Financial Accounts Assistant

NHS; Nottingham; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 26,000; Full time

Job description

East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic and highly motivated Financial Accounts Assistant to provide a professional financial accounting service supporting the Head of Financial Accounting in all aspects of financial accounting.

The output of the finance team is crucial to maintaining financial control, scrutiny of income/expenditure and ensuring the achievement of financial targets. The team is also responsible for the maintenance of the integrity of the financial systems and ensuring they are compliant with Standing Financial Instructions.

We are looking to recruit a Financial Accounts Assistant with a drive to add value and be a real team player as well as being able to work autonomously. As we are a small finance department, there are many learning opportunities to broaden your finance experience.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be reporting to the Head of Financial Accounting in all aspects of the systems, processes and controls involved in the day-to-day management of Cash and Financial Accounting and aspects of Capital. This is a challenging and multi-faceted role which combines a requirement for the highest standards of technical competence in managing the outputs of a finance team.

Job responsibilities

1. Maintain procedure notes for own area of work.
2. Be actively involved in the continuous review and improvement of all accounting processes and information.
3. Undertake job rotation within the finance team to enhance finance skills and competencies.
4. Monthly reconciliation of control accounts for Statement of Financial Position codes within an agreed timetable, including clearing items to the appropriate areas by investigating unreconciled balances.
5. Ensure the control account checklist is completed in full on a monthly basis for audit purposes.
6. Support the day-to-day management of the Financial Accounting Team Mailbox.
7. Provide support to finance managers and the wider Finance Department.

Accounts Receivable

1. Lead and monitor the Trust's database in relation to sales invoice preparation and processing.
2. Support the Head of Financial Accounting in the development and maintenance of the debt management process, working closely with NHCT Accounts Receivable Team and finance managers to resolve issues and the referral of debts to an external debt recovery company by completing case preparations.
3. Support the Senior Financial Accountant in producing the salary overpayments analysis data from reviewing the aged debtors report, escalating any aged debts to relevant finance managers for resolution in line with Trust protocols.
4. Investigate unallocated income and advise correct allocation or budget code.

Accounts Payable

1. Support and monitor the No Purchase Order No Pay scheme from a finance perspective, working closely with the Procurement department and finance managers to ensure continual adoption of the policy and review of Goods Received Not Invoiced Accruals.
2. Prepare ad-hoc supplier faster payment requests for processing.
3. Produce and complete supplier set up requests as and when required.
4. Produce and upload the Accounts Payable Collection return via the NHS Digital portal.
5. Support the production of the monthly agency cost analysis reconciliation.
6. Produce new supplier requests for authorisation and submission to NHCT Accounts Payable Team.
7. Support the Finance Officer with the role of Invoice Query Manager within Integra.

VAT

1. Have a working knowledge of VAT legislation as it is applied within the NHS.
2. Ensure that the Trust's VAT claim is submitted in a timely and accurate manner, dealing with queries as appropriate.

Year End / Month End

1. Assist in the production of internal and external monthly, quarterly and annual returns and reporting.
2. Carry out all month end ledger closedown processes as per the timetable.
3. Prepare and present the aged debt report analysis for the month end review meeting.
4. Support the preparing and uploading of the monthly stock orders.
5. Ensure that all Error Suspense Accounts are cleared at each month end.
6. Produce and review the Income Reconciliation Report for the month end review meeting.
7. Participate fully in the month end review meetings.
8. Liaise and discuss all aspects of duties with internal and external audit teams.
9. Support the Trainee Financial Accountant on the NHS Agreement of Balances exercise on a quarterly basis.
10. Prepare year end declaration point working papers on a monthly/quarterly basis.
11. Prepare and upload relevant expenditure journals, ensure the control log is complete and journals are authorised and include appropriate supporting information.

Cash Management

1. Lead the production of the daily cash flow forecast, investigating receipts without remittances.
2. Responsible for the reconciliation of the unallocated cash control account and unreconciled bank items.
3. Monitor the monthly breakdown of the bank charges from the bank and process accordingly, ensuring that this is coded accurately in the general ledger.
4. Assist with the Trust's Petty Cash reimbursement requests ensuring petty cash holders are reimbursed in a timely manner.

Payroll

1. Support the Senior Financial Accountant/Trainee Financial Accountant in producing analysis of salary overpayments data.
2. Reconcile all payroll deductions to Electronic Staff Records (ESR) reports, ensuring timely payment to third parties and accurate coding by NHCT Cash Management Team.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Good standard of education to A-Level or equivalent.
• Educated to Degree level or equivalent.
• Full Member of the Healthcare Financial Management Association.
• ECDL.
• Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Qualified with membership / NVQ Level 4 in Finance or equivalent.

Experience

• Previous experience in a finance environment.
• Previous NHS finance experience.

Knowledge

• Good working knowledge of Microsoft Office packages and general computer literacy.
• Good analytical skills.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Flexibility in working hours in accordance with the work commitments and needs of the department and Trust policies.
• Willing to accept additional responsibilities as delegated by senior members of the team.
• Understanding of the NHS financial regime.
• Knowledge and understanding of financial services processes.
• Knowledge of Integra Financial System.
• Use of financial ledger and reporting packages.
• Experience with computerised financial systems.

Personal Attributes

• Display a positive, professional, enthusiastic and helpful approach.
• Reliable, good time keeping, honesty and integrity.
• Works effectively as part of a team.
• Easily adapts to changing circumstances.

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.

Employer name

East Midlands Ambulance Service NHS Trust

£24,625 to £25,674 a year per annum pro rata