Lead Costing Accountant

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust; Carlisle; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33

NHS Discounts

Salary Sacrifice schemes including le​

Vivup counselling service

Job summary

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust in Carlisle is seeking a Lead Costing Accountant to drive the costing function within the finance team. You will ensure timely completion of the National Cost Collection and lead on service line reporting, collaborating with clinical and operational staff to translate data into actionable insights.

The role requires senior accounting qualifications, CPD commitment, and the ability to manage a team to meet national deadlines while aligning with

Qualifications

• CCAB, CIMA or overseas equivalent qualification (full member of a Professional Accounting Institute).
• Evidence of ongoing Continuous Professional Development.

Responsibilities

• Ensure accurate and timely completion of the National Cost Collection in line with national requirements.
• Develop the costing function in line with national ambitions.
• Produce and disseminate service line reports.
• Engage clinical and operational staff in using information from the National Cost Collection.

Education

CCAB, CIMA or overseas equivalent qualification

Evidence of ongoing Continuous Professional Development

Job description

Go back North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Lead Costing Accountant

The closing date is 29 September 2026

Responsible for ensuring the objectives and targets of the Trust costing team are defined and met in both the short and medium term alongside the Associate Director of Finance.

Responsible for management and work of the costing team on a day to day basis to ensure national and local deadlines are met.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will work as part of the finance team ensuring

• the accurate and timely completion of the National Cost Collection in line with national requirements.
• development of the costing function in line with national ambitions
• production and dissemination of service line reports
• engagement of clinical and operational staff in the use of information from the National Cost Collection.

About us

At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria. The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county.

Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of 'safe, high quality care every time':

• Being a clinically led organisation
• Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust
• A positive patient experience every time
• A great place to work
• Managing our money well

As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.

Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment.Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed. For further information visit theUK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.

Disclosure and Barring Service:

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.

The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as follows if applicable to the post:

Standard Check: £21.50 + Administration cost of £6.50 = £28.00. Deducted from salary over following 4 months or one off payment.

Enhanced Check: £49.50 + administration cost of £6.50 = £56.00. Deducted from salary over following 4 months or one off payment.

NCIC can offer successful future employees the following benefits:

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years

NHS Discounts*

Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work*

Vivup is a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems

*Subject to eligibility

Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.

If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• CCAB, CIMA or overseas equivalent qualification (full member of a Professional Accounting Institute), or demonstrable and evidenced experience of successfully performing a substantially similar role.
• Evidence of ongoing Continuous Professional Development

Experience

• oExtensive experience of interpreting and applying complex finance standards and guidance
• oDemonstrable extensive experience of developing and implementing systems and processes to deliver the requirements of national standards and guidance
• oFinancial analysis
• oWorking effectively in a team and on own initiative
• oPreparing detailed written reports.
• oDeveloping and delivering formal, complex financial presentations to large groups of non finance managers conveying concepts clearly and persuasively
• oExperience of designing and implementing processes and process improvements
• oWorking with and advising senior members of staff.
• oExperience of year end processes.
• oWorking effectively and constructively with a range of staff disciplines.
• oStaff management
• Experience of working in finance in the NHS or similar sized complex organisations with responsibility for substantial finance functions.
• Experience of Department of Health Reference Cost and Education and Training return processes
• Project Management

Knowledge

• oContinuing professional development with portfolio
• oExpert specialist knowledge of service and activity costing principles and methodologies oKnowledge of national
• oKnowledge of national benchmarking initiatives (eg Carter Reivew, Model Hospital)
• oKnowledge of general ledger and budgetary systems
• oUnderstanding of internal financial control systems
• oAdvanced IT and spreadsheet skills
• Knowledge of relevant NHS costing requirements, standards and guidance
• Knowledge of process improvement methodologies.
• oHigh degree of accuracy and analytical skills.
• oSelf motivated, proactive and flexible.
• oSelf motivated, proactive and flexible.
• oAbility to analyse and interpret complex data (both quantitative and qualitative)
• oWork as a team member
• oUse initiative appropriately
• oPrioritise self and workload to meet deadlines.
• oDeal with departmental staff, other staff, managers and patients with tact and diplomacy
• oManage conflicting demands from within and outside the finance department
• oAnalyse, manipulate and present highly complex information using a range of analytical and IT skills.
• oManage conflict or contentious situations
• oConcentrate for long periods of time on data input and complex analytical tasks.
• oMake judgements on financial decisions and financial risk where there is no precedent
• oInterpret and apply complex finance standards and guidance
• oFrequently switch between tasks as priorities and deadlines change.
• Project Management

Other Requirements

• Flexible approach to working hours when there are heavy workloads
• Must be able to travel independently of public transport to enable attendance at meetings throughout Cumbria and occasionally out of area.
• Act in ways that support equality and value diversity
• Driving license

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.

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust