Financial Accounts Assistant

Health Jobs UK; Crawley; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 35,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS pension

27 days holiday

Professional development

Salary sacrifice (cars/bikes)

Occupational health & counselling

Wellbeing hub

NHS discounts

Job summary

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) is seeking an organised Financial Accounts Assistant to join our finance team. You will support monthly reporting, year-end accounts, reconciliations and audit evidence across NHS finance processes.

The post requires attention to detail, good Excel skills, and the ability to work to deadlines while collaborating with colleagues across the Trust. An opportunity to develop NHS finance experience in a supportive environment is offered.

Qualifications

• Studying Level 4 (e.g. AAT) or equivalent finance experience.
• Experience with financial accounting, reporting and controls is desirable.
• Knowledge of Excel and financial systems is required.

Responsibilities

• Support the preparation of monthly reporting and year-end statutory accounts.
• Complete balance sheet and payroll control reconciliations for review and sign-off.
• Provide evidence and support for internal and external audit.
• Support VAT calculations and queries with VAT advisors and internal stakeholders.
• Assist with Accounts Receivable and Accounts Payable and debt management.
• Support charitable funds administration, cashbook updates and ledger maintenance.
• Respond to finance-related queries, including FOI requests and Treasury mailbox correspondence.
• Contribute to financial planning, budget setting, governance and process improvement.

Skills

Excel

Financial accounting

Month-end reporting

Year-end reporting

Audit support

Education

Level 4 (AAT) or equivalent

Tools

SBS Oracle

Job description

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) has a vision to 'support our staff to provide a caring, high quality and efficient urgent and emergency care service to our communities'. We are rated 'Good' for care by the Care Quality Commission and while the other areas under their most recent report require improvement, our aim is to continually improve and to reach outstanding across all areas of the Trust.

Our 4,000+ workforce provide services to 4.9m people across Kent, Surrey, Sussex and North East Hampshire. We handle over 1 million calls to 999 and 1 million calls to NHS 111 every year. More information regarding our services and locations can be found on our website.

Job overview

This role supports the delivery of high-quality financial accounting, reporting and control services across SECAmb. The postholder will help with month-end and year-end reporting, balance sheet reconciliations, audit evidence, VAT, accounts receivable and payable, financial systems, and responding to finance-related queries.

The role would suit someone who is organised, accurate and proactive, with a good understanding of finance processes and the ability to work to deadlines. Strong attention to detail, good Excel and systems skills, clear communication, and the confidence to work with colleagues across finance and the wider Trust are essential.

Working for SECAmb means contributing to an organisation that supports frontline ambulance services and patient care across the South East. You will be part of a professional finance team where your work helps ensure public funds are well managed, financial controls are strong, and the Trust can make informed decisions. It is a great opportunity to develop your NHS finance experience in a supportive environment built on integrity, kindness and courage.

Main duties of the job

• Supporting the preparation of monthly reporting and year-end statutory accounts.
• Completing and preparing balance sheet and payroll control reconciliations for review and sign-off.
• Providing evidence and support for internal and external audit.
• Supporting VAT calculations and queries, including liaison with VAT advisors and internal stakeholders.
• Assisting with Accounts Receivable, including raising sales orders, setting up customers and supporting debt management.
• Supporting Accounts Payable, including creditor reconciliations, supplier invoice queries and payment performance reporting.
• Helping complete Agreement of Balances returns and other NHS/DHSC reporting requirements.
• Maintaining and supporting use of the financial ledger and finance systems, including user access and process documentation.
• Responding to finance-related queries, including FOI requests and supplier emails via the Treasury mailbox.

Working for our organisation

• Option to join NHS pension scheme
• A minimum 27 days' holiday each year, increasing after 5 years' service.
• Personal and professional development and training opportunities.
• Salary Sacrifice schemes for cars or push bikes.
• Access to occupational health and counselling services.
• Award winning wellbeing hub
• Access to NHS discounts, offering NHS employees a range of money-saving deals.

