Bank Management Accountant (Band 6)

Job overview

Applications are invited for a Bank Management Accountant to provide temporary support to the existing Finance team at the West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

The Bank role is anticipated to conclude on 31st October, 2026.

The successful candidates' primary responsibility is the production of the Trust’s budget and monthly  management accounts for the Trust’s acute and/or community services and corporate/support services.

Applicants should be educated to degree level, or with equivalent experience as well as holding or actively studying towards a professional finance qualification at postgraduate diploma level - CCAB (or CIMA) / AAT Level 3 qualification - or able to demonstrate that they are qualified by experience.

Please note that we are unable to support sponsorship roles on Bank as we are not able to guarantee hours.

This post may be closed earlier than the advertised date, should a high volume of applications be received.

Main duties of the job

The Bank Management Accountant will:

Provide comprehensive, timely and accurate financial information and support to operational teams and budget holders.

Analyse data to help provide insights to inform decision making.

Help to prepare ledger budgets, assist with financial planning through the provision of accurate financial forecasts in collaboration with budget holders.

Work proactively with budget holders to address their queries and help to ensure budget holders adhere to the Trust’s Standing Financial Instructions.

The post holder must possess excellent interrogation and presentation skills, pay strong attention to detail and requires a good working knowledge of all accounting principles involved. They will ensure a customer focused service is delivered to the division(s) and provide technical finance support to non-financial colleagues.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Communication: - Meet regularly (monthly where there are concerns, less frequently where not) with both clinical and non-clinical budgets holders to focus on resolving queries, discuss budgetary issues and other financial matters. - Use strong communication, persuasion and negotiation skills to explain complex financial matters to non-finance middle and senior managers. - Ensure actions from these meetings are documented with any specific requests for information and analysis passed onto the relevant Finance team member and any specific concerns being passed onto the Finance Business Partner. - Provide training to budget holders and other key stakeholders in budget management and control. - To assist in the provision of financial training and budget management to all budget managers. To present Financial Awareness sessions to new starters within the Trust, ensuring that they are aware how their small decisions can have a financial impact. - To engender a culture of service and visibility to the internal and external customers of the department.
• Analytical and judgemental: - Produce monthly management accounts and complete a robust rolling (12 month) forecast in line with agreed timetable, incorporating information provided by Finance Business Partners and Deputy Finance  Manager. - Provide regular and ad-hoc reports and analysis to internal stakeholders from a Trust wide perspective (e.g., Trust wide CIP schemes, budget setting summary and annual planning). - Provide ad-hoc costings and investigations as required.
• Planning and Organisational Skills: - Ensure the finance team delivers a service which meets the priorities and service requirements of the responsible division. - Contribute to the provision of financial input to strategic planning processes, with the Deputy Finance Manager and Finance Business Partner. - Contribute to managing the financial aspects of all business planning activity in the divisions, with the Deputy Finance Manager and Finance Business Partner.
• Governance: - Participate in the annual budget setting process in line with agreed timescales through discussions with budget holders, information provided by Finance Business Partner, Deputy Finance Manager and other Finance colleagues. - Provide notes based on the management accounts for Finance Business Partners to inform Performance review meetings and the Trust’s monthly Board reporting. - Provide information and support to aid contract discussions and negotiations as well as to meet any contractual requirements. - Ensure budget holders have access to the information and tools they require to maintain the departmental establishment control system, which will support the running of Divisional vacancy control panels in  recruitment to funded posts.
• Finance and Resources: - Provide financial information, advice, and support to budget holders, responding to their queries and supporting resolution of their concerns. This includes ensuring significant variances are investigated, working with budget holders to interrogate the financial ledger sub-systems and other information systems, to identify causes and propose solutions. - Ensure all sales invoices are raised appropriately and in a timely manner. - Assist the Accounts Receivable Team to maintain the debtors’ ledger, by following up non-payment of invoices. - Carry out all month end adjustments including material accruals and prepayments, posting journals, raising invoices, budget reconciliations and statutory record maintenance.
• Leadership and Management: - Take responsibility for own learning and development by recognising and taking advantage of all opportunities to learn, including full participation in appraisal, supervision, action learning and by maintaining a professional/personal portfolio of learning. - To ensure that all information required from finance and non-finance colleagues is delivered in line with finance timetable, sense checked and any concerns raised directly with the provider of the information. - To provide training to ensure budget holders are able to utilise systems and tools to manage their budgets effectively.
• Information Resources: - Clearly and concisely support communication of information between budget holders and other Finance departments. This may include preparing information for Divisional Board meetings. - Provide information as required to auditors. - Provide ad-hoc information to internal and external users, as required. - Design and develop appropriate reporting systems in order to present information in a systematic and informative style. - Ensure accuracy and relevance of information provided, with consistent cross referencing and sense checks.
• Research & Development: - Undertake appropriate research in order to sense check information and inform financial analysis, reporting and budget setting. - Any other duties and ad-hoc support as required by the Deputy Finance Manager.