Job summary
- Are you looking to start a career in one of the UKs most respected mental health trusts?
- Would you like to do a job that makes a difference every day?
We are looking to recruit an Assistant Accountant to join the Finance Department based in Exeter.
Across the finance team, we are committed to the development of every single member of staff to reach their full potential. Continuous review of a development plan, working in a blame-free and learning environment, regular finance team meetings, a planned and tailored finance induction, and action plans to improve relationships with clinicians are some of the initiatives that ensures the finance team are aligned to the trusts vision of developing expertise and excellence in patient-focused mental health services.
Providing excellent progression opportunities across the team and pro-actively managing performance, we are a hard-working and proud team with a good sense of humour. We empower staff to develop best practice and to make sure we are working in the most effective and efficient possible way.
Main duties of the job
You will have demonstrable financial experience across a
wide range of areas, including management and financial accounting, and be able
to confidently apply the principles of double-entry book-keeping. You need to
be comfortable handling and manipulating large datasets accurately and often
simultaneously, and ideally your experience will have been gained in a large
multi-faceted organisation.
This role is particularly interesting due to its varied
nature, and the successful applicant will be expected to be able to adapt
efficiently to the project nature of the work.
The role is busy and you will often be required to work
under pressure and to tight deadlines, so we expect you will be self-motivated,
and be able to work independently, as well as working as part of a team.
As a team we support one another to focus on finding
solutions to some of the challenges we face and ensure that our work is of a
high standard. This role has a wide-ranging impact, and is key to the success
of the team.
If you are an energetic team player, and feel
you have the skills and values to join our friendly, outward looking, proactive
and award-winning team, we look forward to hearing from you.
About us
About Devon Partnership Trust
We provide mental health, learning disability and neurodiversity services, as well as a range of specialist & secure services for the wider south west region & nationally. We are passionate about promoting good mental health & wellbeing. We strive to use the expertise & resources within our organisation, and through our partnerships, to deliver high quality services that are safe & focused on people's recovery.
We are committed to developing a culture of coproduction, involving patients, families & carers in everything we do
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications & experience - we recruit individuals who possess & demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. These include such attributes as showing a commitment to quality of care, improving lives of others, giving respect, dignity & compassion. We can bring those values to life in our everyday tasks by giving a smile; making time for people; challenging ourselves & others, & being open to new ideas.
We are committed to being an inclusive employer & applications are encouraged & welcomed from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics as governed by the Equality Act 2010. Part time & flexible working applications will be considered & supported, where possible. We particularly encourage applicants with lived experience of mental health conditions, neurodiversity or learning disabilities. We are a Disability Confident Leader.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Purpose
1. To support the finance team and operational managers in provision of data
requests, reconciliations and reports in a timely manner, ensuring financial
information is processed in accordance with procedures and in order to provide
information for statutory returns.
2. Assist with the maintenance, input, updating and reconciliation of
computerised budgetary control systems. This involves developing spreadsheets
and databases for specific purposes and undertaking enquiries on several
financial based systems. The post requires using a computer on a daily basis
with speed and accuracy.
3. To deputise for finance colleagues at meetings etc. when required.
4. Assist in all aspects of supplying financial information to key
stakeholders including non-financial staff when requested. This will include
variance analysis, analysis of pay and non-pay, evaluating a range of options,
supporting business cases, directorate performance reporting etc. This will
involve providing and receiving complex and contentious information, some of
which may be sensitive.
5. Meet with relevant stakeholders on an on-going basis advising on the
current financial position. This may involve travel between different sites.
6. Working as a finance team, adopting a task-based approach to workload,
which will be co-ordinated by Senior Accountants and Accountants.
7. To ensure every process has an accurate procedure note that can be
interpreted by both finance and non-finance colleagues.
8. To provide guidance and interpretation of the Trusts Financial
Procedures, Scheme of Delegation, Standing Orders and Standing Financial
Instructions where necessary.
