Care Group Accountant

Job responsibilities

Business Advice and Planning

Through the provision of expert, high quality, timely, financial and business advice the Care Group Accountant will take lead responsibility for the Clinical Care Groups use of financial resources and the achievement of the Care Groups financial objectives and thereby assist the Care Groups in the achievement of their activity, access, quality and workforce targets as set by the Trust Board through the operational planning framework.

More specifically this will include advising on:

The financial and economic implications of national and local policies, targets and procedures

The development and implementation of longer term operational & financial planning which is consistent with current spending review settlements for the NHS.

Development of schemes to support delivery of their Improving Quality Eliminating Waste targets (IQEW)

Supporting the care group in the active pursuit of opportunities to increase and protect income & market share incl the accurate assessment of income and expenditure implications of such proposed service developments / growth.

Financial Control

The Care Group Accountant will maintain the Trusts financial performance framework, ensuring financial control is maintained at Care Group and Departmental level through:

Ensuing the care group is aware, adequately trained and adheres to the Standing Financial Instructions of the trust

Monitoring actual performance against income, expenditure and cost reduction targets

Forecasting of future performance and assessment of associated financial risk

Concise and accurate reporting of financial performance up to Care Group Management and the Trust Board, to assist decision making at all levels

Disseminating key messages to Care Group and Departmental staff, including challenging relevant individuals when required

Development and implementation of action plans to address poor performance

Escalation to senior management where performance does not improve or where financial risk is increasing despite these measures being put in place.

Efficiency and Productivity Improvement

The Care Group Accountant will actively seek opportunities to drive the improvements expected by the Trust Board in clinical efficiency and productivity, and will assist Care Groups in developing and implementing strategies to achieve these aims, for example through:

The continued development and usage of Patient Level information and Costing (PLICS) through clinical engagement to provide robust financial intelligence at granular service level and at individual patient level.

Identification of areas of waste and inefficiency

Benchmarking against best practice

Development of care group scorecards

Management of the Finance Team

The Care Group Accountant will supervise, manage and motivate the financial management team to ensure delivery of high quality and timely financial advice & information. More specifically this will include:

Leading on staff appointment, development, training and education including annual appraisals, giving advice and guidance on career development, and contribution to the professional training of team members via the Financial Management Training Scheme.

Leading, alongside the other Care Group & Corporate Accountants, a process of continuous improvement at all levels in the department, which will contribute to increased productivity within the team, and to improving the quality and usefulness of financial and business advice and information provided to the Clinical Care Groups and Corporate Divisional teams.

Other Corporate Finance Responsibilities

To lead the annual budget setting process for their areas of responsibility, ensuring that budgets reflect service requirements whilst at the same time staying within the Trusts projected resources.

To ensure compliance with the requirements and deadlines for key financial returns such as Annual Accounts, Monitor plans and returns, Reference Costs, Tariff Road Testing, freedom of information requests, liaison with internal/external audit etc.

To contribute to the development of Service Line Management, through Service Line Reporting, care group and departmental P&Ls, and patient level costing

To contribute to the development of the financial skills and business awareness of clinical staff in order to maximise the potential for improvement in clinical quality, operational efficiency & financial performance resulting from decisions made at care group level.

To perform any other duties as may be delegated from time to time.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 2 years post qualification experience at middle management level
• In depth knowledge of the NHS financial regime, including capital accounting, the Payment by Results process, costing & information processes within the NHS.
• Able to advise finance and non finance managers on matters relating to their own area, providing detailed advice and guidance;
• Knowledge, experience and expertise in finance management and staff management.
• Good understanding of the performance management and financial framework within the NHS.

Desirable

• Exposure to working at senior management level

Special Requirements

Essential

• A commitment to the continuous development of the finance department to be innovative and to constantly seek new ways of working / improving performance.
• Ability to meet the travel requirements of this post.

Special Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Communication & Relationship Skills
• The ability to effectively communicate complex, contentious or sensitive information to staff of a wide variety of professional backgrounds and seniority.
• The ability to advise, influence and negotiate including those of greater seniority, in matters effecting financial performance and delivery of financial objectives. This will include the presentation of complex financial and non financial information to non financial managers, occasionally in large groups.
• Understands, and can effectively convey current financial concepts clearly and persuasively.
• Analytical & Judgement Skills
• Ability to analyse highly complex situations, scenarios and projects, and is able to determine the financial impact of these and contribute to effective decision making in an uncertain environment.
• Ability to produce and analyse business cases, including the development and appraisal of options, to optimise the allocation of resources.
• Ability to make judgements and financial decisions via risk based assessments of leading options which may conflict.
• Planning & Organisation Skills
• The ability to formulate financial plans for responsible areas, and contribute to the formulation of financial strategy.
• Ability to plan and manage the workload of own team, to ensure workload is delivered to a high quality within deadlines.
• Governance and Risk Management
• Introduces and manages issues relating to corporate and financial governance and ensures that financial risk is planned for and managed
• Ensures compliance with Standing Orders, SFIs and Schemes of Delegation
• Promotes strong financial management culture and develops finance skills and knowledge of governance issues
• Customer Focused Business Advice
• Uses a broad understanding of the organisation, clinical issues, customers and stakeholders to provide business advice
• Generates and interprets financial information to help the Care Group understand itself more fully
• Identifies and implements opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness of services provided
• Using Information Technology
• Uses IT to gather, interpret and manipulate information to meet the needs of the Care Group
• Mental & Physical Attributes
• Excellent organisational skills
• Ability to cope with rapid and sustained change
• Capable of working independently
• Able to work under pressure and deliver high quality work within challenging deadlines
• Interpersonal Skills
• Clear and effective communication and presentation skills.
• Strong people management skills team working, motivation & delegation.
• Strong influencing, analytical and negotiation skills
• Excellent written communication skills
• Able to cope with and resolve conflict.

Desirable

• Project management skills with the capability of managing complex tasks to tight deadlines within a complex changing environment.
• Experience of Oracle general ledger and Microsoft Office

Qualifications

Essential

• CCAB Professional Accountancy Qualification with a minimum of 2 years post qualification experience.
• Evidence of continuing personal and professional development

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).