About this role
Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen within South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust. We are looking to recruit a band 6 Finance Assistant to join our Finance team. The successful candidate will assist the Deputy finance manager to provide accurate, timely and meaningful financial information and advice to a range of individuals.
Main duties of the job
To support the development of all financial reporting aspects of the Trust, assisting in the timely completion of all Trustwide financial management reporting requirements and any internal and external partners ensuring that best practice and compliance with the latest requirements is maintained at all times.
To support production of reports to the Board and finance team, assisting in consolidating information, including forecasting of activity, income and expenditure and analysis of key movements from plan.
To have and further develop knowledge of reporting tools and spreadsheet skills in order to support development of bespoke reporting, forecasting and planning documents for all levels of the organisation.
To assist a wide range of projects in specific development areas as determined by the Deputy Finance Manager.
To support the Deputy Finance Manager with financial and operational issues.
To act as the finance support for one or more Divisions providing high quality information, support and advice ensuring a cohesive approach to activity, income, expenditure and workforce.
To work closely with the clinical and operational managers and relevant budget holders, taking responsibility for providing a comprehensive financial management service.
To support the Deputy Finance Manager in providing financial reporting, planning, forecasting and advisory service within Divisions to the operational managers and budget holders.
About us
Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further. In addition our staff survey results have placed us 4th in the country for recommended place to work.
We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity.Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are 'Trusted to provide safe, inclusive, effective and compassionate care'. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn't matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.
Job description Job responsibilities
DIMENSIONS
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Internal
Finance and Performance Directorate Senior clinicians, including Consultant Medical Staff Clinical and operational managers Procurement Information department Human Resources Budget Holders Internal Auditors External
Clinical Commissioning Groups and other NHS organisations NHS Trusts External Auditors RISK ASSESSMENT
Work with display screen equipment and keyboard for prolonged periods.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Support the collation and completion of the financial elements of the annual planning process.
Support the production of all monthly and quarterly reporting internally / externally, ensuring that all reporting timetables and deadlines are met and that key finance and non-finance staff are clear of their deadlines and responsibilities.
Support development of internal financial reporting in line with the Trusts strategic vision for reporting maintaining a standardised, efficient and integrated financial reporting system that incorporates information on Performance, Human Resources and Workforce, Operational Performance, Quality Indicators, Activity & Income and Expenditure and Efficiencies.
To be aware of benchmarking opportunities across NHS networks and to assist the Deputy Finance Manager in developing plans for implementing best practice and new methods/models for improvement of financial management information and improving information to the Divisions.
Working with the Divisional senior management team, supporting the Deputy Finance Manager in providing financial information and advice on all aspects of finance related business, including but not limited to budgetary management, capital investment, business case developments and efficiency savings programmes.
To take responsibility for all aspects of budgetary management within the relevant Division, including monthly monitoring of performance. This will include ensuring the financial position and reports present an accurate and robust cleansed data on a monthly basis. You will work with the managers to interpret financial information and variances from plan and offer guidance & advice so that potential financial problems can be identified early enough for effective corrective action to be taken.
To provide the Deputy Finance Manager with the information necessary to support the monthly reporting cycle and assurance that all relevant financial risks within the Division have been accounted for. This will include explanation of significant variance movements for inclusion in the Trust Board Report.
To work on the Divisions Cost Productivity Improvement Programme (CPIP), supporting the Deputy Finance Manager and management team to identify and monitor CPIP schemes.
To prepare the month-end financial positions for the Division in readiness for the Deputy Finance Manager review. To take responsibility for Financial Management month-end closedown, and collating the Finance and Performance Executive reporting pack for the Division.
To support the collation of Division forecast positions on a monthly basis, working closely with the budget holders ensuring all key financial issues are considered. o To support the Divisions annual budget setting exercise preparing appropriate key performance indicators, identifying activity, workforce and expenditure trends, cost pressures and CPIPs and working with budget managers on their plans.
To prepare and review all recharges, both to and by the Division with partner organisations.
Support the Deputy Finance Manager to develop the use of Service Line Reporting to engage clinicians and other Division staff in developing efficient and high quality clinical services. This will involve taking the supporting role in ensuring the principles of Service Line Management are embedded within the Division and developing & maintaining strategies and operational processes which support effective financial governance and management. To assist the Deputy Finance Manager in working with service managers and clinical staff to make improvements to Division performance.
To provide cover for the Deputy Finance Manager in their absence, providing financial information and support as and when required.
Supervisory management of the Finance Assistant including supporting appropriate personal development plans.
To carry out all of the above duties in line with standing financial instructions and standing orders of the Trust, and in accordance with local procedures and guidelines as notified from time to time.
Any instances where the standing financial instructions are not being adhered to should be notified to the Head of Financial Management as soon as possible.
To support Divisions in the production of ad hoc business case costings, ensuring a work up of financial analysis of all options.
To provide training as required to managers and finance staff both internal and external to the finance department.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
AAT qualified or actively studying for a CCAB (or equivalent) qualification.
Desirable
Qualified or passed finalist CCAB (or equivalent) i.e. CIMA, ACCA, CiPFA
Experience Essential
Previous experience of working with senior clinicians (or equivalent). Evidence of experience of financial management accounts in the NHS, other public sector or large commercial organisation. Experience of supporting the annual financial planning and budget setting process. Experience of analysing and using non-financial as well as financial information in business planning, reporting and decision making. Experience of delivering or supporting specific improvement in CBU finance performance. Acute Sector experience.
Desirable
Experience of procurement. Experience of analysing and using non-financial information in business planning, reporting and decision making. Financial reporting experience in the NHS, other public sector or large commercial organisation.
Skills Essential
Understanding of NHS planning and reporting processes. Able to create and develop spreadsheets. Able to apply appropriate costing methodologies in accordance with best practice Ability to contribute to the understanding of financial information of CBUs and the Trust. Ability to work in a multi-disciplinary environment. Good interpersonal, negotiation and communication skills Ability to develop innovative problem-solving approaches and to work to demanding timescales. Detailed knowledge of General Ledger systems and reporting tools. Able to handle large quantities of data and evaluate complex financial problems Good report writing skills.
Desirable
Application of change management tools and techniques. Programming or software knowledge working with highly complex systems and a variety of information sources. Ability to handle complex budgets and manage change. Have experience of supporting the production of financials for business cases. Ability to make judgements, assess and quantify risk and determine the impact of decisions and actions on the organisation.
Personal Qualities Essential
Professional and personal credibility and integrity. Team player. Able both to lead and to support others to achieve objectives. Calm and resolute under pressure
Other Essential
Knowledge and understanding of equal opportunities Able to travel between sites Occupational Health clearance
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).
Employer details Employer name South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust
Address Warwick Hospital
Lakin Road
Warwick
CV34 5BW
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.swft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)