Job summary
- Main area
- Finance
- Grade
- Band 7
- Contract
- Fixed term: 6 months (6 Calendar Months after agreed start date)
- Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Home or remote working
- Job ref
- 318-25-T0716
- Employer
- Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Riverside House, Cheltenham
- Town
- Cheltenham
- Salary
- £47,810 - £54,710 (pa pro rata if part-time)
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 01/12/2025 23:59
Employer heading
Deputy Project Accountant, Band 7
Band 7
At Gloucestershire Hospitals, our people are at the heart of everything we do. As the county’s largest employer, we are proud to provide high-quality acute, elective, and specialist services to more than 650,000 people across our county. Our care is delivered across Gloucestershire Royal, Cheltenham General and Stroud Maternity Hospital.
With over 9,000 employees representing more than 95 nationalities, bringing together a mix of cultures and experiences to the care that we deliver. Whether you’re beginning your NHS journey or looking to take the next step in your career, this is an exciting time to join us. We’re investing heavily in innovation, research, and transformation, with more than 100 active clinical studies and major developments underway across our hospitals.
We take pride in working as one team, driven by a shared ambition to grow, develop, and continually improve. Every contribution is valued and by combining our collective strengths, we support not only our diverse communities but one another. You can expect a warm, supportive culture and colleagues who are passionate about teamwork, professional development and delivering exceptional care. We offer structured development programmes, mentoring and leadership opportunities to help you progress in your career.
We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels they belong. By joining our Trust, you will benefit from a comprehensive package that includes flexible working opportunities, generous annual leave, the NHS pension scheme, competitive bank rates, local discounts, access to on-site nurseries, reduced public transport costs, reward and recognition schemes and a wide range of health and wellbeing initiatives.
Be part of Gloucestershire Hospitals, explore your future with us today.
Job overview
A fantastic 6 month fixed term opportunity has been commissioned to work in an ambitious team to provide financial support to help deliver an exciting yet challenging c£60m capital programme in 25/26 as well as lay the foundations for a successful delivery of the 26/27 capital programme.
The post will support the Project Accountant in providing overall financial support to key Trust projects and the development of the long term financial plan. This will include financial and non-financial reporting, to include business case production, and the financial impact of major projects within the monthly reporting and forecasting, and annual and long term planning processes.
The post holder will join the Project Accountant in shaping the vision shared by the Director of Finance in growing and developing the financial support for projects at the Trust in order to set a benchmark to which other NHS organisations will aspire.
If you have energy, positivity, motivation and capital finance experience then you could well be suited for this role within a very welcoming and supportive finance team. I strongly recommend you apply.
Additional contract details: 6 Calendar Months after agreed start date
Additional working pattern details: Between 8am and 6pm (Mon to Fri)
Main duties of the job
The main duties of the job will be;
Working with the Project Accountant and Capital Accountant to lead on the financial reporting of the Trusts capital programme, the production of the monthly project progress reports and circulation of the budget statements.
The role will require close scrutiny into the ledger and forecasts to ensure they are accurate; investigating, correcting and refining when this is not the case.
Review the financial ledger to ensure that the expenditure that is against the capital projects is in line with accounting standards and Trust accounting policies.
It is therefore important for the candidate to be able to establish quick relationships with the team and project leads so as be able to investigate, summarise, challenge and escalate any variance to plan or latest forecasts.
Another key duty will be to analysing the spend and gather sufficient information to be able to add the assets onto the asset register in the applicable periods. A clear, organisation and methodical approach is key to this both from an efficiency and effectiveness point of view but also to allow for a smoother external audit.
Working for our organisation
The small 'Project Accounts' team have developed a strong 'work together' mindset since the Project Accountant joined the Trust in 2020. There are plenty of varying challenges that come our way and the closeness ethic within the team allows us to tackle them all with great success, building resilience and career defining experience to take us forward stronger as a team and our individual careers.
The Finance team are headed up by an amazing Director of Finance who leads with both strength and compassion that allows us to achieve great results whilst keeping our wellbeing intact.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Project Accounting
Lead on the financial reporting of the Trust’s capital programme, the production of the monthly project progress reports and circulation of monthly budget statements to project leads.
Review the financial ledger to ensure that the financial position for capital projects is accurately reflected within the monthly reported position. Investigating and correcting where this is not the case.
Review the financial ledger to ensure that the expenditure that is against capital projects is in line with accounting standards and Trust accounting policies.
To work closely with the project leads to investigate, summarise and challenge any variances to plan or latest forecasts, identifying the causes.
Provide support to the Project Accountant on any applications for additional capital funding and ensuring that the timely draw down of the funding is informed to the Head of Financial Services.
Provide information and support to project leads in response to particular queries or requirements.
Assist and sometimes lead on the provision of information to support internal and external reports.
Business Case Development
Lead on the accurate recording of business case and capital budgetary approvals and ensure that they are uploaded onto the Finance system and each have a designated project lead responsible for delivery.
Provide, often complex financial support particularly around capital accounting business plans, investment business cases and options appraisals, where driven by national or local initiatives, to ensure that all major developments are fully supported and developed with reliable and robust financial input and advice.
Where required, participate and undertake any financial appraisals (such as: Net Present Value calculations) to support the financial assessment of business proposals.
