Head of Financial Accounting

The Head of Financial Accounting is a key leadership role in the Finance Department. It is responsible for developing and managing the financial accounting services within the Finance Department.
**The Head of Financial Accounting has lead responsibility for**:
Leading on the annual statutory NHS and charitable funds accounts
Technical accounting advice
Financial governance - delivering high quality accounting services which achieve targets for timeliness, accuracy and financial control, and delivering financial transaction services which achieve best value for money.
Capital, finance systems, and financial services - maintain the integrity of the financial systems within the Trust.
The Head of Financial Accounting will provide robust support to the Deputy Director of Finance and have the lead role in relation to financial reporting and governance. In addition, they will be the technical accounting lead for the Trust and Charitable Funds.
The finance department is split Financial Management Team and Financial Accounting Team reporting to the Deputy Director of Finance. The financial services, payroll and procurement services are outsourced to a local Trust.
Financial Accounting
- To work as part of the senior finance team to develop and implement the Trust’s long term financial strategy, and in-year strategies necessary to meet the Trust’s financial requirements.
- To contribute to the short, medium and long term planning process with particular responsibility for cash flow, working capital, financing charges, and movements in provisions.

To manage and develop the system for the forecast and control of the liquid assets of the Trust and charitable funds. Ensure borrowing requirements are effectively controlled and optimum benefit is derived from working capital and cash balances.
**Main responsibilities**:
Financial Accounting
- To work as part of the senior finance team to develop and implement the Trust’s long term financial strategy, and in-year strategies necessary to meet the Trust’s financial requirements.
- To contribute to the short, medium and long term planning process with particular responsibility for cash flow, working capital, financing charges, and movements in provisions.
- To manage and develop the system for the forecast and control of the liquid assets of the Trust and charitable funds. Ensure borrowing requirements are effectively controlled and optimum benefit is derived from working capital and cash balances.
- To ensure the Trust’s liquidity levels are managed and reported.
- To ensure the Trust and charitable funds have appropriate banking arrangements.
- To lead continuous improvement in the Financial Accounting Team, taking into account internal and external requirements, and identify opportunities to streamline processes and systems where possible.
- To liaise with the Financial Management lead and Procurement to improve and develop the finance function to maximise its potential to achieve the Future Focussed Finance accreditation levels.
- To provide expert financial advice and technical support to the Trust Cash and Capital Management Group
- To provide advice on highly complex financial and corporate issues to non-financial managers, and discuss financial queries with staff and suppliers, which may be highly complex, sensitive, or contentious, and require developed negotiating skills.
- To lead the tendering process for both external and internal audit services.
- To ensure the integrity of accounting services and transactions functions and of the data in the ledger and liaise with internal and external auditors in audits designed to improve financial services.
- To ensure that internal and external audit recommendations relating to financial systems, policies and procedures are implemented.
- To lead and manage the relationship with outsourced service providers for the financial services function, ensuring that the Trust receives services that are value for money, fit for purpose, and in line with agreed contractual obligations.
- To review the integrity and development of financial systems to ensure they meet all statutory requirements and are fit for purpose and provide strategic oversight of the relationship with the outsourced provider of finance services systems development.
- To ensure the financial reporting structure is kept up to date, meeting the requirement of the Finance Department, the Divisions and budget holders, and maintain the specifications for standard reports to consider internal and external requirements.

Financial Reporting and Governance
- To ensure the accurate and timely completion of monthly statutory returns, including reports on the Trust’s compliance with statutory financial duties and targets including for capital spend (CRL), cash balances (EFL) and the Better Payment Practice Code (BPPC).
- To ensure the maintenance of a robust financial control framework including leading the finance elements of the Annual R