Deputy Project Accountant, Band 7

Job description

Job responsibilities

Project Accounting

Lead on the financial reporting of the Trusts capital programme, the production of the monthly project progress reports and circulation of monthly budget statements to project leads.

Review the financial ledger to ensure that the financial position for capital projects is accurately reflected within the monthly reported position. Investigating and correcting where this is not the case.

Review the financial ledger to ensure that the expenditure that is against capital projects is in line with accounting standards and Trust accounting policies.

To work closely with the project leads to investigate, summarise and challenge any variances to plan or latest forecasts, identifying the causes.

Provide support to the Project Accountant on any applications for additional capital funding and ensuring that the timely draw down of the funding is informed to the Head of Financial Services.

Provide information and support to project leads in response to particular queries or requirements.

Assist and sometimes lead on the provision of information to support internal and external reports.

Business Case Development

Lead on the accurate recording of business case and capital budgetary approvals and ensure that they are uploaded onto the Finance system and each have a designated project lead responsible for delivery.

Provide, often complex financial support particularly around capital accounting business plans, investment business cases and options appraisals, where driven by national or local initiatives, to ensure that all major developments are fully supported and developed with reliable and robust financial input and advice.

Where required, participate and undertake any financial appraisals (such as: Net Present Value calculations) to support the financial assessment of business proposals.

Work with financial and non-financial managers to support the construction of business cases and the review of business cases ensuring all aspects of capital and revenue finance are included and all areas to be impacted are covered.

Embrace and promote the Better Business CasesTM agenda to ensure that Trust processes and behaviour are in line with its principles.

Work with the team to develop and maintain an efficient capture and logging of business cases and investment decisions.

Long Term Planning

To work with the Project Accountant in the co-ordination, development, management and reporting of multi-year capital plans incorporating all capital funding streams, in line Trust and System prioritisation frameworks and guidance. To support the Project Accountant, where appropriate, in developing a wider Trust wide financial reporting model which links in capital, revenue, activity and workforce.

Asset Management

Work closely with the capital accountant within the financial services team to share information on capital expenditure and the status of projects so that the capital accountant can maintain an accurate and up-to-date asset register.

Provide the Capital Accountant with expenditure forecast to support the monitoring of the Trusts cash position and for calculating capital charge forecasts.

Financial Governance

Provision of professional complex financial advice and support to Senior Managers, Budget Holders/Project Leads and Finance staff, including information on accounting treatment and governance processes.

To promote and challenge to ensure that the Trusts Financial Policies including Trust Standing Financial Instructions and Standing Orders are adhered to, value for money secured and financial stability achieved. Escalating incidences where appropriate.

Respond to internal and external audit requirements and ensuring they are responded to in a timely manner.

Professional Leadership & Management Responsibilities

Responsible for prioritising own work and that of members of staff designated to report to this post. This would include but not necessarily limited to: line managing including appraisals; training and development; sickness absence; disciplinary matters; recruitment and selection decisions; personal and career development and workload allocations.

To provide timely expert support, advice and leadership to financial and non-financial staff on project accounting and capital.

Work with the Project Accountant to agree Personal Objectives, and a Personal Development Plan and keep up to date professionally through mandatory continuing professional development and Trusts statutory training.

To be aware of, comment on and actively participate in changes on policies, procedures or service developments.

To embrace and support line management and the department in making service improvements effective within the workplace, professionally challenging where appropriate.

Communications and Relationships

The post holder will require excellent interpersonal and communication

Communicate and provide financial and analytical advice, information and support, on often complex matters to a range of financial and non-financial stakeholders clearly.

Build and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders at all levels of the Trust.

Participation in meetings providing project accounting expertise. The Deputy Project Accountant might be asked to present the capital financial position.

Work closely as a Project Accounting team to ensure that a supportive, honest and compassionate culture is developed and maintained.

To use negotiation, persuasion and persistence to ensure that the information required by project leads is provided.

Other Duties

The post holder will deputise for the Project Accountant at meetings for key Trust projects as and when appropriate.

Support the Director of Finance and Director of Operational Finance in ad hoc duties as requested.

Look to actively participate, contribute and suggest financial improvements undertaken across the department.

Participate in the provision of Finance Training Programmes to Budget Holders and other non-finance staff.

Keep up to date and ensure adherence with capital accounting standards and policies.

Carry out other ad hoc duties commensurate to the role according to the demands on the Project Finance team and wider Finance Department.

Contact Details

Craig Marshall (Project Accountant)

craig.marshall6@nhs.net

07894 429785

Available for calls between 9am and 5pm. Worth emailing or messaging first to arrange a time so I can identify a suitable time to talk.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• CCAB Part Qualified or Equivalent and working towards completing the CCAB qualification.

Desirable

• CCAB Part Qualified or Equivalent and working towards completing the CCAB qualification.

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Ability to analyse, interpret and report large complex data
• High level of numeracy and accuracy skills.
• Advanced knowledge and highly skilled in the use of MS Excel.
• A good knowledge of financial and accounting procedures, financial aspects of NHS legislation and policies.
• An understanding of strategic and operational planning, budgeting and performance monitoring, project accounting and business case development.
• Report writing and presentation skills.
• Ability and experience to present information with a high level of accuracy to a wide range of audiences both verbally and electronically
• The ability to interpret highly complex numerical data and to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including negotiation and facilitation and able to convey complex information and ideas clearly and succinctly, particularly where results are achieved through others not directly managed by the post holder

Desirable

• In depth understanding of how acute hospitals work.
• Evidence of developing, changing and improving practice.
• Ability to train and explain financial information to finance and non-finance managers.

Experience

Essential

• Substantial finance experience within the NHS or a large finance department
• Appropriate finance experience within the NHS capital accounting
• Experience of working to tight deadlines.
• Experience of dealing with conflict and prioritising demands

Desirable

• Experience of data modelling and complex analysis including options analysis and business cases.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• To always maintain confidentiality and to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act, reporting any problems etc in the appropriate manner.
• Empathetic and assertive skills to deal with various stakeholders.
• Strong communication skills, both orally and in writing.
• Good negotiation skills.
• Accepts constructive feedback and continues to develop high quality work
• Excellent organisational and time management skills.
• Ability to prioritise work in order to meet tight deadlines.
• Consistent professionalism and objectivity.
• Able to work independently, remotely, but also as a team.
• A strong willingness to grow and change as needed
• Ability to maintain standards and work under pressure

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 details

Employer name

Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Riverside House, Cheltenham

College Baths Road

Cheltenham

GL53 7QU

Employer's website

https://www.gloshospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)