Job responsibilities
JOB
PURPOSE/SUMMARY
The
purpose of the finance officer role is to support the Capital Accountant and
the capital team in the delivery of a capital accounting service to the
Trust. This will include the recording, monitoring and reporting of capital
expenditure and capital charges, raising and processing of capital journals,
setting up of capital codes and asset verification. They will also provide
assistance in the production of the Trusts annual accounts and other
statutory returns.
PRINCIPAL
DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Key
Accountabilities
a)
Reporting
Interrogate financial systems, in
order to generate information and to respond directly and promptly to routine
and non-routine queries on a day to day basis.
Raise all invoices for in relation
to capital donated income.
Provide assistance in the production
of the Trusts annual accounts and other statutory returns, in accordance
with NHS & Trust guidelines and timetables.
Assist the Capital accountant with
both internal and external audit, responding to queries and requests in a
prompt and professional manner.
b)
Information Management
Raising and processing of journals.
Utilising spread sheets to provide
summary routine monitoring information.
Analysis of debtor and creditor
accounts and setting up and issue of capital codes.
Produce monthly reconciliation of
capital disposals and capital debtors/creditors. This will include the need
to ensure that all necessary journals have been raised and amendments made
and recommending options to address discrepancies arising on the
reconciliations.
Complete the annual asset
verification process. This will involve physically checking that the Trusts
capital assets exist and are in use.
Setting up and issue of capital
codes
Input financial data into
computerised systems and databases, including the Oracle General Ledger and
to interrogate such systems in order to answer specific requests or produce
regular reports for colleagues within and outside of the finance function.
To produce and format spread sheets
and databases as necessary to meet the requirements of the post
General office duties as required
such as archiving, photocopying and filing
c)
Planning and Organisational
To plan own workload accordingly to
meet monthly reporting and year end closedown timetables.
To plan own workload and ensure
that reconciliation discrepancies are investigated and resolved on a timely
basis.
d)
Human Resources and Training
To support the Capital Accountant
in the delivery of the team objectives. To assist the Capital Accountant in
reviewing ways of working within the team and helping implement any changes.
To provide cover for other members
of the capital accounting team during periods of absence as deemed
appropriate.
e)
Policy and Service Development
To implement policies and
procedures set by the Assistant Director of Finance / Head of Capital
Finance. Ensuring that set policies and procedures are followed and proper
audit trails maintained.
To propose changes to existing
policies and procedures affecting own areas of work to increase efficiency and
effectiveness of the service and to meet changing requirements
f)
Communication and relationship skills
Ability to deal with complex issues
with a wide range of parties including colleagues both finance and
non-finance, which may be contentious using appropriate negotiation and
persuasion skills.
Ability to provide and receive
information/advice some of which may be sensitive in an appropriate manner
both in relation to finance and non-finance colleagues.
A confident, pleasant and
enthusiastic approach, willing to develop and maintain good working
relationships with colleagues, programme managers and other managers.
Through a good technical knowledge
of the areas of responsibility, able to consistently perform to expectations
and create a credible impression.
g) Analytical and judgement skills:
Good numeracy skills, competent in
processing and interpreting figures.
Ability to analyse, interpret and
present information, considering a number of options, identifying the
relationships/trends between issues, highlighting errors and discrepancies
and performing any necessary financial calculations to allow assessment of
the options
Ability to enter financial data
with speed and accuracy into computerised/paper systems and regularly create
spread sheets and databases for specific purposes which may be required
across the team.
Ability to reconcile and analyse
financial data and maintain appropriate documentation on file.
a) Ability to work independently within
clearly defined operating policies, with little direct supervision, taking
into account established precedent and referring to managers where
appropriate.
b) Ability to use own initiative to
investigate and resolve issues in an appropriate, timely and professional
manner
c) Ability to organise and plan own
work, ensuring that tasks are performed in accordance with departmental
deadlines, managing a range of priorities and ensuring that set procedures
are followed.
h)
General Responsibilities
Other tasks
To perform other tasks, as required
by senior members of the capital accounting department.
i) Knowledge
a) Understanding of capital and
financial accounting and audit practice, particularly the finance policies
and procedures relevant to the post.
b) A developing knowledge of the
organisation, its objectives and activities.
c) The ability to use a variety of
computer systems including spread sheet packages, and Oracle financial ledger
systems.
d) An appreciation of the need for
consistency and governance, ensuring set procedures and policies are
understood and followed.
e) An understanding of the culture,
objectives and values operating within the Finance Function
f) Knowledge and understanding of the
following processes:
a. NHS Finance Regime
b. Year-end procedures and requirements
c. NHS Trusts Standing Orders and
Standing Financial Instructions
THE
LEEDS WAY VALUES
Our
values are part of what make us different from other trusts, so we see this
as a strength, as well as a responsibility. They have been developed by our
staff and set out what they see as important to how we work. Our five values are:
Patient-centred
Collaborative
Fair
Accountable
Empowered
All
our actions and endeavours will be guided and evaluated through these values
Additionally,
the following are core values which relate specifically to this post:
The
core values for NHS Finance Staff underpin effective performance in this role
and drive the specific requirements included in section 5; these include
commitment, excellence, professionalism, partnership, flexibility, integrity
and innovation.
The
Finance departments mission statement is To be the best provider of finance
& procurement services to support the delivery of patient care in the
Leeds Way.
To
perform effectively in the role, the post holder will be expected to have the
following behaviours and skills:
Commitment to behaving honestly,
openly, impartially and fairly.
A confident, pleasant approach,
willing to develop and maintain good working relationships with colleagues.
Ability to work as a team player,
providing information, demonstrating activities and routines and providing
informal training to a range of other team members and co-ordinating their
input as required
Ability to organise and plan own
work, ensuring that tasks are performed in accordance with departmental
deadlines, managing a range of priorities and ensuring that set procedures
are followed
Ability to communicate effectively
with other finance and non-finance colleagues
Works flexibly, responding
positively to changing targets and openness to new ideas and ad hoc tasks
Reviews own performance, assessing
own strengths and weaknesses, taking corrective action and identifying areas
for personal development.
COMMUNICATION
& WORKING RELATIONSHIPS
The
post holder will work closely with the Capital Accountant and other members
of the financial accounting team. The post holder will also work with Capital
Programme Managers, project managers within the estates and IT departments
and other managers involved in the procurement and management of capital
assets.
Within
the Finance Directorate, they will also work closely with other members of
the Department (e.g. Internal Audit, Payroll, Payments, Accounts Receivable,
procurement and Management Accounting).
Outside
the Trust, communication may also be required with bodies such as other NHS
organisations, universities, commercial partners and charitable
organisations.
