Senior Accounts Payable Clerk

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is the only acute hospital provider in the Mid and South Essex Integrated Care System (ICS), which is a system of health and care partners working together for our local population. Within Mid and South Essex there are 149 GP practices, operating from over 200 sites, forming 27 Primary Care Networks and one Ambulance Trust.

Here is an exciting opportunity for you to join us as a Senior Accounts Payable Clerk. The role is part of the Accounts Payable Team and involves carrying out various tasks relating to the maintenance of the Accounts Payable ledger, ensuring adherence to approved policies and procedures. The role has the responsibility for the day-to-day management of the team, processing invoices, matching orders to invoices and resolving queries relating to invoices. You will involve dealing with suppliers and service line managers and other internal members of staff, therefore well-developed interpersonal and communication skills are essential. The role requires an approachable personality, good attention to detail, good computer skills and must be able to work without the need for direct supervision, being able to prioritise and allocate work to team members to meet weekly and monthly deadlines.

Main duties of the job include:

• Matching invoices to purchase orders where automatic matching has failed.
• Scanning and registering invoices.
• Processing invoices, credit notes and payment requests in line with approved policies and procedures.
• Reviewing invoices to ensure accurate coding, authorisation, VAT treatment and arithmetic accuracy prior to payment.
• Investigating supplier statements, credit notes, discounts and payment discrepancies, taking appropriate action to resolve issues.
• Responding to queries from managers, budget holders and suppliers, ensuring timely invoice approvals and payments.
• Handling sensitive matters relating to non-payment, incorrect payments and overdue invoices.
• Liaising with managers and budget holders to ensure correct authorisation and coding of both purchase order and non-purchase order invoices.
• Providing day-to-day supervision and support to Accounts Payable Clerks.
• Maintaining high standards of accuracy and efficiency.
• Undertaking additional duties as required by the Financial Services Manager to support the effective operation of the team.

Our ambition is to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and well-being of our patients, and provide a vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers. We aim to make the most of our skills and experiences so we can become the best we can be.

Qualifications:

• Essential criteria: Educated to A level standard or equivalent with a minimum grade C/4 in both Mathematics and English GCSE.
• Desirable criteria: AAT Foundation Certificate level 2 or NVQ level 3, or actively studying AAT level 2.

Knowledge and experience:

• Essential criteria: Knowledge of financial system and processes.
• Desirable criteria: Knowledge of the NHS financial systems processes necessary for delivering excellence in healthcare.

Communication:

• Essential criteria: Good communication skills using a range of methods e.g. written and verbal.
• Desirable criteria: Ability to use Excel and Financial accounting packages.

Please be aware as per the new Immigration guidelines we cannot sponsor candidates with a salary (full time or pro Rata) under the current minimum threshold. Please note, the selection processes at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust are in place to ensure we recruit candidates with the right skills and values.