Head of Financial Accounts

An exciting opportunity has become available to join the Finance senior management team as a Head of Financial Accounts, at Sheffield Health & Social Care NHS FT.  We are looking for a forward thinking, highly motivated qualified accountant to lead our Financial Accounts function, which includes responsibility for annual accounts production, accounts receivable, accounts payable, maintenance of the Trust’s ledgers, capital/investment appraisal, cash control, banking arrangements and investments.

We are looking for someone who shares the Trusts values and works well with a wide range of people to enable services to deliver high quality care for our service users.  Working closely with the Deputy Director of Finance, Head of Contracts and Tender Management, Head of Procurement and Head of Management Accounts we want the Finance department to continue to be a great place to work to enable us to effectively support the rest of the organisation.

With the increased expectations on NHS finance teams you must be able to demonstrate highly developed knowledge, experience and expertise in a complex organisation with the ability to lead a team with numerous competing priorities.

The Head of Financial Accounts is directly responsible for the Trust’s Financial Accounting function. The function has the following main responsibilities:

•            Ensuring the preparation, maintenance and probity of the Trust’s financial accounting controls, procedures and systems.

•            Final Accounts production.

•            Management of the section with accounts receivable; accounts payable; maintenance of the Trust’s ledgers; cash control; banking arrangements and investments; VAT.

•            Capital/Investment appraisal and maintenance of the Trust’s Register of Property, Plant & Equipment and associated accounting entries.

•            Provision of detailed forecasts for the financial planning and monthly monitoring process in relation to SOFP, Cash flow and capital expenditure.

Full details are included within the job description and person specification.

Working to the Deputy Director of Finance the main responsibilities of the role are:-

Financial Accounting

·       Responsible for preparation of the Trust’s Annual Accounts, Annual Financial Returns and Statements within the required timescales determined by NHS Improvement and in accordance with all relevant guidance, policy and professional accounting standards, whilst working autonomously to interpret and analyse such policies.

·       Responsible for compiling the technical financial pages of the Trust’s Annual Report ensuring compliance with accounting standards and the requirements of NHS Improvement’s Annual Reporting Manual.

·       Liaison with external auditors in demonstrating the accuracy of the Trust’s Annual Accounts and Returns, including the preparation of detailed working papers to satisfy external audit requirements.

·       Ensure systems and procedures are in place to reconcile the financial control accounts on a regular basis in order to maintain effective financial control and accuracy of financial information.

·       Co-ordinate the production of VAT returns as required and provide the Trusts specialist advice on VAT related issues.

·       Maintain and develop internal financial controls, systems and procedures, including the evaluation and implementation of recommendations contained in internal and external audit reports.

·       Ensure the proper management of the Trust’s register of property, plant and equipment and ensure that supporting accounting entries are reflected in the financial accounts, returns and records of the Trust.

·       Take a lead role in ensuring that the Trust’s payables and receivables balances are recorded and reconciled in accordance with guidelines issued by NHS Improvement.

·       Preparation of monthly financial performance reports to support the Board, detailing the Trust’s performance in relation to SOFP and cash flows

·       Provision of detailed forecasts for the financial planning process in relation to SOFP, cash flows and capital expenditure. Provision of monitoring information of actuals against these plans, including variance and bridge analysis.

Cash Flow & Control

·       Day to day management of the Trust’s liquidity, ensuring the Trust’s cash flow is managed in accordance with the Trust’s Treasury Management Policy, including debt and payment management, as well as borrowing and depositing.

·       Responsible for the preparation and monitoring of complex cash flow planning and forecasting within the Trust.

·       Develop reporting systems for monitoring the Trust’s cash flow and for identifying deviations from the Trust’s cash plan. Where appropriate, liaise with senior finance staff in reconciling Income & Expenditure, capital and working balances to monitor cash flow performance against plan. Advise on and implement appropriate action to ensure that cash flows remain with the cash plan.

·       Management of the Trust’s banking arrangements, ensuring that appropriate reconciliation procedures are maintained.

·       Maintain cash holdings to ensure that sufficient funds are always available to meet the Trust’s requirements.

·       Advise on the required extent of the Working Capital Facility for approval by NHS Improvement and manage cash resources appropriately.

Capital/Investment Appraisal

·       Ensure that allocated capital expenditure is in line with Trust objectives and plans and systems are in place to ensure that capital schemes are in accordance relevant accounting policies and guidelines.

·       Ensure that relevant financial information, particularly with regard to capital expenditure and investment appraisal, is included within every Business Case developed by the Directorates. Review and then discuss the information provided with the Deputy Director of Finance for either approval or to co-ordinate further actions required.

·       Ensure that capital expenditure is accurately recorded, forecast and allocated and that VAT is recovered where appropriate. Where appropriate confirm the treatment with HM Customs & Revenue and/or the Trust’s VAT consultants.

·       Preparation of financial accounts, returns, records and forecasts in relation to capital expenditure, ensuring accurate treatment of capital accounting entries.

·       Prepare forecasts in relation to depreciation and calculate actual depreciation for inclusion in monthly and annual financial returns and reports.

·       Calculation of the Trust’s Public Dividend Capital dividends payable and correct and timely remittance of such payments.

Other Financial Management Responsibilities

·       Maintenance of relevant financial policies and procedures for the regulation of financial dealings within the Trust, revising and updating as necessary, including the establishment of working parties, where relevant, to take forward revision and implementation.

·       Provide relevant input, as required, to internal and external audit reports, including the co- ordination and implementation of agreed recommendations.

·       Interpret financial information and accounting standards and provide relevant specialist financial advice and support on these complex issues to the Board, the Executive Directors Group and Directors and managers within the Trust. This advice may be communicated verbally or in writing and it may be supported by the production of detailed and accurate financial information without the necessity of advice from the line manager.

·       Within delegated guidelines act as an authorised signatory for Trust financial instruments and where required facilitate the processing of receipts and payments.

·       To work collaboratively with the Deputy Director of Finance in determining monthly timetabling and scheduling as well as timetabling and scheduling in respect of the preparation of the Annual Accounts of the Trust.

·       To maintain close contact with other finance colleagues within the Trust to ensure an efficient and effective delivery of service, consistent with departmental wide working policies and practices.

Line Management

·       To play a proactive role in the recruitment of staff and to train, motivate, develop and supervise those staff effectively within Trust and Finance Directorate policies and procedures, ensuring that all staff have job descriptions, regular one to one meetings, personal development plans, and are subject to an agreed appraisal mechanism. This includes the assessment of training needs and ensuring that these needs are met.

·       To recruit, train & develop the Financial Accounting team in order that they can competently undertake the responsibilities and tasks required of them and that the financial information and advice supplied is provided in an accurate, relevant and timely manner.

·       To be responsible for priority setting, both personally and for managed team members and to be responsive to urgent and unpredictable requests for high level financial assistance.

Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.

When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.