Financial Accountant

at  Sheffield Health and Social Care NHS Foundation Trust

Financial Accounts Provide the main operational support to the Head of Financial Accounts in the delivery of all statutory / NHS accounts and returns (including PFR, Statutory Accounts and detailed working papers) which should represent a true and fair view of the Trust position and meet financial timescales and legal requirements. To assist in the comprehensive production of all necessary detailed working papers for year end accounts which comply with appropriate IFRS guidance, standards and timescales. To maintain the integrity of the Trial Balance and balance sheet, on a monthly basis, ensuring the general ledger is in balance for reporting purposes and to understand the interrelationship between Income and Expenditure (I&E) and the Balance Sheet. This includes an annual review of the Chart of Accounts to ensure the coding structure is supportive of the Department of Health Group Manual for Accounts.
To operate an appropriate control environment relating to Trust control accounts and suspense accounts, ensuring that all procedures are followed in a timely manner. To manage the Trust Balance Sheet control accounts, ensuring reconciliations are completed, and reviewed, on time by responsible officers, in the prescribed Trust format. The post holder will provide monthly performance reports to the Lead Accountant to indicate the rate of completion and to ensure all outstanding reconciliations are chased and returned. Prepare and review Balance Sheet control account reconciliations for cash, stock, payroll, provisions, borrowings (including leases) and deferred income.
To undertake a comprehensive analytical review of all aspects of the balance sheet on a monthly basis to inform the financial reporting to the Finance Performance Committee, including stock, accruals, prepayments and deferred income, and to seek appropriate explanations for movements from responsible officers and in this way develop a historic trend analysis and record of the balance sheet. To prepare a comprehensive analytical review of the balance sheet as part of the Annual Accounts process. This information will be used to validate the submission, as well as form the basis of thereport issued to the Auditors, at the commencement of the Audit. Maintain a close and productive working relationship with the Trusts external auditors in matters relating to the production of the annual statutory accounts and associated working papers.
Ensure all audit recommendations, for which the post holder is responsible for, are agreed with realistic timeframes and are delivered accordance with these. Completion of the Agreement of Balances Process (AoB), ensuring all submissions are completed in accordance with the NHSI national timetable, including the resolution of any mismatches. Ensuring the correct accounting, and reporting of the Trusts leasing schemes under IFRS 16. Reconciling VAT, HMRC and pension deductions.
Completing returns for these and making the payments. Cash Reporting Manage the cash flow forecasting and reporting regime on a day to day basis (including the accurate maintenance of the cash book), including reviewing daily cash flow and investment schedules, prior to authorisation by the Head of Financial Accounts. Oversee the preparation of monthly cash forecasts for review by the Head of Financial Accounts, and maintain and develop the rolling 12 month cash forecasting model on receipts and payments and cash flow statement basis to support monthly financial reporting. This will involve having an expert holistic understanding of the impact of movements in the balance sheet and working capital (through the analytical review) on cash forecasts (deferred income, provisions, receivables, payables and stock).
Systems Responsible for the checking and upload of pay and stock feeds. Ensuring values imported into the ledger are correct. Working with service providers to ensure month end closedown of the ledger is complete and in line with the timetable

Please refer the Job description for details