Senior Financial Accountant
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) provides a full range of general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, and St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping.
Our values
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) promise to our patients, as identified by our three values which will contribute to improving our patients’ experiences, is:
Patient at heart – Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts.
Everyday excellence – Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both.
Creative collaboration – Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care.
Job overview
As a Senior Financial Accountant, you will support the Head of Financial Services (Financial Accounts, Capital & Systems) to enable timely submissions of the monthly and year-end national performance returns and statutory accounts. The post-holder will work with the Head of Financial Services and other Senior members of the team in the completion of the Trust’s Annual Accounts ensuring that accurate and detailed working papers are maintained for audit.The post-holder will also share the responsibility of discussing any complex issues that arise with internal and external auditors and trust staff at all levels. The postholder will have an integral role in ensuring financial governance and tight financial controls are in place throughout the organisation.
The production of performance monitoring information such as Performance and Finance Committee reporting, and any other external returns
The post-holder will have overall responsibility for the Capital Asset Register ensuring that the register reflects the assets of the Trust and organising revaluation exercises as required by the DoHSC
The post-holder will assist in developing and maintaining systems, procedures and controls to ensure the financial resources of the Trust are protected and managed in accordance with the Standing Financial Instructions. Ensuring the timely production of fortnightly and yearly cash flow reports, and the Trust’s cash position is presented accurately on a weekly basis to the Senior Managers
Main duties of the job
To produce the month-end capital performance reports covering actual capital expenditure against plan with associated scheme by scheme reports. Investigate variances from plan and ensure that action on changes required is taken to ensure that the Trust achieves its Capital Resource Limit.
Support the annual accounts process, providing necessary schedules and working papers to support the production of the Trust’s final accounts including the audit review process.
The role also includes leadership of specific projects
Assisting in developing and maintaining systems, procedures and controls to ensure the financial resources of the Trust are protected and managed in accordance with the Standing Financial Instructions
To ensure that the Chart of Accounts is fit for purpose and the integrity of the Trust’s General Leger is maintained
Develop the Trust’s financial system to ensure that it remains fit for purpose and that it is used to optimise and report on the financial performance of the Trust
With support from the Charitable Fund Financial Accountant responsible for the production of the Charity Annual accounts and driving improvements in planning and reporting systems.
With the support of the Charitable Fund Financial Accountant responsible for that section, ensure all deadlines are adhered to in the monthly internal timetable and the finance wide timetable to ensure timely reporting of financial information to all stakeholders.
Working for our organisation
Our Organisation
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust (PAHT) provides a full range of general acute, outpatient and diagnostic services at The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, the Herts and Essex Hospital in Bishop’s Stortford, and St Margaret’s Hospital in Epping.
We employ 3,500 staff and serve a local population of around 350,000 people living in west Essex and east Hertfordshire, centred on the M11 corridor and the towns of Harlow, Bishop’s Stortford and Epping. Our extended catchment area incorporates a population of up to 500,000 and includes the areas of Hoddesdon, Cheshunt and Broxbourne in Hertfordshire.
Our Values
The Princess Alexandra Promise to our patients as identified by our 3 values which will contribute to improving our patient experiences:
Patient at heart – Always holding the patient and their wellbeing at the centre of our thoughts and efforts
Everyday excellence – Sharing and celebrating our successes, being honest when we get it wrong, giving us the ability to learn from both
Creative collaboration – Knowing strength comes from diversity, we combine our experiences, skills and talents, working together to find new and better ways to care
The Trust believes in investing in all our staff and rewarding high standards of care whilst building for excellence and in return we expect our staff to uphold the Trust values to the highest level.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Job description and person specification. This is available to download at anytime.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- CCAB Qualified
- Demonstrate Continuing Professional Development
- Education to degree OR Masters level or equivalent
Experience
Essential criteria- Experience of working at a senior level across a range of finance functions
- Extensive experience of financial accounting in a large organisation
- Have experience of operationally managing a financial accounting team
- Experience of working within an NHS Finance Department
- DHSC / HM Treasury business case guidance
- Knowledge of HM Customs & Revenue recovery of VAT on capital projects
Skills
Essential criteria- Proficient in the use of financial systems, including spreadsheets and database packages and have the ability to develop systems to maximum benefits to users
- Proficient in the use of financial systems, including spreadsheets and database packages and have the ability to develop systems to maximum benefits to users
- Ability to prepare and present financial information to non-financial people
- Planning, monitoring and influencing skills
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Have extensive experience in the preparation of the statutory annual accounts process and a range of other financial services including capital, charity and VAT
- Have an advanced understanding of financial management and financial accounting principles and procedures
- Knowledge and understanding of strategic NHS issues and priorities
- Proficient in the use of financial systems, including spreadsheets and database packages and have the ability to develop systems to maximum benefits to users
What we can offer you:
- Full induction and onboarding process in our organisation
- Free car parking for our staff
- Structured pay scheme, including additional living supplement to your basic salary
- Minimum 27 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time staff)
- Access to our Alex Lounge, our staff only rest area with free tea and coffee
- Access to NHS Pension scheme
- Flexible working options available, in line with our flexible working policy
- Onsite creche facilities
- Annual appraisals with career pathways
- In-house training courses
- Discounted hospital restaurant
- Staff health and wellbeing health services and complimentary health provision
- Our Trust is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all its employees. We welcome applications from anyone who meets the specific criteria of the post regardless of age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender reassignment, marital status, pregnancy, religion or belief or sexual orientation. Reasonable adjustments to the interview process can also be made for any candidates with a disability
- All new colleagues joining PAHT will be subject to a probationary period of six months
- The closing date given is a guide only. There may be some occasions where we have to close a vacancy once sufficient applications have been received. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment
- Our Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and vulnerable adults. Offers of employment are subject to pre-employment NHS screening checks
- Providing false or misleading information or unsatisfactory pre-employment checks may result in the offer of a post being withdrawn