Senior Finance Manager

Job OverviewThis post will support the Clinical Division (Goodall), covering Mental Health across Central and North West London.Although this role is primarily based at Trust HQ you will be expected to spend a significant amount of time around the Trust.The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.Main duties of the jobWould you like to join our Finance team and become part of one of the largest non-acute Foundation Trusts in the country? CNWL provides mental and community health services across London and Milton Keynes, plus a variety of specialist services including addictions, prison health and sexual health. The finance department offers a range of opportunities to partner and advise these services as they meet their operational challenges.We are looking to appoint a self-motivated CCAB-qualified accountant to fill a Senior Finance Manager vacancy within the finance department. As well as providing business partnering support to your clinical directorates you will lead and develop a team of Management Accountants in supporting their own services. You will need to work within tight deadlines, work under pressure and possess a real drive to succeed as well as strong interpersonal skills.Working for our organisationCNWL’s finance department offers a diverse and friendly environment for professional development. We are a large team with many opportunities to progress your career, and have set ourselves the target of finding a mentor for every team-member who wants one. Our staff are based across various sites and we welcome flexible working. We also have the benefit of being an accredited employer for ACCA, CIPFA and CIMA.We are currently reviewing and streamlining our accounting processes and looking to become a sector leader in automation. The key driver for this is to free time for supporting operational services in the Trust. You will be making a significant contribution to this work plan, whilst benefiting from being part of a strong team that is passionate about supporting and developing your talents to make the most of your career.Detailed Job Description And Main ResponsibilitiesThis role will provide expert financial advice and oversight of the financial management across a Division and play a key role in ensuring the successful establishment of the divisional structure.The post-holder is responsible for leading and ensuring a professional, comprehensive and efficient service is provided to senior managers, budget holders and external stakeholders including commissioners.The post holder is responsible for overseeing the development and production of the monthly management accounts, budgetary control information (monthly and annual), monitoring and reporting budget variances, analysing costs, evaluating cost improvement programmes, monitoring achievement of savings targets and assisting senior managers and budget holders with the preparation of service development plans.Person specificationEducation, Qualifications, Skills, Knowledge And ExperienceEssential criteriaDegree or equivalentQualified professional accountant from one of the Consultative Committee of Accounting Bodies; or able to demonstrate equivalent experience (via a written test).Significant work experience within a Finance environment with a majority of the experience within Management AccountingExpert knowledge of fundamental accounting principles and how they apply to the NHSComputer skills: Highly developed skills in Microsoft Excel and experience of working with a general ledger system.Personal & Managerial CompetenciesEssential criteriaCommunicates effectively using verbal and written skills to ensure complex financial issues are understandable and the messages clear to internal and external NHS non-financial managers and external organisations.Strategy: Ability to support the service in developing strategies and understand the financial implications of plans in order to provide appropriate advice.Leadership: Experience in managing staff members to help ensure their technical and personal development in their role.Influencing & Negotiating: Influences budget holders and senior members of the Trust by providing accurate and detailed financial information based on Trustwide financial policies. Able to make a positive contribution to senior meetings such as management teamsPlanning, Monitoring & Controlling: Plans and organises own areas of responsibility and the work of others to ensure the achievement of Directorate goals, Trust service provision and medium term financial strategyCosting Understands financial principles and is able to translate these into workings to show clearly the impact of any proposed developments or cost saving initiatives.Analytical Information & Solving Problems Analyses complex information using a variety of analytical skills using all relevant factors. Considers a range of options and their effects and applies this to different scenarios for discussion or implementation.Making Decisions Makes professional decisions independently to enable the Finance Manager to satisfy Trust financial reporting requirements. Acts as a lead within delegated areas of responsibilityFocusing on Business & Customer Focus on the customer to provide a high quality service that is tailored to meet their individual needs and that of the organisation.Working in & leading Teams Develop and maintain good working relationships within the Directorate and the department. Allocates work to members of the department. Responsible for managing the Management Accountant’s weekly and monthly workloads.Creating a safe, secure, fair employment environment Considers and shows respect for the opinions, circumstances and feeling of others.Continually update on changes in government legislation e.g. VAT and Taxation.Technical CompetenciesEssential criteriaUnderstand all existing / new accounting standards and their effect on the organisation.Understand the current funding and regulatory environment of the NHS and how this impacts on the Trust’s performance and risk, including the impact of being a Foundation Trust.ManagementEssential criteriaDisplay leadership abilities, preferably with line management