Senior Management Accountant

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To provide the lead accounting expertise and financial analysis the Management Accounting service to the Division and Operational teams within them.

• Provide a comprehensive and high standard of management accounting service to the Operational Managers, Clinical Directors, Budget Holders, and Support Managers within their respective Directorates and Divisions / Operational Teams in a way that both supports improving patient care and balances Trust financial objectives.
• To lead on the management accounting reporting for the Division to the Divisional Finance Manager / Head of Financial Management. Ensuring Divisional management account functions such as monthly reports and forecasts are completed.
• Apply best accounting practices to ensure an accurate representation of the Directorates' financial performance.
• Use persuasion, motivation and negotiation skills to encourage and influence Directorate Management Team Budget Holders within the Service Lines to ensure cost-effective decision making by management.
• Lead the budget setting process for Directorates ensuring that budgets are reflective of the resources required to deliver services.
• Provide financial support for complex business cases as appropriate describing the financial implications of the business case and investment appraisal techniques.
• Be able to use the Trust accounting packages to a high standard, thereby ensuring maximum information is available to the Directorates and Trust.
• Analyse variances by comparing actual income and expenditure versus budget and/or trend analysis techniques, to take account of the complex interaction between activity and income and expenditure and highlight areas of concern.

For further information please see attached job description

• Proven ability to demonstrate developed theoretical and practical proven knowledge at an advanced level and experience and expertise in financial management, accounting procedures, relevant legislation and finance policies.
• Proven ability to demonstrate recent Continuing Professional Development including specialist training and demonstrable experience relating to Finance as well as national accounting standards.
• Awareness of the current "Agenda", national directives and all Governance aspects.

• Management Accounting demonstrable experience
• Proven knowledge of NHS finance regime including tariff arrangements

• A levels and 5 x GCSE Grade C or above or equivalent, including Mathematics and English Language at GCSE level.
• Either: a) Fully qualified Professional Accountant or studying towards qualification or b) Proven equivalent knowledge and demonstrable evidence in a similar role
• Commitment to continuing professional development in line with relevant Institute requirements

• Excellent level of numeracy
• Able to deduce key points from large/highly complex volumes of data analysing several aspects of data.
• Advanced Analytical skills.
• Proven ability to resolve highly complex problems including integration of financial and operational aspects into Strategic and operational plans.
• Good communication skills, written and verbal, with ability to demonstrate fluency, clarity and effectiveness at all levels.
• Able to communicate highly complex/sensitive and contentious information effectively to large groups of staff.
• Good inter-personal skills including negotiation and presentation skills. Able to overcome barriers to acceptance
• Proven ability to represent Finance at internal and external meetings.
• Excellent attention to detail
• Proficient with modern "Office" Packages pref. Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint. Aptitude for IT.
• Advanced keyboard skills to ensure highest level of accuracy at all times.
• Able to prioritise own work and that of others effectively within ever changing priorities and tight deadlines.
• Able to plan and organise complex activities and programmes within the Finance Directorate.
• Proven ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service depending on monthly, quarterly and annual cycles.
• Proven ability to work under intense pressure and to concentrate on highly complex accounting information for prolonged periods of time on a frequent basis.

• Proven ability to interpret policies and procedures and act on own initiative without reference to line manager.
• Leads by example and instils a team approach to workload.
• Proven ability to challenge and deal with highly sensitive and contentious situations.
• Able to handle & convey sensitive information in an appropriate and discreet manner.
• Proven ability to bring about change and embed a continuous process improvement culture within staff.
• Proactive, flexible, enthusiastic, confident and highly motivated individual who demonstrates a commitment to Trust objectives and the NHS as a whole

• Proven ability to…