Finance Officer in Birmingham

We are looking fora motivated and analytical Finance Officer to join our Acute and CommunityFinance Team on a 12-month fixed-term basis to provide maternity cover. Thisis an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting the financialmanagement of a wide range of healthcare services, including acute,community, ambulance, NHS 111 and Better Care Fund contracts.

Working closelywith finance colleagues, commissioning teams and healthcare providers, youwill support budget setting, financial reporting, forecasting, contractmonitoring and payment processes. You Will undertake detailed financialanalysis, monitor budgets and variances, reconcile financial information,support business cases and provide high-quality financial information tosupport decision-making.

The successfulcandidate will have experience working within a finance environment, strongExcel and analytical skills, and the ability to interpret and present complexfinancial information clearly. You will be organised, proactive and able tomanage competing priorities while working to tight deadlines.

We are seeking acandidate who is part-qualified with a CCAB/CIMA accountancy qualification,holds a full AAT qualification, or can demonstrate equivalent experience,together with a commitment to continuous professional development.

Main duties of the job

As a Finance Officerwithin the Acute and Community Finance Team, you will support the effectivefinancial management of a wide range of healthcare services, including acute,community, ambulance and place-based contracts.

Key responsibilitiesinclude:

• Supporting the preparation of monthly financial reports, forecasts andbudget monitoring information.
• Undertaking financial analysis, modelling and variance investigations tosupport decision-making and performance management.
• Monitoring and reporting on a portfolio of healthcare contracts andbudgets, identifying risks and opportunities.
• Processing journals, payment schedules, invoices and reconciliations,ensuring financial transactions are accurate and compliant with relevantpolicies and procedures.
• Supporting the development of business cases, efficiency programmes andservice improvement initiatives.
• Preparing financial information and returns for internal and externalstakeholders, including NHS England requirements.
• Building effective working relationships with finance teams,commissioners, healthcare providers and external partners to resolve queriesand support service delivery
• Maintaining accurate financial records and contribute to strongfinancial governance and control process
• Contributing to continuous improvementactivities, identifying opportunities to enhance financial processes, reportingand ways of working.

About us

The Black Country Integrated Care Board (ICB) is a statutory NHSorganisation responsible for developing a plan for meeting the health needs of1.26 million people in the Black Country. We manage the NHS budget for Dudley,Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton and are responsible for planning and buyingPrimary Medical Services (GPs), dental, optometry and pharmacy services.

We are part of the Black Country Integrated Care System (ICS),known as Healthier Futures, which is a partnership of organisations workingtogether to bring health and social care services closer together for the goodof our communities. We support the ICS vision for a healthier place withhealthier people and healthier futures.

The ICB has five core values that underpin the way we work andhelp to guide our actions and the decisions we make for local people andcommunities. These are compassion, inclusivity, integrity, fairness and trust.

We are an equal opportunities employer who actively supports andencourages increasing the diversity of our employees, and welcome applicationsfrom people with transferable skills gained through experience across the fullrange of health and social care settings.

We are also a bronze award holder under the Defence EmployerRecognition Scheme (ERS). The ERS recognises commitment and support from UKemployers for defence personnel.

Note: the ICB is unable to provide sponsorship to enable anindividual to have the right to work in the UK, due to the size of theorganisation

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose

The post-holder will be a key member of the Acute and Community Finance team who will be leading the financial management of the cluster's Acute, Community and Ambulance contracts, including:

