Assistant Management Accountant

Job overview

Mid Cheshire is an exciting place to be, with a new digital clinical system being implemented later this year, a new surgical hub opening next financial year and a new hospital build programme underway.

We're looking for an Assistant Management Accountant to join our Finance team.

The successful person will provide the Finance Business Partner with support in order to meet the Trust's statutory reporting requirements and deadlines in line with Finance Policy and Procedure’s.

You will ensure that the Divisional Directors, Clinical Directors, Service Managers & Budget holders within the Trust receive full financial advice and support to meet the Trust Statutory targets to give an accurate report of performance.

Main duties of the job

The postholder must be highly proficient in the use of excel and other miscrosoft packages, be a quick learner and able to adapt in situations that require flexibility.

The postholder will need to have a good understanding of budgetary control, highly proficient at ledger management, and able to communicate to finance and non finance staff about material variances and concerns.

You will need to ensure that discretion is used at all times as some issues maybe of a confidential nature. While you will work following Senior Management decision, you will be responsible for your own workload and will not required to be directly supervised.

Our teams operates an agile working policy. We will expect the postholder to work a hybrid pattern to include  a minimum of 2 days in the office.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Produce Management Information with particular emphasis on Month end Management Accounts and Annual Budgets.
• To process and account for documents relating to Management Information in line with the Trusts Financial Procedures showing sufficient back up and investigate and resolve discrepancies.
• To assist Management in the meeting of Statutory Obligations.
• To establish and maintain good relationships with Divisional and Departmental Managers to promote the Finance Department as an advisory service.
• To establish and maintain good relationships with External Bodies where required by responding to user requirements.  For example funding issues & ensuring that income is received by raising invoices when required.
• To cover for other members of the Management Accounts Team when necessary to ensure smooth running of the service.
• To maintain and control the day-to-day systems administration of the Department ensuring that routine tasks are completed in a timely and professional manner.

Budgetary Control

• To prepare all supporting documentation of the Trusts budget setting process. Ensuring that all relevant factors are incorporated.  To attend meetings with Divisional Directors and Department Heads to agree rolling budgets and ensure that Cost Pressures for the coming year are highlighted and costed throughout the overall process.
• To ensure timely and accurate delivery of Budget Statements for specific areas ensuring that the information is accurately presented. Ensuring that the General Ledger is accurately maintained.
• To identify Cost Pressures within the Division on a monthly basis. Reporting them to the Divisional and Service Managers.
• To assist and discuss financial aspects in the preparation of the annual Business Cases
• To ensure that Divisional Directors receive reported information in a timely manner and to arrange and attend meetings with said Managers to discuss any areas of concern that have occurred or may occur over the course of the financial year. Ensuring that all actions are followed up and reporting any areas of concern to the Finance Business Partner / HoMA.
• Meet with newly appointed Budget Holders – as required, to explain the budget statement and other financial issues.

Financial Management

• To maintain and update the manpower establishment files, which is the sole document, for specific divisions ensuring that the Divisional Managers/Directors keep within the specified budgets and advising where necessary how available budgets can be used and to what limitations. Using Establishment Control Forms in conjunction with ESR system processes, to ensure that the budgets reconcile at all times.
• To ensure that the Standing Financial Instructions of the Trust are followed by the Directorate Managers.
• Ensure that significant variances are documented on a monthly basis over all aspects of expenditure and adhoc income. Explain how these variances will have an effect on the Division over the Financial year and suggest ways in which these can be covered or used to the advantage of the Division.
• Complete and comment on various reports explaining variances in order for the Finance Business Partner / HoMA to prepare the monthly Board Papers.
• Provide information for the Performance Monitoring Meetings. Highlighting Cost Pressures and any other issues that need to be discussed by the Clinical Director, Divisional Managers/Directors and the Director of Finance.
• Attend monthly meetings with the Deputy Director of Finance and Head of Management Accounts to explain the financial position of the Division. Ensuring that any queries that have been raised by Senior Financial Managers are answered.
• To arrange and attend monthly meetings with Divisional Managers to go through their financial position at the month end advising and make recommendations on how the budget for the financial year can be used effectively. For example costing and analysis for the decision making process.
• Produce figures for Divisional ad-hoc returns when required.
• Review and update Management Reports utilising spreadsheets and other software packages. Responsible for data entry and storage of data, regularly designing and formatting spreadsheets.

GOVERNANCE

• Ensure compliance with Trust policies, procedures and guidelines for self and others, by taking action/alerting senior management team if practice appears to contravene policy, or if concerned about any aspect of patient care.

MANAGERIAL/LEADERSHIP

• Contribute towards a healthy, safe and secure working environment, ensuring compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, maintaining accurate documentation and reporting any concerns.

EDUCATION/LEARNING

• Take responsibility for own learning and development by recognising and taking advantage of all opportunities to learn, including full participation in KSF/appraisal, supervision, action learning and by maintaining a professional/personal portfolio of learning.

This job description is an outline of the role and function.  It is not intended to describe all specific tasks.