Finance Officer (Corporate) development post

at  NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care Board

The role of the Finance Officer is to support the Corporate Finance team, whose function encompasses; all corporate budgets; NHS Property Services / Community Health Partnerships; running costs and Payroll liaison / reporting; coordination of internal and external monthly financial reporting requirements; cash management; allocations / nationally funded budgets / Strategic Development Fund (SDF) monitoring and reporting; coordination of the monthly closedown and risk management process; financial input into the ICB’s research functions; financial input into the lease vehicle scheme; and Finance link role for Freedom of Information (FOI) requests.
This post is open to candidates currently working internally within the Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB to apply.
This is a development role and the postholder will be expected to successfully complete the Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT) Level 4 Diploma in Professional Accounting prior to moving into a Band 5 role.
The Finance Officer will support the Finance Manager - Corporate on key areas within the Corporate Finance function, with specific responsibility for; the production of monthly reporting information relating to staffing costs for the ICB running costs budgets; maintenance of the central record of the ICB’s staffing establishment, including updating records relating to ESR amendments; maintenance of accurate records relating to lease vehicles; assisting managers in raising requisitions and Purchase Orders; analysis of expenditure on the Cancer Alliance and ICB Research function; and assisting in preparing information to aid the accurate reporting of workforce training allocations and expenditure on behalf of the Lancashire and South Cumbria system. The postholder will support the month end reporting process and will assist in the collation of any relevant information required in the production of the Annual Report and Accounts.
This position is a development opportunity for those currently studying the AAT qualification. On completion of AAT Level 4 and specific duties, the successful candidate will be aligned to the first point of the Band 5 pay scale.
NHS Lancashire and South Cumbria ICB is a fully-authorised ICB responsible for the full range of ICB statutory duties and powers. The ICB aim is to improve the health of the people of Lancashire and South Cumbria and reduce health inequalities through strong, clinically-led commissioning of high quality healthcare services.
Key responsibilities
The role will be varied and will adapt over time as the ICB develops. However, the postholder is expected to fulfil the following key functions: -
Support the production of the monthly financial reporting position as part of the ICB’s financial management reporting framework, including providing financial support for a number of specified cost centres.
Contribute to the budget setting and budgetary control process.
Support the development and delivery of a finance training programme for the ICB Executives, clinical and non-clinical managers.
Support the year end production of the Annual Report and Accounts by producing relevant information to required deadlines and through liaison with auditors where appropriate.
Finance duties and responsibilities
1. Financial Monitoring / Reporting
o Responsible for assisting in the delivery of financial information in accordance with an agreed financial timetable, relating to complex areas requiring a significant level of finance expertise for a number of cost centres. This is as part of period end reporting to assist the ICB to successfully manage its financial position.
o Running Costs cost centres: working with the Finance Manager – Corporate, this will involve confirming staff are coded correctly, analysing variances from budget, ensuring any Electronic Staff Record (ESR) changes (Assignment Changes, New Starters, Leavers) are reflected accurately for the relevant cost centres and identifying where accruals may be required.
o Liaising with the Senior Finance Manager – Corporate, to produce a monthly analysis of costs incurred within the Cancer Alliance cost centre, highlighting any variances from anticipated expenditure.
o Liaising with the Senior Finance Manager – Corporate, to produce a monthly analysis of costs incurred within the ICB’s Research function, highlighting any variances from anticipated expenditure.
o Lease vehicles: this will involve ensuring lease car costs and deductions are coded appropriately and that any invoices and prepayments are entered into the ledger correctly on a monthly basis. The postholder will be responsible for ensuring that Budget Holders are informed when Purchase Orders need to be raised for their staff and for informing the lease scheme operator of Purchase Order numbers.
This list is not exhaustive and is subject to change in agreement with the Head of Corporate Finance.
o Assist the Finance Manager – Corporate in ensuring the master staffing establishment record is up to date and accurately amended as a result of any ESR changes (New Starters, Assignment Changes and Leavers).
o Responsible for reviewing the Corporate Finance team’s generic ESR inbox and informing the Head of Corporate Finance of any actions required in processing ESR forms.
o Assist the Finance Manager – Corporate in analysing payroll costs and the production of accurate staff cost forecasts.
o Assist in costing, developing and monitoring agreed budgets, documenting issues and advising the Head of Corporate Finance on anything that will impact the ICB’s forecast outturn.
o Assist in the production of trend analysis to determine forecasting of under or over performance, differentiating between recurrent and non-recurrent activity and expenditure to establish recurring baselines and support the ICB’s future planning requirements.
o Undertake invoice coding and checks using judgement in analysing and assessing complex information and investigate queries through to resolution as necessary. Ensure payments are processed in a timely manner with regards to the ICB’s Scheme of Delegation, and that providers are paid in line with the agreed contractual terms and conditions.
o Assist in the production of period end working papers which advise the ICB on sources of information and assumptions made in support of Year to Date (YTD) positions and forecast outturns.
o Prepare and distribute budget statements each month for all cost centres within the responsibility of the Corporate Finance team, in line with the agreed reporting timetable.
o Maintain records of any faster payments made to suppliers, ensuring working papers are adequate for audit purposes.
o Assist in the production of information for agreed areas in the ICB’s Month 9 Accounts and Annual Accounts. Work in accordance with the respective NHS England timetables and produce high quality working papers for External Audit requirements.
2. Statutory Reporting
o Assist in the NHS Agreement of Balances (AoB) exercise by completing the necessary DR/CR and I&E elements for the relevant Provider organisations as directed by the Finance Manager - Corporate. Liaise with the CSU Purchase to Pay (P2P) and Order to Cash (O2C) Teams where necessary around working papers and missing statements etc.
o Support the Finance Manager – Corporate in reviewing both the monthly and the AoB Mismatch reports for the ICB.
o Support the production of the ICB’s Month 9 and Annual Accounts in accordance with the respective NHS England timetables, ensuring accurate financial coding of all transactions within areas of responsibility.
o Provide high quality working papers in accordance with audit requirements for the ICB’s Month 9 and Annual Accounts, liaising directly with External Audit as required to ensure all audit queries and issues for agreed areas of responsibility are resolved.
o Adhere to CCG and CSU Standing Financial Instructions and Schemes of Delegation at all times.
3. Staff Responsibilities and Development
o Assist colleagues within the Corporate Finance Team in the development and delivery of training sessions for non Finance members of the ICB.
4. Other
o Maintain the financial integrity of the national finance system through the correct use of financial codes.
o Assist in the implementation of the new ledger, attending workshops and training as appropriate.
o Help lead continuous improvement initiatives to improve processes and systems, including greater automation, eliminating duplication, consolidation and standardisation.
o Support the finance development agenda ensuring the adoption of best practices and sharing of knowledge and skills.
o Maintain and continually develop IT skills including Oracle and Microsoft Office in order to produce information from the computer systems used within the department to maximum benefit

Please refer the Job description for details