About this role
Job summary
The Management Accountant is responsible forproviding timely and accurate management information to the Trust's budget holders and senior management ensuring that the data is understood and used by non-finance managers allowing them to meet their own performance targets.
They will work with minimal supervision, under the direction of the Finance Business Partner to carry out these duties and maintain high levels of satisfaction with a range of stakeholders, including budget holders and colleagues around the Finance department.
Main duties of the job
Support the Finance Business Partner, ensuring the effective provision of a comprehensive management accounting service. Working closely with the Financial Services Team to prepare the monthly trust accounts in line with requirements as set out by the Associate Directors of Financial Services and Operational Finance Producing accurate and timely budgetary control reports, and to produce the directorate performance packs within the agreed timetable. Undertake regular meetings with budget holders (without supervision) to review accounts and support their understanding of the financial position Investigating and analysing variances from budget and reporting and explaining these to budget holders and other senior managers.
About us
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM) provide the widest range of NHS mental health services in the UK as well as substance misuse services for people who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We work closely with the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London and are part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre. There are very few organisations in the world that have such wide-ranging capabilities working with mental illness. Our scope is unique because it is built on three major foundations: care and treatment, science and research, and training.
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust are part of the South East London Finance Academy, whichis committed to fostering professional development and career growth for all with a particular aim of enhancing opportunities for under-represented groups and improving the diversity of our finance community.
This means, that as part of our Secondment Pledge, this permanent role is advertised with the flexibility of a potential secondment opportunity for the successful candidate. If you would like to explore this flexibility, please discuss with your current line manager and raise for discussion with the recruiting manager, this will not adversely affect your application in any way. Whilst all secondments will require agreement from both the host and receiving organisations, all organisations within SEL are committed to approaching this conversation positively.
Job description Job responsibilities
Support the Finance Business Partner, ensuring the effective provision of a comprehensive management accounting service.
Working closely with the Financial Services Team to prepare the monthly trust accounts in line with requirements as set out by the Associate Directors of Financial Services and Operational Finance
Producing accurate and timely budgetary control reports, and to produce the directorate performance packs within the agreed timetable.
Undertake regular meetings with budget holders (without supervision) to review accounts and support their understanding of the financial position
Investigating and analysing variances from budget and reporting and explaining these to budget holders and other senior managers.
Participation in the costing and pricing of the Trusts activity.
Reviewing financial transactions to ensure that they have been correctly processed and recorded.
Produce accurate year end forecasts.
Produce monitoring returns to external bodies as and when required.
Assisting managers in developing business plans for their areas of responsibility.
To liaise with internal departments and external agencies to obtain relevant information in a timely manner.
Support Finance Business Partner in implementing Service Line Reporting.
Maintain adequate records for audit purposes.
To ensure work structure information (ESR) reconciles with budgets and ensure the efficient processing of authorisation requests on the Trust recruitment system (currently TRAC)
Ensure the budget is kept updated for alterations throughout the year in line with budget rules and Standing Financial Instructions.
Work through complex financial and non-financial workloads with minimal supervision or support
To manage stakeholder expectations and satisfaction, engaging with a range of internal and external customers with different backgrounds and sometimes competing objectives
Assisting in other ad-hoc financial exercises as required.
Undertake any other duties applicable to the grade/post as required.
This post involves the use of display screen equipment as a significant part of normal works and the job holder will be a user as defined in the Health & Safety Policy on work with DSE.
This post currently involves working from home full time with Trust provided equipment, with occasional on site meetings which must be attended. Going forward, it may be a combination of working from home / office work / travel to meetings as and when required.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
AAT qualified or at management level for CIMA (50% completion) or at least 50% of exams completed for ACCA (skills level) or 50% complete CIPFA or ACA. Attained full European Computer Driving License or equivalent experience
Knowledge Essential
A detailed understanding of finance & accounting procedures with some understanding of its application within an NHS environment
Experience Essential
Significant experience in relevant finance areas Experience of using and developing complex financial management systems Experience of working to tight deadlines, within a highly pressured change orientated environment
Desirable
Experience of reporting on a trading accounts basis, and explaining the concepts involved to a range of stakeholders Costing experience in an NHS environment Presentation of financial information to a range of stakeholders, including senior management
Skills Essential
oGood supervisory and leadership skills as at times this post holder might be responsible for supervising and training a Trainee Accountant whilst meeting deadlines and competing priorities oAble to express complex and technical issues, both orally and in writing in an easily understood and persuasive manner for a range of audiences oProfessional and self-motivated with a proactive approach to problem solving
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Address Jeanette Wallace House
Croydon
CR0 1FE
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.slam.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)