Accountant

Location: East London (hybrid 2 days on site)

Job Type: Temporary

Duration of booking: Expected to last 3 months with possible extension

Proposed start date: ASAP

Pay Rates: Up to£25 per hour Umbrella or £22 per hour PAYE inclusive of holidaypay

Hours / Working Days: 37.5 hours per week / Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm

Based: Office / Hospital

*Must have previous NHS experience*

The Post

Reporting to the Financial Controller, the Oriel and Capital Financial Accountant is responsible for managing and overseeing the day-to-day Oriel capital and joint venture transactions within the hospitals accounts and ledger.

Working closely with the Financial Accountant, you will assist in the production of the Trust’s Annual Accounts in relation to Oriel and other returns, in accordance with regulatory and statutory guidance and to reporting deadlines to ensure that the organisation fully meets its financial reporting obligations.

You will need to be familiar with NHS VAT accounting.

The post holder will assist in developing and maintaining systems, procedures and controls to ensure the financial resources of the Trust are protected and managed in accordance with the Standing Financial Instructions.

With Support from the Senior Financial Accountant and the Capital Accountant the post holder will manage the effective provision of the financial and capital Programme and fixed asset register. They will also advise on the completion of capital business cases.

Main Responsibilities

The main responsibilities are as follows:

• The role supports the Trust financial operations including loan accounting, balance sheet setup, and service concession accounting to mitigate audit and reporting risks.
• To assist in the production of the Trust’s Annual Accounts and other returns.
• To work closely with internal and external auditors to resolve relevant queries.
• Assisting in developing and maintaining systems, procedures and controls to ensure the financial resources of the Trust are protected and managed in accordance with the Standing Financial Instructions
• Responsible for ensuring that the Trust’s capital programme is correctly accounted for including managing the Trust’s asset register and lease register and advising managers on the appropriate use of lease financing.
• Responsible for implementation and evaluation of accounting policies and procedures with supervision from the Financial Controller.
• Plan projects which impact across financial accounts.
• Ensure that all reporting internally and externally is produced in a timely and professional manner.
• To produce the month‑end capital performance reports covering actual capital expenditure against plan with associated scheme‑by‑scheme reports. Investigate variances from plan and ensure that action on changes required is taken to ensure that the Trust achieves its Capital Resource Limit
• Support the annual accounts process, providing necessary schedules and working papers to support the production of the Trust’s final accounts.

Capital

• To produce the month‑end capital performance reports covering actual capital expenditure against plan with associated scheme‑by‑scheme reports. Investigate variances from plan and ensure that action on changes required is taken to ensure that the Trust achieves its Capital Resource Limit.
• Support the annual planning process as regards the capital investment programme, and work with Trust officers in developing the Trust’s annual capital plan in accordance with internal timetables and NHSE/I and a 5‑year rolling capital programme. This will include developing detailed budgets for the capital programme.
• Advise and contribute to business cases in relation to capital, make judgements regarding allocation of finances, financial decisions and risk.
• Act as a finance business partner for all capital projects and provide, where needed training on capital finance related matters to non‑finance staff .
• Input into all capital aspects associated with the New Hospital development including equipment and support the Financial controller and the Finance Business Partner for the New Hospital, meeting all the requests that this lead has.

VAT

• With the support of the Senior Financial Accountant, be able to advise on VAT matters related to Oriel and the joint venture where they impact the Trust.
• Liaise with the Trust’s external VAT advisors to ensure the appropriate treatment of VAT where they relate to Oriel accounting within the Trust.

Skills and experience

• First degree or equivalent professional experience.
• The post holder must be a minimum of a passed finalist or qualified member of a CCAB body (e.g. CIMA) and be actively undertaking Continuing Professional Development (CPD) or FCA.
• Experience of working at a senior level across a range of finance functions
• Extensive experience of financial accounting and capital accounting.
• Experience of working within an NHS Finance Department
• Experience of producing statutory accounts
• Knowledge and understanding of strategic NHS issues and priorities