Financial Accountant

The role will be to support the year end accounts process.

• The post holder will develop and maintain a General Ledger coding structure, which accurately reflects Whole of Government Accounting (WGA) Income, Expenditure, Payables and Receivables accounting transactions. Responsible for completion of NHS Improvement’s Foundation Trust Consolidation Schedules (FTCS) for all WGA balances. Carrying out monthly WGA reconciliations ensuring working papers are produced and developed to meet the evolving complexity of whole of government accounting.
• The role includes supporting the preparation and completion of the statutory Charitable Fund Annual Accounts and Report, and the provision of assistance and advice to departmental managers ensuring appropriate utilisation of funds available.
• The role includes supporting the preparation and completion of the subsidiary (HHFM Ltd) statutory Financial Statements and Annual Report. Managing all tax affairs of the subsidiary specifically VAT and Corporation Tax.
• Support in the preparation and completion of the Month 12 Statutory and NHS TAC Forms.
• Ensuring all Statement of Financial Position Control Accounts are reconciled on a timely basis with appropriate working papers. 

Location: Harrogate 

Job Type: Temporary 

Duration of booking: Expected to last 4 months with possible extension

Proposed start date: March 2025

Pay Rates: Up to £23.50 per hour Umbrella or £21 per hour PAYE inclusive of holiday pay

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

Sector: Healthcare 

Based: Office / Hospital 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST

• Maintain a General Ledger coding structure, which accurately reflects whole of government income and expenditure accounting transactions. Carrying out monthly reconciliations between suitable working papers to the General Ledger. Ensuring working papers are developed to meet the evolving complexity of whole of government accounting.
• Support in the preparation and completion of the Month 9 NHS Accounts for the Trust in accordance with NHS England/Improvement deadlines ensuring they are complete and accurately reflect the financial position of the Trust. 
• Assist with the preparation and completion of the Trust’s Annual Accounts in accordance with the Trust’s Annual Accounts timetable ensuring allocated tasks are completed according to the timetable and providing support to junior members of the finance team ensuring their allocated tasks are also delivered as per the timetable. Enabling the submission to meet NHS England/Improvement deadlines, ensuring they are complete and accurately reflect the financial position of the Trust. Undertaking a liaison role with internal audit and external audit on associated issues.
• Support in the production of the subsidiary company (HHFM Ltd) Financial Statements and Annual Report.
• Coordinate the quarterly agreement of balances exercise including liaising directly with other providers/commissioners and reconciling and resolving any discrepancies between the amounts shown. Determining at each submission round to NHS Improvement if any amendments are required etc. 
• Manage the processes by which accurate and timely charitable funds financial information is provided to the Board of Directors as Corporate Trustee and Fund Managers and to monitor charitable funds performance and adherence to the Charity Commission regulations.
• Provide an expert service to the Trust in the area of VAT, dealing with both routine and complex issues. Providing advice on VAT exemptions available for charitable fund purchases, ensuring the correct amount of Contracted Out Services VAT is reclaimed under appropriate categories and that systems are in place to properly record input and output VAT. Ensure completion of the Trust’s monthly VAT returns and undertaking a lead contact with the Trust’s external VAT advisors and HM Revenue and Customs.
• Assist in the management of the system for monthly control account reconciliations ensuring these are completed on a timely basis. 
• To ensure that the integrity of the Trust’s financial ledger is secured through the timely, accurate, and appropriate reconciliation and clearance of control and suspense accounts. 
• To keep adequate records to confirm that all such reconciliations are done on a monthly basis; or on a quarterly basis where this has been agreed as being appropriate.
• To prepare and submit specific periodic reports of expenditure extracted from the ledger to external bodies – e.g. National Fraud Initiative Submissions, Annual Pensions Assurance Statement, VAT Reports and Claims (monthly and quarterly).
• To provide cover for the Accounts Receivable function ensuring that segregation of duties is maintained between debtors and the receipting of income.
• Liaise with Internal and External Audit, providing information as required.
• To design and produce complex spreadsheets for use in Finance and other departments within the Trust, expert in the use of Microsoft Office – e.g. use robust knowledge of spreadsheets and information manipulation techniques (use of lookups and pivot tables etc.).
• Contribute to the development of financial information systems, reporting processes and databases to support production of the Annual Plan for submission to NHS Improvement.
• To maintain the coding structure and reporting hierarchy within the Trust’s financial information system (Oracle).

Skills and Experience

• Qualified Association of Accounting Technician (AAT).
• Completed Fundamentals Level of ACCA/Significant progress towards Qualified Accountant CCAB (Degree equivalent)Knowledge of financial procedures, financial policies and relevant legislation.
• Knowledge of accounting principles, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
• High degree of computer literacy and understands and uses IT in order to improve the effectiveness of the service, planning and supporting the introduction of new systems and actively seeking to apply technology to improve systems and process.