Head of Financial Services

Job responsibilities

Staff Management Responsibilities

Responsible for the management of Financial Services (Financial Accounts, Accounts Payable, Charitable Funds and Accounts Receivable Services).

To provide the Financial Services staff with a job description, outlining competency and skill requirements, agree personal development plans and undertake appraisals in agreement with the Deputy Director of Finance.

To identify training and development needs and ensure these are met.

Finance Department Management

Participate in department risk management and fraud profiling activities.

Take a lead role in production of the Finance Business Plan in respect of Financial Accounting, Accounts Payable, Charitable Funds and Accounts Receivable Services and contribute to its all over development,

To be responsible for the development of financial services department and systems used within each of the teams.

To plan and coordinate audits involving financial services with Trust internal auditors, agree and implement recommendations as appropriate.

Financial systems

Make critical contribution to the design, management and development of all Financial Systems within the department, (namely: General Ledger, Accounts Payable, Purchase Order, Fixed Asset Management, Accounts Receivable, Cash Management, Crystal Reports and Harlequin Charitable Funds) including the responsibility for the implementation of new system/updated versions, to meet the specification of the department and wider Trust, and ensure that the Trust has accurate, reliable and robust systems and process underpinning the provision of Financial Services and Financial Accounting.

As a key member of the department System Group, to lead the review of all existing systems within the department and develop more efficient alternatives. This will involve liaison with members of the department, wider Trust and external Services providers.

To assist the Procurement Manager in the development of procurement systems, ensuring consistency of other financial systems.

Co-ordinate training within the Finance Department on use of computerised systems, including production of the user documentation.

Develop and ensure maintenance of the spreadsheet and database applications for the more effective working of the department and the provision of management information e.g. Crystal Reports/Xquery.

Responsible for ensuring all month-end procedures have been carried out within the General Ledger and associated feeder systems, including full trial balance and reconciliation and clearance of all control codes, thereby maintaining the accuracy and reliability of the financial accounting information.

Responsible for successful year end close down for General Ledger, sub ledgers and associated feeder system, including a full trial balance and reconciliation and clearance of all control codes, thereby maintaining the accuracy and reliability of the financial accounting information.

Responsible for ensuring the development of the Harlequin Charity Fund system to ensure that it meets the requirements of the charity and statutory reporting requirements.

Support to Trust Activities

Responsible for the production of the Trust and Charitable Funds Annual Accounts and annual financial returns, together with associated working papers. Develop and implement an agreed timetable across the finance department that achieves deliverables in the timescales prescribed by the NHS. Liaison with and provision of information to external audit to ensure smooth audit of accounts and an opinion without qualification.

Responsible for the co-ordination of the annual plan with internal auditors, with agreement of Deputy Director of Finance.

Responsible for the management of the Trusts cash position, to ensure all related policies and procedures are carried out, and upload as required, securing effective management of working balances, including efficient cash collection and payment of suppliers, (in line with the NHS Prompt Payment Policy) and the agreement of all inter NHS debt to ensure a consistent approach, (in line with national requirements), investment of surplus balances, as appropriate.

Responsible for maintaining and providing balance sheet and cash flow details for internal and external monitoring and reporting purposes. Responsible for providing such information to Deputy Director of Finance as and when required. Also responsible for providing variance information for forecast balance sheet and cash flow information to Deputy Director of Finance for long term planning purposes.

Responsible for the escalation of debt issues within the team, dealing with matters escalated from the team and resolving conflicts with internal and external counterparties to ensure debt is settled and payments made.

Responsible for maintenance of reporting of provision balances, including investigation and reporting of any sufficient changes.

Take lead role in interpretation of Health Service Accounting, other accounting policy and guidance, as appropriate, to include HMRC VAT. Attendance at relevant technical accounting seminars to ensure skills are up to date. Advising senior finance staff on the implications of such policies.

Participate in the Future Focussed Finance Initiative and become a Value Maker to network with fellow NHS colleagues obtaining and sharing best practice.