9. Manage own time and workload in accordance with monthly / annual and
ad-hoc timetables, ensuring all deadlines are met on a timely basis.
10. To deliver informal training to work colleagues and non-finance staff
on a range of subjects related to own area and a range of general procedures.
11. Contribute to the effectiveness of accounting systems, processes and
procedures and make recommendations to reduce costs and enhance value.
12. Undertake other duties as agreed with the Accountants, Senior
Accountants, Assistant Director of Finance.
13. Line management of Finance Assistants
(Bands 2, 3 or 4) where relevant.
14. To attend and contribute to both the wider finance team developments
such as attendance of away days, the annual Budget Holders Conference etc.
Separately, to contribute to non-finance communications such as the Budget
Holders Newsletter etc.
In addition to the job purpose set out above, below is the range of
assistant accountant roles across the finance department, together with a description
of the core role of each:
a)
Assistant Accountant Management
Accounts (assisting the Management
Accountants and Senior Management Accountants to prepare annual budgets, process
month end reporting and year end accounts, and to support budget holders / business
cases as required)
b)
Assistant Accountant Systems (assisting the Accountant for systems to provide
comprehensive systems support in relation to finance system maintenance and
developments to maximise efficiency and effectiveness of financial systems,
processes and procedures.
c)
Assistant Accountant Costing (assisting the Accountant for systems and costing
to provide a comprehensive financial service in relation to activity planning,
monitoring and reporting, and aiding in the implementation of Payment by
Results (PBR) in the Trust).
d)
Assistant Accountant Financial
Accounts (assisting the Financial
Accountant and Senior Financial Accountant to prepare monthly analysis as
required by the Trusts financial reporting requirements, to carry out balance
sheet reconciliations of the Trusts financial ledger taking remedial actions
as appropriate, process journals and salary sacrifice applications as required and
to assist in the production of the Trusts external monthly returns and
statutory accounts).
e)
Assistant Accountant Capital /
Charitable Funds (assisting
the Financial Accountant and Senior Financial Accountant with the overall
management and performance of the Trusts capital and charitable funds
accounting functions).
e) Assistant Accountant Cash Management (assisting the Financial
Accountant and Senior Financial Accountant to provide a reliable and effective
service in respect of income/accounts receivable, banking and accounts payable
functions, VAT and other statutory returns).
During the recruitment and selection process, from the above list, the
available assistant accountant role being advertised will be clearly set
out. The Assistant Director of Finance,
in conjunction with the Senior Accountants, reserve the right to change the
role to another assistant accountant role listed above due to resource
pressures or any other reason deemed appropriate.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Purpose
1. To support the finance team and operational managers in provision of data
requests, reconciliations and reports in a timely manner, ensuring financial
information is processed in accordance with procedures and in order to provide
information for statutory returns.
2. Assist with the maintenance, input, updating and reconciliation of
computerised budgetary control systems. This involves developing spreadsheets
and databases for specific purposes and undertaking enquiries on several
financial based systems. The post requires using a computer on a daily basis
with speed and accuracy.
3. To deputise for finance colleagues at meetings etc. when required.
4. Assist in all aspects of supplying financial information to key
stakeholders including non-financial staff when requested. This will include
variance analysis, analysis of pay and non-pay, evaluating a range of options,
supporting business cases, directorate performance reporting etc. This will
involve providing and receiving complex and contentious information, some of
which may be sensitive.
5. Meet with relevant stakeholders on an on-going basis advising on the
current financial position. This may involve travel between different sites.
6. Working as a finance team, adopting a task-based approach to workload,
which will be co-ordinated by Senior Accountants and Accountants.
7. To ensure every process has an accurate procedure note that can be
interpreted by both finance and non-finance colleagues.
8. To provide guidance and interpretation of the Trusts Financial
Procedures, Scheme of Delegation, Standing Orders and Standing Financial
Instructions where necessary.
