The Christie NHS FT

Senior Financial Management Assistant

The closing date is 09 July 2025

Job summary

What we're looking for:

We are looking for a candidate who is keen to start or to develop a career in NHS finance.

The successful candidate will be actively studying CCAB/CIMA, who has a proven track record in effective financial management, possess strong management and communication skills, as well as excellent analytical, technical and IT skills from within the Public or Private sector. You will have the ability to work under pressure and to manage multiple and conflicting deadlines and have experience in working in a diverse team.

Why you should work with us:

We hold the patients at the heart of everything we do, striving to transform cancer treatments and improve outcomes for our patients, at the same time offering a range of training both internally and externally, along with mentoring programmes and study support.

Our Team:

As a Financial Management team we offer a dynamic, diverse and developmental environment in which to nurture and enhance your career within the NHS. We have embedded a culture of strong teamwork, and ensure we get quality time together to build and enhance inter-team relationships.

The Finance Directorate actively promotes training and development within the team, we have developed a comprehensive finance education strategy and hold Level 3 accreditation in Towards Excellence and Future Focused Finance.

Main duties of the job

Your future role:

Reporting to the Assistant Divisional Finance Manager, you will provide high quality, accurate and timely financial management advice, monitoring and reporting service to a Clinical Division.

Supporting the Assistant Divisional Finance Manager, you will provide an effective monitoring and reporting service and be an integral part of the Divisional team, being a key point of contact for budget holders and managers. Acting as accountant for the Division, you will also provide support and input to projects within finance and across the Trust.

The post holder will support the month-end process and production of the financial position for their division(s) and will provide effective financial input into business cases and service developments, including accurate costings, critical analysis and consideration of all financial implications of schemes.

We recognise how important a modern working practice to enable our employees to maximise their performance and productivity whilst maintaining an excellent work life balance and so have adopted a hybrid office/home working approach where employees have the opportunity to work either from home or flex their time between both.

About us

The Christie is one of Europe's leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.

Date posted

03 July 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£29,970 to £36,483 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

413-96802-FB-SD

Job locations

Financial Management - E00382

Wilmslow Road

Manchester

M20 4BX

Job description

Job responsibilities

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Support the Head of Financial Management (HoFM), Divisional Finance Manager (DFM), Finance Manager (FM) and Assistant Divisional Finance Manager (ADFM) in providing an effective monitoring and reporting service to the trust in accordance with the agreed timetables, procedures and standards prescribed within the trust. This involves the interpretation of data to provide solutions to complex problems.

2. Support the Financial Management team with the co-ordination of central processes and projects, to include Freedom of Information requests and trust planning returns.

3. Co-ordinate the FMA rota, ensuring team members are fully trained and a clear rota is in place, and support the co-ordination of month end processes.

4. To assist in the preparation of revenue budgets and to provide financial advice/information to budget holders regarding these budgets. This includes the verification of previous years budget brought forward, setting for example staffing, income budgets etc for the current year and is responsible for the reconciliation of budget entry on a monthly basis.

5. To investigate material variances from budgets, using budget variance analysis (e.g. compilation of pay spreadsheets, completion of income reconciliations based on activity undertaken) under the direction of the DFM/ ADFM and to report findings or conclusions and provide a range of options for resolution to the relevant managers within agreed timescales. This will facilitate forecasting the levels of expenditure/activity/income within those directorates whilst highlighting pressures as soon as they arise.

6. To keep records of budget queries and any corresponding responses in a format determined by the DFM/ FM/ ADFM enable a regular review to be made of the service provided to the managers.

7. Contributing to meetings with budget holders on behalf of the DFM/ FM/ ADFM and ensuring that all discussions and decisions are documented. Develop a greater understanding of the division in order to present the information required in a format which is easily understood by budget holders.

8. To assist in the day-to-day management of the general ledger, this includes input of journals, maintenance of the purchase ledger supplies accounts, creation of financial codes within the trust structure, maintenance of budget holders names within the trust structure and clearance of error suspense in accordance with accounting procedure.

9. Ensure on a monthly basis that appropriate accruals and pre-payment are accurately included in the Trust current and forecast financial position.

10. Preparation of monthly sales invoice information extracted from data files. This involves liasing with both departments and customers to resolve invoice queries to a satisfactory conclusion. Ensure that the sales ledger monthly timetable is adhered to meet invoicing deadlines.

11. Provide detailed costing information to business managers on proposed changes i.e. Business & Service plans, staff working patterns. Update budget spreadsheets to reflect changes and upload budgets to the general ledger.

12. To become an integral member of the finance department by participating in and contributing to identified corporate financial projects, for example the preparation of elements of the Annual Accounts process.

13. Support the DFM/ FM/ ADFM in providing a robust link between the Financial Management section and the Financial Services Manager in respect of the preparation of year-end accounts.

14. Complete Change of Establishment Procedures inputting amendments onto EPS system and working together in collaboration with Human Resources Department.

15. Plan and prioritise workload in accordance with the monthly timetable with limited supervision.

16. Extensive daily data entry input involved in role to provide accurate information on a timely basis for the general ledger, Payroll system and relevant databases.

17. Assist with any ad hoc tasks including telephone queries, postal duties, attendance recording and to cascade knowledge of procedures and tasks to other colleagues within the finance department.

18. To provide cover for other financial management team members absences, including supporting other divisions.

19. Exercise judgement and initiative within the scope of the role when problems arise by providing possible solutions for resolution to the DFM/ FM/ ADFM. Alert the DFM/ FM/ ADFM. to any areas of concern.

20. Responsible for own development and the creation of a personal development plan, proactively identifying development opportunities and maintaining an awareness of local and national agendas. Work with the DFM/ FM/ ADFM. to agree personal objectives.

This job description is not intended to be exhaustive, but reflects the main responsibilities of the post holder. Other duties may be required from time to time, which are commensurate with the grade of the post. This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate modification.