Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Producing and assisting in the development of accurate budgetary and associated information.

• The accurate coding of prime documents including the authorisation and completion of expenditure journals and budget journals.
• Authorise and ensure all budget adjustments required are accurately calculated recorded and actioned.
• The authenticity and accuracy of all expenditure transactions. This requires knowledge of payroll and accounts payable systems. Incorrect payments must be identified and resolved.
• The authenticity and accuracy of all expenditure accruals and recharges, both internal and external.
• Ensure that debtor invoices are raised for income due.
• Carry out the reconciliation of the establishments between the Finance ledger system and the Trusts Personnel Information System.

• Interrogate and analyse various computer systems / software packages to produce financial information and reports. This will include the day-to-day responsibility for specific computer systems.
• Responsible for the distribution of all relevant month end budget statements and associated information to budget holders in line with the set timetable.

• Ensure that the integrity of the coding structure in the financial ledger is always maintained, and that revised summary reporting hierarchies are developed as required in response to organisational change.
• Keep up to date with VAT guidance and ensure VAT is reclaimed through correct coding.

• Ensure that all information and returns are produced in line with the Trust’s Standing Orders & Standing Financial Instructions.
• Assist the HoFM in working with the Trust’s Internal and External Auditors as and when required.
• Assisting the Financial Management Team in the annual budget setting process.

Reporting to the Divisional Finance Manager upon the monthly performance of a range of designated budgets

• Resolve financial queries, by using own judgement and interpretation skills.

• Assist the Deputy Divisional Finance Manager as and when required.
• Report to the Divisional Finance Manager upon the monthly performance of budgets highlighting any significant movements.
• Provide financial analysis through spreadsheets, databases, and the ledger report writer to meet the needs of the Divisional Finance Managers
• Frequently carry out non routine management accounting tasks. These will include such tasks as the costing of skill mix reviews, service development proposals and efficiency schemes

Advising, supporting & being the point of contact to budget holders on a range of budgets within the Divisions.

• To act as a point of contact for all Divisional budget holders on a range of day-to-day financial issues. This involves responding to budget holder’s financial queries and information requests. Such requests will have to be prioritised to ensure timely, accurate and customer focused responses. The effective delegation to support staff of these tasks will be required.
• Arranging and attend meetings with budget managers on a pro-active and reactive basis. Will attend such meetings unsupervised and give budgeting advice as appropriate. Parameters to be determined by the Divisional Finance Managers and Deputy Divisional Finance Managers.
• Produce and present accurate and meaningful financial information to budget holders to enable them to manage their service within the available resources. This will include activity data and health care income.
• To carry out training for non-financial managers in financial matters. This will extend to assisting in formal training sessions presenting to groups of staff.

All the above contact with budget managers may concern issues that can be confidential and contentious in nature

Role within Financial Management Team

MANAGEMENT

• Manages own workload. Plans, organises, and reviews workloads in-line with monthly and annual financial timetables.

• Will be responsible for monitoring and reviewing the day-to-day workload of any staff under their control. Must carry out effective delegation and prioritisation of tasks.
• Ensure staff absences and “peak times” are covered by working flexibly and coordinating the workload and hours of the staff within the department.
• Contribute to the development of the skills and competencies of staff under their control. Providing the necessary guidance and training to ensure the motivation and development of staff and the safeguarding of accounting standards.
• Ability to deal with staff issues which at times can be sensitive, confidential and distressing. This is within the parameters of day-to-day supervision. Any Formal and serious staffing issues to be referred to a senior member of staff.

COMMUNICATION

• Within the duties outlined must communicate effectively to ensure complex issues are clear and understandable. This will involve verbal, written and presentational skills.
• Is expected to provide complex information in a clear and persuasive manner to achieve satisfactory outcomes. 
• Establish and maintain working relationships with other members of staff, internal and external to the Finance Department

POLICY

·         Carry out duties based on an advanced level of understanding of technical accounting principles and procedures.

• Ensure that working practices within the Financial Management Department are up to date and fit for purpose.
• Ensure that working practices within the Financial Management Department are harmonised. Participate in the production of desk top procedure notes for all Financial Management tasks
• Continually assess and audits own work and that of the management accounting teams to further improve the quality and effectiveness of financial information.
• Participate in the implementation of new policies within the Financial Management Department as instructed by. The Chief Management Accountant Identify any weakness in systems and procedures and initiate any action to remedy the problem. Improve control and efficiency by enhancing accounting procedures. This may affect external departments and organisation

•             Contribute to the identification of system and procedure weakness and improve accounting procedures to enhance control and efficiency. This may affect external departments and organisations.