9. Manage own time and workload in accordance with monthly / annual and
ad-hoc timetables, ensuring all deadlines are met on a timely basis.
10. To deliver informal training to work colleagues and non-finance staff
on a range of subjects related to own area and a range of general procedures.
11. Contribute to the effectiveness of accounting systems, processes and
procedures and make recommendations to reduce costs and enhance value.
12. Undertake other duties as agreed with the Accountants, Senior
Accountants, Assistant Director of Finance.
13. Line management of Finance Assistants
(Bands 2, 3 or 4) where relevant.
14. To attend and contribute to both the wider finance team developments
such as attendance of away days, the annual Budget Holders Conference etc.
Separately, to contribute to non-finance communications such as the Budget
Holders Newsletter etc.
In addition to the job purpose set out above, below is the range of
assistant accountant roles across the finance department, together with a description
of the core role of each:
a)
Assistant Accountant Management
Accounts (assisting the Management
Accountants and Senior Management Accountants to prepare annual budgets, process
month end reporting and year end accounts, and to support budget holders / business
cases as required)
b)
Assistant Accountant Systems (assisting the Accountant for systems to provide
comprehensive systems support in relation to finance system maintenance and
developments to maximise efficiency and effectiveness of financial systems,
processes and procedures.
c)
Assistant Accountant Costing (assisting the Accountant for systems and costing
to provide a comprehensive financial service in relation to activity planning,
monitoring and reporting, and aiding in the implementation of Payment by
Results (PBR) in the Trust).
d)
Assistant Accountant Financial
Accounts (assisting the Financial
Accountant and Senior Financial Accountant to prepare monthly analysis as
required by the Trusts financial reporting requirements, to carry out balance
sheet reconciliations of the Trusts financial ledger taking remedial actions
as appropriate, process journals and salary sacrifice applications as required and
to assist in the production of the Trusts external monthly returns and
statutory accounts).
e)
Assistant Accountant Capital /
Charitable Funds (assisting
the Financial Accountant and Senior Financial Accountant with the overall
management and performance of the Trusts capital and charitable funds
accounting functions).
e) Assistant Accountant Cash Management (assisting the Financial
Accountant and Senior Financial Accountant to provide a reliable and effective
service in respect of income/accounts receivable, banking and accounts payable
functions, VAT and other statutory returns).
During the recruitment and selection process, from the above list, the
available assistant accountant role being advertised will be clearly set
out. The Assistant Director of Finance,
in conjunction with the Senior Accountants, reserve the right to change the
role to another assistant accountant role listed above due to resource
pressures or any other reason deemed appropriate.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE Maths and English (or equivalent)
- AAT Qualified or equivalent accounting experience
Knowledge
Desirable
- Knowledge of NHS finance
- Knowledge of ledger systems/accounting strategy and budgetary control processes
Experience
Essential
- Accounting experience - three years
- IT literate including extensive use of Word and Excel
Desirable
- Line management experience
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Good communication skills both verbal and written
- Ability to explain finance information to non-finance managers
- Good analytical skills
- Ability to interpret financial information
- Manage own workload within agreed parameters and deadlines
Desirable
- Logical approach to problem solving
- Regular reliable method of transport and mobility throughout the area
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- GCSE Maths and English (or equivalent)
- AAT Qualified or equivalent accounting experience
Knowledge
Desirable
- Knowledge of NHS finance
- Knowledge of ledger systems/accounting strategy and budgetary control processes
Experience
Essential
- Accounting experience - three years
- IT literate including extensive use of Word and Excel
Desirable
- Line management experience
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- Good communication skills both verbal and written
- Ability to explain finance information to non-finance managers
- Good analytical skills
- Ability to interpret financial information
- Manage own workload within agreed parameters and deadlines
Desirable
- Logical approach to problem solving
- Regular reliable method of transport and mobility throughout the area
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.
