Job summary

What is the Job?

If you are highly motivated, analytical, and are interested in a role that can make a difference, the NHS Business Services Authority (BSA) have the opportunity for you! We are looking for an Accountancy Officer/Assistant Financial Analyst to join a specialist team that manages a wide range of financial accounting and financial assurance requirements for the Scheme. The role is a perfect step up into a rewarding career with the NHS and widening your knowledge and experience with Government and NHS finance.

If you are confident with using technology to design bespoke financial reports, working analytically, and challenging yourself then this is the role for you. The role provides support for the team’s delivery of objectives, and your experience with large amounts of data and delivering process improvements will be key for this. You will be a self-starter, wants a challenge and is keen to learn all aspects of the vast scope of work the team does.

Previous applicants need not apply.

Main duties of the job

What will you do?

We are looking for people who are analytical and methodical in their approach to work and are working towards or who are full AAT qualified.

You will be able to demonstrate these essential skills and knowledge:

  • Advanced IT application skills (MS Excel in particular)
  • High levels of accuracy and concentration in all aspects of work
  • Well-developed analytical skills
  • Effective communication skills
  • Experience in a finance department
  • Experience of integrated finance systems, financial reconciliation, and monitoring processes
  • Analysis of large volumes of data

What do we offer?

  • 27 days leave (increasing with length of service) plus 8 bank holidays
  • Flexible working (we are happy to discuss options such as compressed hours)
  • Flexi time
  • Hybrid working model (we are currently working largely remotely)
  • Career development
  • Active wellbeing and inclusion networks
  • Excellent pension
  • NHS Car lease scheme
  • Access to a wide range of benefits and high street discounts!

About us

At the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) we deliver a range of essential national services to NHS organisations and contractors, patients and the public.

You may already be using some of our services. Do you have a prescription pre-payment certificate? Perhaps you found this vacancy through NHS Jobs? We’re behind these, and much more.

Being one of the UK’s Best Big Companies to work for, our values are to be Collaborative, Adventurous, Reliable and Energetic. We CARE about what we do and support each other in achieving our objectives.

Our people are the heart of our organisation. We strive to ensure they feel trusted, valued and empowered. We’re passionate about nurturing and developing people. When you join us, we want you to grow, and we offer many opportunities for you to do that.

We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds. With wellbeing and inclusion central to our ethos, our BAME, Disability and Neurodiversity, LGBTQ+, Armed Forces and Women’s networks help our colleagues to be their authentic selves at work.

We value and respect the diversity of our colleagues and are committed to being a flexible employer. We are proud to offer flexible working opportunities. Whether you’re interested in hybrid working, working from home, flexible hours or job sharing, apply today and we can discuss available options with you at the interview stage.

We are the NHS delivering for the NHS.

Visit www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/work-with-usand start your career with us.

Date posted

28 February 2023

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£23,949 to £26,282 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

914-BSA3815-A

Job locations

Hesketh House

200-220 Broadway

Fleetwood

FY7 8LG

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job purpose

The post holder will work within the Pensions Finance Reporting, Assurance & Reconciliation Team providing key financial support in delivering the objectives of the team and ensuring robust financial reporting and reconciliation processes are developed and maintained. This will require data input and transfer, data interrogation and analysis, reconciliation of contribution and member data, collation of financial information from a range of systems and production of reports. The post holder will be required to deliver high quality customer service, including communicating effectively with customers and stakeholders.

In this role, you are accountable for:

1. Assisting the Team Manager in delivering the objectives of the team with a range of reporting, assurance and data reconciliation requirements to facilitate all aspects of Pensions Finance requirements.

2. Undertaking the annual certification process for Independent Provider (IP) organisations and reconciling cash receipts to member records also preparing each employer, where applicable, for further assurance and validations as required by DHSC by the Team Manager.

3. Complete daily cash flow reconciliations and deliver monthly forecasts and variance reports required by the HMT Exchequer Team for the Pension Scheme and for the Injury Benefit Scheme (on behalf of DHSC). This includes monitoring cash balances of the scheme bank accounts to ensure sufficient funding is available, reviewing a range of financial and customer information to provide insight into any trends impacting the cash flows.

4. Completing all reconciliations and returns required for the Scheme to HMRC including Quarterly Tax Returns, Scheme Pays, Annual Event Report and all retrospective adjustments. Effective controls should be maintained and reviewed regularly to ensure there is no loss to the Scheme due to late or inaccurate submissions.

5. Undertaking the annual certification process for New Fair Deal (NFD) organisations and reconciling cash receipts to member records.

6. Liaising with Pensions Scheme Access Team regarding queries on the assurance processes for NFD and IP organisations, and also escalating non-complaint organisations to Pension Stakeholder Engagement Team.

7. Delivering continuous improvement to the business processes by utilising financial and IT skills from the reporting capabilities and functionality of Integra, Compendia and Oracle Business Intelligence, thus contributing to service improvement through networking and building effective working relationships with customers, both internal and external.

8. Undertaking a range of financial assurance checks including but not limited to member level analysis of contribution rates and payments, anomalies output by the member to cash financial reconciliation processes.

9. Performing initial validations and analysis of the results of the annual Scheme Valuation, including validation of member samples for audit purposes, for review by the Scheme Accountant/Financial Analyst.

10. Developing all processes and maintaining all data and management information required for Independent Provider (IP) and New Fair Deal(NFD) employers, determining the optimum system solution based on the regulatory requirements.

