and professionally and manage challenging queries appropriately.
Maintain confidentiality and comply with information governance, financial control and Trust policy requirements at all times.
Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade as required.
Person specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential criteria
- 5 GCSEs at Grade 4/C or above (or equivalent), including English Language and Mathematics
- NVQ Level 3, AAT Level 3 or equivalent qualification, knowledge and experience gained through working within a finance environment.
Desirable criteria
- AAT qualification or willingness to work towards
- ECDL or equivalent IT qualification
Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
- Knowledge of Accounts Payable processes
- Understanding of accounting principles
- Knowledge of VAT regulations relating to expenditure
- Strong IT skills including Outlook and Excel
- Ability to prioritise workload and work to deadlines
- Excellent communication and customer service skills
- Ability to investigate and resolve complex queries
- Understanding of GDPR and confidentiality requirements
Desirable criteria
- Knowledge of financial systems and P2P systems
- Knowledge of NHS finance procedures and Standing Financial Instructions
Experience
Essential criteria
- Experience working in an Accounts Payable or finance environment
- Experience of processing invoices and payments accurately
- Experience dealing with customer or supplier queries
Desirable criteria
- Experience supporting or training less experienced staff
- Experience of working in a large and complex organisation
- Previous NHS finance experience
- Experience of finance system upgrades, testing or process improvement
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- Accurate and methodical with strong attention to detail
- Adaptable and flexible approach to work
- Professional and customer focused
- Able to work under pressure and meet deadlines
- Reliable and dependable
- Team focused with a collaborative approach
- Self-motivated and able to work using own initiative
Desirable criteria
- Positive approach to change and continuous improvement
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Katherine Everest
- Job title
- Accounts Payable and Expenses Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 0300 422 2722
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