Job summary

Main area

Finance

Grade

NHS AfC: Band 8a

Contract

Permanent

Hours

Full time
Part time
Job share
Flexible working

37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday 37.5 hours per week)

Job ref

302-26-7871677CPR-A

Employer: Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Buckingham Row
Town: Wigan
Salary: £57,528 - £64,750 per annum, pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 25/06/2026 23:59

Senior Financial Accountant

NHS AfC: Band 8a

Choose Well - Choose WWL

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Oversee the preparation of balance sheet, cash flow and working capital information, ensuring accuracy, completeness and compliance with accounting standards, for review by the Associate Director.

• Lead the coordination and production of high quality working papers and supporting schedules for statutory accounts, including liaison with internal and external audit.

• Support the Associate Director in ensuring compliance with relevant accounting standards, statutory guidance and NHS financial requirements, escalating complex technical issues as required.

• Coordinate responses to audit recommendations and ensure timely implementation of agreed actions across Financial Services.

• Provide senior operational oversight of delegated Financial Services functions, including Accounts Payable and Receivable, Financial Accounting, Capital Accounting, Systems and Control.

• Ensure robust financial controls are embedded and operating effectively across Financial Services processes.

• Lead the development, maintenance and review of financial procedures and standard operating procedures in line with Standing Financial Instructions and Trust policies.

• Monitor service performance, risks and issues within Financial Services, providing assurance and escalation to the Associate Director where necessary.

• Support the preparation and monitoring of cash flow and working capital information, contributing to internal and external reporting requirements.

• Oversee capital accounting processes and the maintenance of the fixed asset register, ensuring accurate accounting treatment and reconciliation.

• Coordinate VAT accounting activities, including preparation of returns and supporting documentation, working with external advisers as required and escalating complex matters appropriately.

• Act as a senior operational lead for financial systems within scope, ensuring data integrity, appropriate controls and effective use of systems.

• Support the implementation of new finance systems, system upgrades and process changes, including testing, data validation and staff engagement.

• Identify and lead opportunities to improve efficiency, quality and resilience within Financial Services processes, working collaboratively with the Associate Director and wider finance leadership.

• To provide specialist advice on accounting standards and financial information to Directors, Senior Managers, and other appropriate staff on highly complex financial accounting and capital issues in respect to the Trusts financial and non-financial activities.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

CCAB or CIMA qualified
Evidence of Continuing Professional Development (CPD).

Desirable criteria

Educated to degree level or equivalent.

Experience

Essential criteria

Significant financial accounting and staff management experience gained at a senior level in a large complex organisation.
A proven track record of managing budgets, financial planning and reporting, and analysis of performance data.
Considerable experience of managing highly complex projects across an organisation and implementing financial systems.
Experience of producing working papers to support production of annual accounts

Skills

Essential criteria

Ability to communicate effectively with all disciplines and seniorities.
Ability to understand and interpret complex financial information
Excellent negotiating and influencing skills with an ability to lead change
Proven leadership and staff management skills including mentoring and coaching of staf

Desirable criteria

Ability to handle difficult and emotional situations

Knowledge

Essential criteria

Detailed understanding of the NHS Financial Regime and accounting standards.
Strong computer literacy with particular regard to Microsoft Office applications

Desirable criteria

Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Excel & Word.

Additional

Essential criteria

Flexible approach to work.
Strongly proactive and solution orientated.
Qualities of perseverance, flexibility, determination and adaptability.
Team worker able to collaborate and delegate.
Ability to prioritise and work with imposed deadlines.
Creative and innovative.
Ability to travel between hospital sites.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Job Applications
If you choose to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other automated tools to help draft your application, please ensure all content is personalised and an accurate reflection of your own skills, experience and professional judgement. AI may be useful for idea generation, grammar, or formatting, but it must not replace your own supporting statement or be relied on as the sole source of content.

Wrightington Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust does not advocate reliance on AI during applications and expects applications to be genuine and tailored to the role; over-reliance on AI-generated text may negatively affect your application.

For further information and best practice on using AI when applying for NHS roles, please refer to the attached “Applying for a role in the NHS guidance”.