Assistant Head of Accounting

Hywel Dda University Health Board; Carmarthen; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A regional healthcare provider in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced Assistant Head of Accounting to lead the financial function and manage staff within the Core Accounting Team. The ideal candidate will have a CCAB or CIMA qualification and experience managing a large team, with a strong focus on financial controls and process improvement. Previous financial experience in the NHS is desirable.

Qualifications

• Experience at management level with proven professional and managerial experience.
• Knowledge of financial systems and continuous professional development.
• Experience of managing a large team and delivering within challenging deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Ensure integrity of all accounting entries and compliance with policies.
• Manage financial controls and liaise with external auditors.
• Drive process improvement and maintain professional relationships.

Skills

Managing staff

Problem-solving

Financial controls

Audit processes

Process improvement

Education

CCAB or CIMA qualification

Tools

Integrated financial systems

Oracle System Accounting

P2P System reporting

Job description

Are you a dynamic and experienced finance accounting professional (fully qualified CCAB/CIMA individual) ready to lead the delivery of a high-quality fast paced finance function?

Hywel Dda University Health Board is looking for an Assistant Head of Accounting to join our Core Accounting Team supporting the Deputy Head of the Core Accounting Team to ensure the integrity and compliance of our financial operations. You will manage the financial feeders and debtors' team. A robust feeders process is crucial for ensuring accurate, timely, and complete financial information for reporting and decision-making.

We are looking for

Experience of managing staff

A proactive response to problem solving and driving best practice

Supportive of financial controls, audit processes, and year-end reporting.

Main duties of the job

By way of summary, the key responsibilities of this role include: Supporting the Deputy Head of the Core Accounting Team to ensure the integrity of all accounting entries transacted into the accounting ledger.

You will ensure compliance with financial policies and procedures, manage financial controls, and audit processes and support the year-end financial processes, which will include liaising with the external auditors.

You will have a proven track record of managing a large team. This will include being responsible for the allocation of workloads and balancing competing demands within the team that can change at very short notice.

Working under your own initiative to drive good practice and compliance with financial procedures and policies.

Maintain and foster excellent professional relationships and strong lines of communication with internal departments and external partners, such as service providers and the external auditors.

Project manage the process improvement agenda streamlining areas of work and automating manual tasks to improve accuracy and efficiency.

Contribute to the positive culture, governance, and control environment of the team through maintaining high standards of working practices and leading the team by example whilst developing and implementing new continuous change improvements.

Previous financial experience in the NHS is desirable for this role.

About us

Hywel Dda University Health Board plans and provides NHS healthcare services for people living in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire, and bordering counties.

We have over 13,000 staff and together we provide primary, community, in-hospital, mental health and learning disabilities services.

We work in partnership with the three local authorities, as well as public, private and third sector colleagues, including our valued team of volunteers.

Our services are provided in:

• Four main hospitals: Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth; Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen; Prince Philip Hospital in Llanelli; and Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest
• Five community hospitals: Amman Valley and Llandovery hospitals in Carmarthenshire; Tregaron Hospital in Ceredigion; and Tenby and South Pembrokeshire hospitals in Pembrokeshire
• Two integrated care centres: Aberaeron and Cardigan in Ceredigion, and several other community settings
• 47 general practices (six of which are health board managed practices); dental practices (including four orthodontic); 97 community pharmacies; 43 general ophthalmic practices; and 8 ophthalmic domiciliary providers
• Numerous mental health and learning disabilities services

Job responsibilities

You will be able to find a full job description and person specification attached within the supporting documents.

The Health Board is committed to supporting its staff to fully embrace the need for bilingualism thereby enhancing patient and service user experiences. In our commitment to increase the number of staff who are able to communicate in Welsh with patients and professionals, we welcome applications from Welsh speakers.

The ability to communicate in Welsh is desirable for this post. If you do not meet the Welsh Language requirements specified, the Health Board offers a variety of learning options and staff support to help you meet these minimal desirable requirements during the course of your employment with us.

Interviews will be held on 24/11/2025.

Person Specification

Qualifications and Knowledge

• CCAB or CIMA qualification
• Experience at management level with proven professional and managerial experience and expertise.
• Knowledge of integrated financial systems.
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development
• Knowledge of Oracle System Accounting
• Knowledge of P2P (Purchase to Pay) System reporting

Experience

• Experience in process improvement project management.
• Experience of managing a large team.
• Experience of delivering within challenging deadlines
• Demonstrable track record of career advancement and achievement.
• Experience of managing change and associated behaviours.
• Previous experience of working with substantial data sets.
• Previous financial experience in the NHS.

Other

• Able to work flexible hours around key reporting milestones
• Able to travel between sites and to All Wales meetings in a timely manner
• Committed and self-motivated
• Welsh Speaker (Level 1)

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Head of Accounting & Statutory Reporting