Senior Financial Controller

at  South West London and St Georges Mental Health NHS Trust

Lead the production of the Trusts statutory annual accounts, providing comprehensive procedure notes, high quality working papers and a detailed plan and timetable to all finance and appropriate non-finance staff to ensure completion of the accounts in line with local and national deadlines. To produce the year end timetable and procedures to enable the production of the annual accounts within the Department of Health and Social Care timetable and in accordance with statutory and accounting (GAAPs and IFRS) requirements, as well as ensuring compliance with the General Accounting Manual (GAM) both as part of year end and for any in year changes to accounting standards. Ensure all finance staff have up to date knowledge of the current accounting standards and that the Trusts accounts are compiled in line with them. Be responsible for the quarterly Agreement of Balances exercise, including submission of templates to national deadlines, organising statements to be sent out and reconciliation of values to the ledger.
To be responsible for the month end and year end processes as required across a broad range of financial accounting tasks. This will involve producing schedules for both external statutory accounts, returns to the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England, ICB etc. Work with the Trusts external auditors during any audit of the statutory accounts and ensure that responses to queries raised by the auditors are dealt with in an appropriate and timely manner. Lead on the analytical review of the SOFP/SOCF and Capital areas of the accounts ensuring that highly complex information (which may be contentious and sensitive) and financial concepts are interpreted and conveyed clearly and persuasively to internal and external stakeholders.
Be responsible on explaining complex auditor queries to non-finance staff involved in the audit to ensure timely responses to information requests. Liaison with counter fraud, internal and external audit to implement best practice as recommended to the Trust. This will involve the timely implementation of audit recommendations and liaising with colleagues to ensure audit actions are communicated and implemented within the Finance Department and across other departments of the Trust where applicable. To be operationally responsible for the preparation and management of the balance sheet, cash flow, working capital and capital financial metrics and the reporting and submitting of these both internally and externally.
This will involve identifying risks and appropriate mitigating strategies (including cash) where applicable and conveying this complex information in a clear and persuasive way. Support the Head of Financial Services in monitoring the Trusts cash flow, by providing forecasts on expected future cash flows, and ensuring that the Trust has sufficient cash to meet its expected outgoings. In conjunction with the Head of Financial Services and Deputy Director of Finance, to manage the Trusts cash and balance sheet in order to meet the internal solvency ratios, including cash holding, net assets and working capital ratios. Lead on the administration, authorisation and receipt of Public Dividend Capital (PDC) / New Business Loans relating to various capital schemes ensuring that they are accounted for correctly.
To be the finance lead in respect to treasury management procedures ensuring accurate and timely cashflow reports and supporting treasury management activities in conjunction with the Senior Accountant Treasury Building up stakeholder relationships with bank, key debtors and creditors and VAT consultants. This includes, but is not limited to responsibility for ensuring there is cover for sending payment runs, adding new payment approvers, bank mandates are up to date and being an administrator/approver for the Trusts bank accounts. To be operationally responsible for the production, implementation and review of detailed financial policies and procedures for the financial accounting functions carried out in the Trust. Be responsible for ensuring all financial procedures are updated in line with Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions and widely communicated across the Trust

Please refer the Job description for details