CSS Accountant

North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust; Warrington; Remote; GBP 49,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Home or remote working

Job summary

North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a CSS Accountant (NHS AfC Band 7) for a fixed-term 11-month appointment in Warrington. You will provide critical financial information, analysis and advice to managers and clinicians within Clinical Support Services, coordinating budget setting and monthly management accounts to support informed decision-making.

You will supervise the Assistant Business Accountant (CSS) and work with budget holders and clinicians to manage budgets, cost

Qualifications

• CCAB or CIMA Part Qualified Accountant.
• CCAB or CIMA Qualified Accountant.
• ECDL or equivalent experience.
• Senior level experience in financial management.
• Experience in producing business cases and involvement in business planning.
• Experience of staff management.
• Experience of NHS Finance.
• Experience of producing training plans.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate monthly management accounts and analyse budget variances.
• Prepare year-end forecasts for Clinical Support Services and explain financial performance to budget holders.
• Attend budget holder meetings and provide financial advice on service developments and business cases.
• Identify and deliver cost improvement plans and undertake costing/benchmarking analyses.
• Supervise the Assistant Business Accountant and support development within CSS.

Skills

NHS Finance

Communication

Analytical thinking

Planning & monitoring

Change leadership

Deliver results

Education

CCAB or CIMA Part Qualified Accountant

ECDL or equivalent experience

CCAB or CIMA Qualified Accountant

Job description

Main area Finance Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract 11 months (Fixed Term/Secondment - 11 months (Until December 2027)) Hours

• Full time
• Flexible working
• Home or remote working

37.5 hours per week Job ref 370-ADM7FIN-2525

Employer North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Warrington Hospital Town Warrington Salary £49,387 - £56,515 per annuam Salary period Yearly Closing 11/11/2026 23:59

CSS Accountant

NHS AfC: Band 7

Job overview

The CSS Accountant will provide high-quality financial information, analysis and advice to managers and clinicians within Clinical Support Services, supporting effective financial management and informed decision-making. Working closely with the Senior Business Accountant (CSS & Corporate), you will co-ordinate budget setting, financial monitoring and reporting, and support service planning and the effective use of resources. You will also supervise and support the development of the Assistant Business Accountant (CSS).

The post is fixed-term until December 2027.

Main duties of the job

You will co-ordinate the production of accurate and timely monthly management accounts, analyse budget variances and prepare year-end forecasts for Clinical Support Services. You will work closely with budget holders, managers and clinicians to explain financial performance, highlight risks and support actions to manage budgets effectively.

You will co-ordinate the annual budget setting process, attend divisional and budget holder meetings, and provide financial advice on service developments and capital and revenue business cases. You will support the identification and delivery of cost improvement plans, undertake costing and benchmarking analysis, and provide financial training to strengthen budget holders’ understanding of their financial responsibilities.

You will supervise the Assistant Business Accountant (CSS), prioritising workloads and supporting appraisal and development. Working with finance colleagues, you will maintain and improve financial reporting systems and processes, ensure consistency and compliance with financial procedures, and contribute to an effective financial management service.

Working for our organisation

Our mission, vision and values are at the heart of North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM). They underpin everything we do and everything we aspire to be as an organisation

Our mission is to be exceptional for our patients, our communities and each other

Our vision is to be a great organisation providing excellent healthcare and opportunities to work and learn

Our approach to healthcare is founded on our four core values:

• Kind – we are caring, supporting and respectful to everyone
• Open – we are honest, transparent and open to new ways of working
• Fair – we listen, value our differences and are inclusive to all
• One team – we work well together and with our communities

We employ almost 6,500 people from more than 80 nationalities and are fully committed to being an equal, diverse and inclusive employer. Our culture and values ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect, and that no job applicant or employee is disadvantaged at any stage of their journey.

We are also proud to be an Armed Forces Friendly organisation and welcome applications from members of the Armed Forces community, including veterans, reservists and families.

Working at NCM means becoming part of a dedicated team of clinical and support staff who are passionate about keeping people well and supporting wellbeing.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

***The full details of the role, including main duties and responsibilities are available in the attached full Job Description and Person Specification**

Person specification

Qualifications

• CCAB or CIMA Part Qualified Accountant
• ECDL or equivalent experience
• CCAB or CIMA Qualified Accountant

Skills, knowledge and competencies

• In depth knowledge of the main aspects of NHS Finance, particularly those relevant to financial management
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent analytical and reasoning skills
• Planning, monitoring and influencing skills
• Ability to lead change and have a positive influence on others
• Evidence of past achievements and ability to deliver

Experience

• Senior level experience in financial management
• Experience in producing business cases and involvement in business planning
• Experience of staff management
• Experience of NHS Finance
• Experience of producing training plans

Further Information

NCM hold a Sponsor Licence; this means that we may be able to sponsor you providing the Home Office requirements are met. To be eligible for sponsorship, there is a minimum set of criteria that must be met and not all roles are eligible. You can find more information on the Government website

Please review your eligibility and the eligibility of the role before submitting your application.

All advertised roles may close early if there are high numbers of suitable candidates.

Pre‑employment checks for applicants with previous NHS service will include confirmation of any Mutually Agreed Resignation Scheme (MARS), Voluntary Redundancy or Compulsory Redundancy payments received.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.