# Assistant Cost Accountant > NHS job listing from Job Clerk for Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust. ## Canonical URLs - **HTML:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/assistant-cost-accountant/6b6946a6-6f11-4704-85d0-b45a239c872b - **Markdown:** https://www.jobclerk.com/job/assistant-cost-accountant/6b6946a6-6f11-4704-85d0-b45a239c872b.md ## Summary - **Status:** Live - **Employer:** Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust - **Location:** Hollins Park Hospital - **Workplace type:** onsite - **Profession:** Accountant - **Grade:** Band 5 - **Salary:** £32,073 - £39,043 per annum - **Contract type:** Permanent - **Employment type:** Full time - 37.5 hours per week - **Closing date:** 2026-11-01T23:59:00.000Z - **Posted:** 2026-10-26T01:00:47.947Z - **Source information URL:** https://www.healthjobsuk.com/job/UK/Merseyside/Warrington/Mersey_Care_NHS_Foundation_Trust/Finance_Costing/Finance_Costing-v8368358 - **Application URL:** https://apps.trac.jobs/job-advert/8368358?ShowJobAdvert=&feedid=9002 - **Employer website:** https://www.merseycare.nhs.uk ## Job Content ### Job overview To support the delivery of a high-quality costing service, recognising the increasing strategic importance of accurate patient-level costing data in delivering the NHS 10 Year Health Plan, productivity and efficiency improvements, and the move towards more activity and outcome-focused funding arrangements. The post holder will support the maintenance and development of PLICS, ensuring costing data is robust, accurate and capable of supporting Deconstructing the Block, productivity and efficiency analysis, benchmarking, service redesign, financial modelling and decision-making. The role will help clinical divisions and corporate directorates understand the relationship between activity, resource utilisation and cost, enabling the identification of unwarranted variation and opportunities to improve value. The post holder will also provide timely advice on costing methodology, support improvements in costing and activity data quality, liaise with system suppliers and peer NHS trusts, and assist the Cost and SLR Accountant in developing meaningful costing intelligence for operational and strategic decision-making. All interviews will be held face to face (we are unable to accommodate virtual interviews) A short excel assessment will take place prior to the interview. Assessment details - excel test on patient level activity and costs ### Main duties of the job The post holder will support the effective collection, processing, validation and maintenance of costing data, including PLICS, national costing submissions, Service Line Reporting and the Trust Costing Manual. They will help ensure compliance with national costing guidance, support benchmarking and service reviews, develop appropriate costing and apportionment methodologies, and respond to costing queries from clinical divisions and corporate departments. Recognising the increasing importance of robust costing and activity data in supporting Deconstructing the Block, productivity and efficiency, the post holder will provide meaningful costing insight, including unit costs, cost drivers and analysis of variation, to help services understand resource utilisation, identify opportunities for improvement and support evidence-based decision-making across the Trust. ### Detailed job description and main responsibilities The post holder will support the effective collection, processing and maintenance of costing data, including the PLICS system, national costing submissions, Service Line Reporting and the Trust costing manual. They will help ensure compliance with national costing guidance, support benchmarking and service reviews, develop costing and apportionment approaches, respond to queries from divisions and corporate departments, and provide costing insight, including unit costs and cost driver analysis, to support decision-making across the Trust. ## Person Specification ### Skills **Essential** - Able to work with data and produce figures in a clear, accurate and meaningful manner - Able to concentrate over long periods while dealing effectively with interruptions - Able to analyse data and trends to draw conclusions and support decision making - Ability to manage own time and administration in an effective manner. - Must be able to work as part of a team - Demonstrates continuous self and professional development - Excellent attention to detail and ability to identify anomalies in data. - Advanced Microsoft Excel skills. - Must be able to work without direct supervision **Desirable** - Knowledge and use of Microsoft Power BI ### Knowledge **Essential** - Knowledge of the NHS finance regime particularly those relevant to financial management and costing. **Desirable** - Knowledge of the Costmaster costing system - Knowledge of NHS Costing procedures ### Experience **Essential** - Previous experience in a financial management or costing role. - Able to perform complex numerical data and producing accurate, meaningful analysis. - Ability to communicate financial or costing information to divisional teams and managers from a non-finance background **Desirable** - Experience of working in an NHS Finance department. - Previous experience of using an activity-based costing system. - Experience of staff management ### Qualifications **Essential** - 5 GCSEs or equivalent, including English & Maths - Relevant academic background: CCAB or CIMA part-qualified at certificate level, or AAT qualified. **Desirable** - Degree or postgraduate level management qualification. - Progression towards or willingness to study CCAB or CIMA qualification. ## Documents - [employee benefits (pdf, 950.7kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=2853) - [a great place to work (pdf, 2.1mb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=1400) - [your recruitment journey (pdf, 281.5kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=2941) - [our people promise and charter (pdf, 5.8mb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=2513) - [assistant cost accountant band 5 (pdf, 373.3kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=10695735) - [assistant cost accountant band 5 (pdf, 496.6kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?vdoc=10695734) - [guidance for applicants: using ai to support your application (pdf, 92.7kb)](https://www.healthjobsuk.com/documents?edoc=3044) ## Agent Notes - This Markdown page is generated from the same Job Clerk job record as the HTML job detail page. - Use the canonical HTML URL for user-facing references. - Use the application URL when the user wants to apply on the source NHS site.