ePay and Charitable Funds Officer

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose:

To support the Financial Services team in providing a comprehensive accounting service which will facilitate the smooth and efficient running of the Finance Department function in compliance with statutory and NHS Improvement guidelines, established accounting concepts and standards along with providing a comprehensive, customer focused, financial service within the Trust.

Work as a member of the team responsible for ensuring the integrity of the general ledger and associated feeder systems in accordance with the Trusts Standing Financial Instructions and internal office procedures.

The post is responsible for the processing of staff expenses on the ePay system (Trust expenses system) and to keep records of all study leave budgets. To ensure all ePay reports are completed monthly, ensuring that staff are claiming within their allocated budgets and adhering to the Trust Policy.

The post will support the Charitable Funds Manager in the allocation of Income and Expenditure and other tasks to enable accurate reporting to the Charitable Funds Committee.

The post holder has no line management or budgetary responsibility but will be expected to act independently with limited supervision to provide a timely and effective service to staff of the Trust.

Key Duties:

ePay Trust Staff Expenses

To manage the day-to-day operation of the Travel and Expenses (Epay) system and prepare all travel and associated expense claim forms for input to the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system for payment. To have a detailed understanding of the accounting procedures of the Epay system, finance ledger and the ESR pay system to ensure staff are paid accurately and as per the NHS guidelines and the Standing Financial Instructions (SFIs) and Scheme of Delegations (SoD).

The post will work directly with HR regarding Hierarchy for ePay approvers and policy updates/changes.

To input and implement all awards/travel rate increases including the calculation and payment of arrears where appropriate, using complex calculations and be able to manipulation data skills where necessary. To input and manipulate financial data into the finance computerised system / database and be able to use, create and update complex spread sheets accurately, and create reports as required.

To ensure all lease car users are set up correctly on ESR, to ensure that the correct elements for claims are used.

Post holder will have delegated authority to process expenses claims on ePay and will be required to contribute to supporting budget holders by adhering to the ePay guidelines and ensuring payments are made as per the policy.

To input all manual payments within ESR to recover salary advances for International Nurses and staff claims for expenses and travel.

To input Relocation Expenses, ensuring records are kept accurate and up to date to ensure that claims are kept within the agreed amounts and expenditure type as per Trust Policy.

On approval by relevant Budget Holder, ensure that all Consultants, Junior Doctors and Trainee Doctors claims are allowable expenses and that it has not exceeded the annual allowance by keeping accurate records of allowances and spend.

To keep up to date with changes in legislation or guidance affecting the payment of expenses such as changes in HMRC rules.

To deal with routine enquiries from staff where there may be issues regarding non-payment, incorrect or late claims. All enquires to be dealt with promptly and courteously and as per the financial regulations and NHS rules. Be able to communicate with non-finance colleagues and explain the complex rules and regulations regarding payments.

To be responsible for inputting financial data into computerised system (EPAY), in the correct format and design, whilst also maintaining all records/files relating to travel and associated payments/claims for reporting purposes, via the ledger, database or spreadsheets.

To analyse, investigate and resolve financial queries and discrepancies, identifying any over or underpayments and suggestions of options to resolve and pursue the under of over payments, using complex calculations and systems/polices to support the decisions.

To liaise with SBS Payroll department and workforce with complex issues regarding travels and expenses and to ensure that Travel and expenses are paid accurately to the right staff as per the guidance.

Charitable Funds

To support the Charitable Funds Manager with the accurate and timely allocation of all Income (Donations) and internal Expenditure Requests for the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals Charity. Be able to communicate and solve complex queries from external stakeholders and Trust Fund Ambassadors.

To input income into the Charitable Funds System (Harlequin) , ensuring that it is correctly allocated against the correct funds/departments and completion of the monthly reconciliation .

To advise the Trust cashiers when needed with regards to income received for Charitable Funds, ensuring that all income is allocated against the correct fund/department

To offer advice and guidance to Charitable Funds Budget Holder through the hand-book and directing them to the intranet site.

To ensure all expenditure requests for Charitable Funds comply with Trust SFIs and SoD.

Financial Services Duties

To plan, prioritise and manage own workload to ensure the weekly and monthly financial submissions are made. To ensure the annual financial timetable is met as per the NHSE/I guidance.

To ensure all payments made (FP) are checked and recovered from the staff member and liaising with SBS Payroll if this is not done in a timely manner. Ensure all related costs are reconciled and allocated to the relevant budget on a monthly basis.

Completion of the Trust turnaround documents are updated and submitted to SBS within the specified timescales.

To check all leavers (via Staff Forms) for debt owing to the Trust for overpayments and course fees. If debt is owed, contacting the staff member to inform them that a deduction will be made from their final pay.

Be able to use advanced keyboard skills to input accurately and at pace, to ensure the agreed timescales can be met

Be able to concentrate when inputting data, checking and reconciling to ensure the details are recorded accurately whilst also being able to switch tasks depending on the situation such as answering queries on the telephone.

To implement policies as agreed by the Trust or as required from recent changes to legislation. To propose changes to practises and own procedures, updating all department procedures relating to the duties of this post and propose changes when appropriate.

Provide a professional and calm approach to staff, patient and relatives with regards to queries concerning travel and other expenses, whether communicating via email, telephone or face to face in the cashiers office.

To be an active member of the Finance Department contributing to its development and training for new staff members and support training others within the Trust within the finance department and also externally to non-finance staff.

Provide support and information to both internal and external auditors as required to ensure the mandatory regulations including the Trusts Annual Accounts are adhered to within the timeframes required.

To actively contribute to the Directorate objectives suggesting alternative processes and ideas.

To attend such training courses as required enabling the post holder to effectively perform the duties of the post and as part of the post holders Performance Development Plan.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• - Able to work with little direct supervision and own initiative.
• - Able to work to rigid deadlines.
• - Good attention to detail.
• - Self-motivated and a positive attitude.
• - Able to concentration when checking, inputting and reconciling data.
• - Used to working in a busy environment.
• - Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty.
• - Professional calm and efficient manner.

Desirable

• - Able to handle more than one job at once.
• - Positive attitude and not resistant to change.

Qualifications

Essential

• - Minimum 2 GCSE or equivalent including Maths & English - NVQ Level 4 in accounts/business - AAT Technician level Or equivalent experience

Desirable

• - ECDL

Other Job Requirements

Essential

• - Awareness of confidentiality.
• - Flexible in base and location.
• - Flexibility in working times.

Skills & Knowledge

Essential

• - Clear concise written & spoken communications skills. Use of a keyboard and VDU continuously for long periods of time.
• - Good organisational and communication skills.
• - Able to produce accurate and timely work, including analytical work to resolve issues and queries within area.
• - Excellent telephone manner.
• - Be able to input into a computer accurately and timely for long periods of time.
• - Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work closely and effectively with staff at all levels within the organisation.

Desirable

• - Familiarity with new technology.
• - Working knowledge of AfC and Medical & Dental T&Cs for expenses.
• - Ability to advise/train users on relevant Trust systems.

Experience

Essential

• - Previous experience of working in a finance office - Recent use of a computerised financial system within a work environment.
• - Able to demonstrate ability to work to agreed deadlines.
• - Can work within policies and procedures, work is managed not supervised.

Desirable

• - Previous work in an NHS finance office
• - Previous experience of the NHS EPAY (Expenses) system
• - Previous knowledge of NHS ESR computerised Payroll system.
• - Previous knowledge of a NHS Charity