Care Group Accountant

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen to recruit a suitably experienced and motivated Care Group Accountant to join our successful team within the award-winning Financial Management function at County Durham and Darlington NHS Foundation Trust.

The role is a key part of our finance team providing financial support and guidance to the organisation and supporting the financial strategy of the department. We are seeking an enthusiastic individual who is passionate about what they do in order to support delivering the best care for patients.

In return we will offer you a warm and welcoming environment where you will be fully supported.

We operate an agile working policy, whereby the team are based on site for a proportion of the week and have the option to work at home, where preferred, for the remainder. We are also Future Focussed Finance Accredited, CIMA Premier Partners and ACCA Approved Employers (GOLD).

Main duties of the job

To provide a high quality and responsive financial management service to the care group encompassing:

1. Business Advice and Planning
2. Financial Control
3. Efficiency & Productivity Improvement
4. Management of the Finance Team
5. Other Corporate Finance Responsibilities

The scope of the role, specifically in terms of financial planning and control and financial performance and reporting covers the entire turnover of the care group, which will be c£60m.

The post holder will be responsible for the management and performance of the Care Group Financial Management Team (5.00 WTE) in the provision of a high quality and responsive service to the care group and will lead on the setting, maintenance and development of financial standards of performance and service delivery within the team.

In the discharge of his/her duties the post holder will be expected to communicate closely and effectively with clinical directors, lead clinicians, care group & other service managers and will represent the finance department at subcommittees of the care group and the Trust at meetings with external agencies.

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:

1. The financial and economic implications of national and local policies, targets and procedures
2. The development and implementation of longer term operational & financial planning which is consistent with current spending review settlements for the NHS.
3. Development of schemes to support delivery of their Improving Quality Eliminating Waste targets (IQEW)
4. Supporting the care group in the active pursuit of opportunities to increase and protect income & market share including the accurate assessment of income and expenditure implications of such proposed service developments / growth.

Financial Control:
The Care Group Accountant will maintain the Trust's financial performance framework, ensuring financial control is maintained at Care Group and Departmental level through:

1. Ensuring the care group is aware, adequately trained and adheres to the Standing Financial Instructions of the trust
2. Monitoring actual performance against income, expenditure and cost reduction targets
3. Forecasting of future performance and assessment of associated financial risk
4. Concise and accurate reporting of financial performance up to Care Group Management and the Trust Board, to assist decision making at all levels
5. Disseminating key messages to Care Group and Departmental staff, including challenging relevant individuals when required
6. Development and implementation of action plans to address poor performance
7. 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:

1. 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.
2. Identification of areas of waste and inefficiency
3. Benchmarking against best practice
4. 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:

1. 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.
2. 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:

1. 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 Trust's projected resources.
2. 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.
3. To contribute to the development of Service Line Management, through Service Line Reporting, care group and departmental P&Ls, and patient level costing
4. 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.
5. To perform any other duties as may be delegated from time to time.

Person Specification

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 affecting 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