Work with financial and non-financial managers to support the construction of business cases and the review of business cases ensuring all aspects of capital and revenue finance are included and all areas to be impacted are covered.
Embrace and promote the Better Business CasesTM agenda to ensure that Trust processes and behaviour are in line with its principles.
Work with the team to develop and maintain an efficient capture and logging of business cases and investment decisions.
Long Term Planning
To work with the Project Accountant in the co-ordination, development, management and reporting of multi-year capital plans incorporating all capital funding streams, in line Trust and System prioritisation frameworks and guidance. To support the Project Accountant, where appropriate, in developing a wider Trust wide financial reporting model which links in capital, revenue, activity and workforce.
Asset Management
Work closely with the capital accountant within the financial services team to share information on capital expenditure and the status of projects so that the capital accountant can maintain an accurate and up-to-date asset register.
Provide the Capital Accountant with expenditure forecast to support the monitoring of the Trust’s cash position and for calculating capital charge forecasts.
Financial Governance
Provision of professional complex financial advice and support to Senior Managers, Budget Holders/Project Leads and Finance staff, including information on accounting treatment and governance processes.
To promote and challenge to ensure that the Trust’s Financial Policies including Trust Standing Financial Instructions and Standing Orders are adhered to, value for money secured and financial stability achieved. Escalating incidences where appropriate.
Respond to internal and external audit requirements and ensuring they are responded to in a timely manner.
Professional Leadership & Management Responsibilities
Responsible for prioritising own work and that of members of staff designated to report to this post. This would include but not necessarily limited to: line managing including appraisals; training and development; sickness absence; disciplinary matters; recruitment and selection decisions; personal and career development and workload allocations.
To provide timely expert support, advice and leadership to financial and non-financial staff on project accounting and capital.
Work with the Project Accountant to agree Personal Objectives, and a Personal Development Plan and keep up to date professionally through mandatory continuing professional development and Trust’s statutory training.
To be aware of, comment on and actively participate in changes on policies, procedures or service developments.
To embrace and support line management and the department in making service improvements effective within the workplace, professionally challenging where appropriate.
Communications and Relationships
The post holder will require excellent interpersonal and communication
Communicate and provide financial and analytical advice, information and support, on often complex matters to a range of financial and non-financial stakeholders clearly.
Build and maintain strong working relationships with key stakeholders at all levels of the Trust.
Participation in meetings providing project accounting expertise. The Deputy Project Accountant might be asked to present the capital financial position.
Work closely as a Project Accounting team to ensure that a supportive, honest and compassionate culture is developed and maintained.
To use negotiation, persuasion and persistence to ensure that the information required by project leads is provided.
Other Duties
The post holder will deputise for the Project Accountant at meetings for key Trust projects as and when appropriate.
Support the Director of Finance and Director of Operational Finance in ad hoc duties as requested.
Look to actively participate, contribute and suggest financial improvements undertaken across the department.
Participate in the provision of Finance Training Programmes to Budget Holders and other non-finance staff.
Keep up to date and ensure adherence with capital accounting standards and policies.
Carry out other ad hoc duties commensurate to the role according to the demands on the Project Finance team and wider Finance Department.
Contact Details
Craig Marshall (Project Accountant)
07894 429785
Available for calls between 9am and 5pm. Worth emailing or messaging first to arrange a time so I can identify a suitable time to talk.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- CCAB Part Qualified or Equivalent and working towards completing the CCAB qualification.
Desirable criteria
- CCAB Part Qualified or Equivalent and working towards completing the CCAB qualification.
Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to analyse, interpret and report large complex data
- High level of numeracy and accuracy skills.
- Advanced knowledge and highly skilled in the use of MS Excel.
- A good knowledge of financial and accounting procedures, financial aspects of NHS legislation and policies.
- An understanding of strategic and operational planning, budgeting and performance monitoring, project accounting and business case development.
- Report writing and presentation skills.
- Ability and experience to present information with a high level of accuracy to a wide range of audiences both verbally and electronically
- The ability to interpret highly complex numerical data and to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including negotiation and facilitation and able to convey complex information and ideas clearly and succinctly, particularly where results are achieved through others not directly managed by the post holder
Desirable criteria
- In depth understanding of how acute hospitals work.
- Evidence of developing, changing and improving practice.
- Ability to train and explain financial information to finance and non-finance managers.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Substantial finance experience within the NHS or a large finance department
- Appropriate finance experience within the NHS capital accounting
- Experience of working to tight deadlines.
- Experience of dealing with conflict and prioritising demands
Desirable criteria
- Experience of data modelling and complex analysis including options analysis and business cases.
Personal Attributes
Essential criteria
- To always maintain confidentiality and to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act, reporting any problems etc in the appropriate manner.
- Empathetic and assertive skills to deal with various stakeholders.
- Strong communication skills, both orally and in writing.
- Good negotiation skills.
- Accepts constructive feedback and continues to develop high quality work
- Excellent organisational and time management skills.
- Ability to prioritise work in order to meet tight deadlines.
- Consistent professionalism and objectivity.
- Able to work independently, remotely, but also as a team.
- A strong willingness to grow and change as needed
- Ability to maintain standards and work under pressure
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Craig Marshall
- Job title
- Project Accountant
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07894429785
- Additional information
Available for calls between 9am and 5pm. Worth emailing or messaging first to arrange a time so I can identify a suitable time to talk.
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