Attendance at the Charitable Fund Committee, responsible for the preparation and presentation of financial information to the Committee.

Attendance at charity fundraising group as Finance Representative to review and generate fund raising schemes.

Jointly work with the Head of Communications to ensure that charitable fundraising initiatives comply with Statutory regulations.

Provide and receive highly complex, sensitive or contentious information, its ongoing review and update, aimed at improving efficiency, making changes linked to technology and legislatives updates, and ensure its implementation throughout Financial Services.

Responsible for the day to day financial monitoring of the Trusts Capital Programme, including maintenance of the Trusts Capital Asset Register. Provide information to the Deputy Director of Finance, Finance Director, and other Senior Managers, in an agreed format and timescale, in respect of the monitoring and management of the Trusts Capital Assets.

Trust Lead and Liaison in relation to HM Revenue and Customs. Responsible to co-ordination of information and returns. Responsible for ensuring relevant Trust staff are trained with regards to VAT requirements.

Responsible for ensuring Trust Authorised signatory list is kept up to date in line with SFIs.

Act as authorised signatory within the Finance Directorate, in relation to external payments (BACS, PGO CHAPs etc).

Act as Budget Manager for the Financial Services Budgets, and participation in budget setting. Review and redesign staff structure as appropriate to ensure the continued demands of the service and Trust are met.

Responsible for policy development, review and implementation for policies specific to financial services that impact across the wider Trust.

Provide information to the Deputy Director of Finance for input to the Annual Financial Plan and monitoring returns required by NHSE/I.

Planning and organising own workload to provide an efficient and effective service taking accounting of departmental timetables.

Deputise for the Deputy Director of Finance, as and when required.

There may also be requirements to undertake other similar duties as part of this post, in order to provide a quality service. These will be consistent with the level of responsibilities outlined above.

This job description may be reviewed from time to time in the light of developments and may be amended in consultation with the post holder.

Qualifications and Education

Essential

• Professional Accountancy Qualification (CIPFA, ICAEW, CIMA or Certified) and current registration with professional body
• Demonstrate evidence of continuing professional development

Desirable

• Substantial experience at a senior managerial level within a finance team in the health service or other large dynamic organisation

Knowledge and Training

Essential

• Working knowledge of computerised finance and other systems, including Microsoft Office and Accounting systems
• Expert theoretical knowledge of NHS and Charitable Funds accounting, HMRC and other statutory regulations and reporting requirements
• Able to demonstrate management, development, and delivery of financial information systems across a whole organisation

Experience

Essential

• Proven experience of Financial Services within a large organisation
• Ability to use own initiative as well as work as part of a team and cover for colleagues as required
• Experience of interpreting and implementing national and local NHS accounting policy for a specified area of work impacting on the whole organisation

Communication and Relationship Skills

Essential

• Ability to work with others, manage and motivate others as part of a team and supervise coach and mentor members of the finance team
• Excellent financial skills including the ability to produce accurate quality financial information and interpret and present information for non-accountants
• Excellent interpersonal skills through written and verbal communication and presentation skills
• Ability to communicate with and relate to a wide range of people throughout the organisation

Analytical and Judgement Skills

Essential

• Proven ability to think logically and solve highly complex problems involving complex data and multiple stakeholders
• Demonstrate positive mindset looking for continuous improvement for self and others and the organisation
• Demonstrate flexibility to deliver organisational objectives
• Demonstrate ability to work collaboratively with others

Planning & Organisational Skills

Essential

• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise work
• Ability to set and agree clear work programme, set objectives, to work to deadlines, and manage conflicting priorities
• Ability to work on own initiative and as part of a team

Physical Skills

Essential

• Commitment to achieving excellence
• Integrity, honesty, and commitment to confidentiality
• Standard keyboard skills

Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Trust Values

Essential

• Able to provide safe, caring, and effective services
• Values and behaviours that reflect the Trust values of Care, Respect and Responsibility
• Commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace that is free from discrimination and where people feel they belong, and their contribution is valued

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).