• Working with commissioning leads to develop, negotiate and agreeing annual contract values, including the costing of activity plans
• Working with the AD of Finance - Planning & Strategic Investment to set annual budgets within the funding available to the ICBs
• Working with commissioning leads to develop cost improvement plans to support financial sustainability of the cluster
• In year monitoring of financial performance, including ERF and other activity monitoring
• Utilising contracts to ensure that in-year payments are made in line with national rules and contractual requirements
• Working with commissioning leads and contracting to identify and implement mitigating actions in year to ensure costs are managed within ICB budgets
• Working alongside the value-based finance team to ensure that there is a clear understanding of current contract values and the cost of commissioned services to ensure that the ICB is commissioning to deliver best value for the population of BBCS.
• Working alongside the planning & strategic investment finance team, supporting the development of transformational business cases to enable delivery of the three key shifts and ICBs strategic priorities
• Financial management of place-based contracts, including oversight of the Better Care Fund
• The scope of the team includes, but is not limited to, all acute, community and ambulance NHS provider and independent sector contracts, PTS, UTCs, 111 and BCF.
• This role requires proactive collaboration with budget holders and senior finance colleagues to ensure effective financial planning, reporting, and decision-making. The post-holder will assist in delivering detailed financial analysis, providing technical support to senior staff, and contributing to the financial control and performance monitoring of budgets.
• In carrying out your role, at least one of the agreed strategic anchors should be at the core of everything you do:
• Commissioning for Value and Outcomes
• Accelerating Neighbourhood Health at Pace
• Making the Best Use of Digital Solutions in our Pathways
• Integrated Partnership
• You will be accountable for:
• Supporting the Senior Finance Manager with monthly accounting processes including supporting monthly reporting to budget holders. This includes timely financial analysis and modelling on a routine and ad hoc basis to ensure that monthly reports and forecasts represent a true and fair view of the ICBs financial position.
• Undertake monthly reconciliation of the ledger to ensure that all transactions are coded correctly, to post ledger journals where required and on behalf of the team.
• Undertaking in-depth financial analysis, interpreting data trends and variances, and presenting findings to senior finance colleagues and stakeholders to inform strategic decisions.
• For a range of specific healthcare contracts and programme/projects to be responsible for budget setting and in-year monitoring and reporting of variances and areas of risk. This will also include supporting the team to meet any external reporting requirements.
• Processing mandate payment schedules in line with contract values, processing non-purchase invoices ensuring these are correctly validated and coded.
• Liaising and working with providers for the relevant contracts/projects and resolving payment queries.
• Producing complex financial analysis and modelling to tight deadlines and to a high standard of accuracy, using information from various sources outside of the general ledger. This can include support to the development of healthcare programme reporting, for projects related to value and efficiency
• Preparation of sales invoices and processing of credit notes and raising of purchase orders and liaising with suppliers and the finance team to ensure prompt and accurate payment of invoices/reimbursements.
• Following financial policy and process to ensure funding allocations are spent in line with guidance and relevant accounting/procurement processes.
• The post holder will be responsible for month-to-month management of the ICB cash requirements including, cash flow forecasting and cash management for specific budget areas.
• Completion of reconciliations relating to contracts and other areas as required.
• To support the implementation of projects and provide the financial support in the development of business cases as appropriate
• Providing financial information to support financial returns/requests to external stakeholders, e.g. financial submissions to NHS England, Freedom of Information Requests, ensuring that all financial information is accurate and submitted on time.
• Working to tight timescales and fixed deadlines with peaks in workload requiring increased focus and effort, particularly at month end and during the year end accounting process and the annual contracting round
• Utilizing benchmarking data to assess performance against standards set both internally and externally by NHSE
• Contributing to the continuous improvement of financial processes, identifying efficiencies, and supporting wider financial projects as directed by senior finance staff.
• To contribute to the development and improvement of the ICB finance team as a service provider by suggesting improvements to working practices; documenting procedures; maintaining a robust filing structure; organising own time to meet departmental and statutory deadlines; and supporting the development of other members of staff.
• The job description and person specification are an outline of the tasks, responsibilities and outcomes required of the role. The job holder will carry out any other duties as may reasonably be required by their line manager

Key Relationships

• Finance team colleagues
• Senior finance leadership team
• ICB staff across a number of directorates relevant to financial budgets that supporting including commissioning managers and business intelligence.
• Staff from other NHS organisations
• Staff from non-NHS organisations
• Staff from internal/external audit as appropriate in responding to audit requests

Core Duties and Responsibilities

Communication

• To act as the central point and expert for queries and information received into the team on all matters relating to business support within the team/directorate as required
• Present verbal, written and numerical information relevant to team activities, explaining any complexities, to a wide range of internal and external stakeholders
• Deal with sensitive, complex or contentious information with autonomy and confidence, ensuring that level of importance is clearly communicated
• To use negotiation and motivation skills to ensure timely completion and high performance relating to relevant tasks and projects that rely on input from others

Organisation and Planning

• Plan and organise ongoing and ad-hoc activities and meetings relevant to the role, where there may be changing and tight deadlines leading to alteration of plans
• Ensure that stakeholders are provided relevant and appropriate information and action requirements within specified timescales
• Provide administrative support of a high level to support key deliverables
• Ensure close engagement with a range of stakeholders whilst supporting key relationships within and outside of the team and organisation

Analytical and Judgement Skills

• Where barriers to achievement and success are identified, analysis of the available options to progress the work activity to completion
• Responsible for the timely cascade of a range of information, ensuring that appropriate actions are completed
• Excellent report writing skills with the ability to present complex information succinctly and clearly, including project plans, identifying risks and interdependencies
• Ability to translate material for relevant audiences and ensure appropriate teams receive relevant local and national information where required
• Analysis of information to ensure flexibility is in place to meet conflicting or changing requirements and maintain resilience

Research and Development

• Participate in a range of team and organisational development activities as required
• Undertake research and development activities in own work area as directed
• Participate in internal and national staff surveys
• Incidental patient contact; where this does occur, provide timely advice and guidance

Responsibility for Policy and/or Service Development

• Contribute to the development and ensure effective implementation of new or revised policies relevant to the team
• Proactive identification of any policy or procedural changes that may have an impact on the team and its objectives
• Provide suggested changes to your own work area, making recommendations for continuous improvement which may also impact other areas.

Person Specification

Experience

• Experience of working in a finance department
• Experience of routine reporting and of working to tight deadlines.
• Experience of working with large complex data sets, manipulating, analysing, and presenting
• Extensive use of ledger software and spreadsheet packages Intermediate Excel and MS Office skills to be used to regularly create files
• Experience of managing or maintaining information systems
• Knowledge of project principles and techniques
• Experience of working in a fast-paced environment, where adjustment to project tasks and other priorities occurs regularly
• Experience of dealing with confidential and sensitive issues with tact and diplomacy
• Experience of achieving objectives by working with others not under your direct line management
• Experience of financial management accounting in the NHS
• Broad knowledge across a range of work procedures and practices which require expertise within a specialism, or specialist knowledge across a range of areas underpinned by theoretical knowledge or experience
• Demonstrable experience in a business/project support or manager role

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level in relevant subject, or equivalent level qualification, or equivalent demonstrable relevant experience
• Part qualified member of CIMA or CCAB accountancy body or equivalent experience by qualification or full AAT qualification
• Evidence of continued professional development