Other than in exceptional circumstances, the starting salary for staff new to the NHS will be the bottom point of the band to which they have been appointed.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The main responsibilities of the Financial Accounts Assistant are to support the Trust's financial accounting, reporting and control processes. In practical terms, this includes:

• Supporting the preparation of monthly reporting and year-end statutory accounts.
• Completing and preparing balance sheet and payroll control reconciliations for review and sign-off.
• Providing evidence and support for internal and external audit.
• Supporting VAT calculations and queries, including liaison with VAT advisors and internal stakeholders.
• Assisting with Accounts Receivable, including raising sales orders, setting up customers and supporting debt management.
• Supporting Accounts Payable, including creditor reconciliations, supplier invoice queries and payment performance reporting.
• Helping complete Agreement of Balances returns and other NHS/DHSC reporting requirements.
• Supporting the administration of charitable funds, including payments, acknowledgements and cashbook updates.
• Maintaining and supporting use of the financial ledger and finance systems, including user access and process documentation.
• Responding to finance-related queries, including FOI requests and supplier emails via the Treasury mailbox.
• Supporting counter fraud work, including National Fraud Initiative queries and escalation where needed
• Contributing to financial planning, budget setting, financial governance, process improvement and service development. In short, the role is about helping keep the Trust's financial records accurate, controlled, timely and compliant, while providing practical support to colleagues across finance and the wider organisation.

Person specification

Learning

• Studying or Educated to Level 4 (e.g. AAT) or equivalent finance experience
• Evidence of CPD (Courses etc.)

Desirable criteria

• Studying towards CCAB Accountancy qualification

Knowledge

• Knowledge and experience of financial accounting (including AP and AR), reporting and control reconciliations
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, especially Excel

Desirable criteria

• Experience of Ambulance Trusts service.
• Use of SBS Oracle

Please note that the salary range noted on the vacancy is in line with agenda for change (AFC) pay scales. All successful applicants would be placed automatically at the bottom of the banding, unless proven, relevant NHS or equivalent experience can be demonstrated.

Following the revision of current national legislation (Vaccine as a Condition of Deployment), the Trust has reviewed our requirements relating to staff uptake of the SARS-COV-2 (COVID-19) vaccination.

Going forward, for patient facing positions, we strongly recommend that new starters will be appropriately vaccinated unless medically exempt in order to offer greater protection against exposure to the virus for front line staff.

In line with this recommendation, if you are successful in your application for a front line post, we will seek information from you in relation to your vaccine status, including exemption status, as applicable.

Please note, all positions come with a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check relevant to the post. This will either be a basic, standard, or enhanced check depending on the role. The level of check will be outlined in the conditional offer letter sent to successful applicants.

As part of the application process, you will be asked to declare any unspent/unfiltered convictions. If you are shortlisted you will then be sent a self declaration form, which must be completed prior to attending interview. for any queries relating to declarations, please contact the Recruitment Advisor listed on the vacancy.

The Trust is passionately committed to being an inclusive employer - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed. As an employer we offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement networks, facilities and services to support staff from different backgrounds.

We actively support equality of opportunity for all our staff and welcome applications from individuals regardless of age, any disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief. The Trust is making progress towards its aim of becoming more reflective of the diversity of our community in our workforce and guarantees an interview to candidates with disability who meet the essential criteria specified. We particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and disabled applicants and those from other under-represented groups.

The Equality Act 2010 protects disabled people - including those with long term health conditions, learning disabilities and hidden disabilities such as dyslexia. If you tell us that you have a disability we can make reasonable adjustments to ensure that any selection processes - including the interview - are fair and equitable.

We are a committed to offering opportunities to individuals with disabilities and offer on-going support, should you be successful, with any adjustments you may need when performing your role.

Please note that under our Trust policies, we're unable to employ anyone under the age of 18 years old.

The majority of our roles will include some travel between sites for business purposes. If the vacancy you're applying for includes work related travel, you will be required to ensure that you hold and have covered the cost of suitable car insurance to support this.

Should you require an application form in an alternative format including large print or braille, please contact [e-mail] stating the vacancy reference number and we will be happy to provide this.

When completing the reference section, please include details to cover the last three years' history.

Due to the high volume of applications at SECAmb, we regret that we will only be able to contact those applicants who are shortlisted for interview. If you have not heard from us within 10 working days of the closing date, then please assume you have not been shortlisted for interview on this particular occasion.

Please note that we contact all applicants via Trac Jobs and would advise you check your Trac Jobs account regularly.

Documents to download

• Finance Accounts Assistant Job Description and Person Specification ( PDF , 536.5 KB )
• Employee information privacy notice ( PDF , 242.7 KB )
• Candidate Application Guidance ( PDF , 302.3 KB )