11. Analyse and reconcile statements, supporting documents and cash received from employers for the Annual Contribution exercise and resolve employer queries.

12. Assisting in the collation of relevant source data to ensure accurate forecasts can be established for monthly reporting.

13. Contributing to the design and creation of Management and Financial Information processes, utilising specific Scheme and wider Regulation knowledge and requirements, taking into account legislation changes to the scheme Regulations to ensure documents are relevant and fit for purpose.

14. Undertaking regular validation checks of reports and management Information to ensure quality, integrity and accuracy and undertakes data archive and cleansing role to ensure data quality, consistency and accuracy.

15. Working with a minimal amount of supervision, working autonomously to manage own work and make decisions in own work area.

16. Supporting the testing of software upgrades and systems changes pertaining to the direct use and requirements of the pensions finance team, in particular the development of Oracle Business Intelligence for the purpose of member to cash reconciliation and valuation.

17. Effectively communicating with internal and external customers resolving technical and escalated queries by telephone, e-mail and correspondence (customers being scheme members, NHS Employers and other external agencies).

18. Maintaining an awareness of the NHS pension scheme and associated regulations, including forthcoming events and changes.

19. Demonstrating a commitment to develop flexible matrix working such that the broad base of skills and experience of all staff are utilised to maximum benefit for the individual, team and organisation.

20. Identifying personal training needs and works with Reporting Manager to establish personal objectives. This will contribute to own appraisal.

21. Undertaking other such duties as may be required commensurate with grade, training and experience. Also on occasion participates in organisation wide work groups appropriate to the post holders expertise and experience.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job purpose

The post holder will work within the Pensions Finance Reporting, Assurance & Reconciliation Team providing key financial support in delivering the objectives of the team and ensuring robust financial reporting and reconciliation processes are developed and maintained. This will require data input and transfer, data interrogation and analysis, reconciliation of contribution and member data, collation of financial information from a range of systems and production of reports. The post holder will be required to deliver high quality customer service, including communicating effectively with customers and stakeholders.

In this role, you are accountable for:

1. Assisting the Team Manager in delivering the objectives of the team with a range of reporting, assurance and data reconciliation requirements to facilitate all aspects of Pensions Finance requirements.

2. Undertaking the annual certification process for Independent Provider (IP) organisations and reconciling cash receipts to member records also preparing each employer, where applicable, for further assurance and validations as required by DHSC by the Team Manager.

3. Complete daily cash flow reconciliations and deliver monthly forecasts and variance reports required by the HMT Exchequer Team for the Pension Scheme and for the Injury Benefit Scheme (on behalf of DHSC). This includes monitoring cash balances of the scheme bank accounts to ensure sufficient funding is available, reviewing a range of financial and customer information to provide insight into any trends impacting the cash flows.

4. Completing all reconciliations and returns required for the Scheme to HMRC including Quarterly Tax Returns, Scheme Pays, Annual Event Report and all retrospective adjustments. Effective controls should be maintained and reviewed regularly to ensure there is no loss to the Scheme due to late or inaccurate submissions.

5. Undertaking the annual certification process for New Fair Deal (NFD) organisations and reconciling cash receipts to member records.

6. Liaising with Pensions Scheme Access Team regarding queries on the assurance processes for NFD and IP organisations, and also escalating non-complaint organisations to Pension Stakeholder Engagement Team.

7. Delivering continuous improvement to the business processes by utilising financial and IT skills from the reporting capabilities and functionality of Integra, Compendia and Oracle Business Intelligence, thus contributing to service improvement through networking and building effective working relationships with customers, both internal and external.

8. Undertaking a range of financial assurance checks including but not limited to member level analysis of contribution rates and payments, anomalies output by the member to cash financial reconciliation processes.

9. Performing initial validations and analysis of the results of the annual Scheme Valuation, including validation of member samples for audit purposes, for review by the Scheme Accountant/Financial Analyst.

10. Developing all processes and maintaining all data and management information required for Independent Provider (IP) and New Fair Deal(NFD) employers, determining the optimum system solution based on the regulatory requirements.

11. Analyse and reconcile statements, supporting documents and cash received from employers for the Annual Contribution exercise and resolve employer queries.

12. Assisting in the collation of relevant source data to ensure accurate forecasts can be established for monthly reporting.

13. Contributing to the design and creation of Management and Financial Information processes, utilising specific Scheme and wider Regulation knowledge and requirements, taking into account legislation changes to the scheme Regulations to ensure documents are relevant and fit for purpose.

14. Undertaking regular validation checks of reports and management Information to ensure quality, integrity and accuracy and undertakes data archive and cleansing role to ensure data quality, consistency and accuracy.

15. Working with a minimal amount of supervision, working autonomously to manage own work and make decisions in own work area.

16. Supporting the testing of software upgrades and systems changes pertaining to the direct use and requirements of the pensions finance team, in particular the development of Oracle Business Intelligence for the purpose of member to cash reconciliation and valuation.

17. Effectively communicating with internal and external customers resolving technical and escalated queries by telephone, e-mail and correspondence (customers being scheme members, NHS Employers and other external agencies).

18. Maintaining an awareness of the NHS pension scheme and associated regulations, including forthcoming events and changes.

19. Demonstrating a commitment to develop flexible matrix working such that the broad base of skills and experience of all staff are utilised to maximum benefit for the individual, team and organisation.

20. Identifying personal training needs and works with Reporting Manager to establish personal objectives. This will contribute to own appraisal.

21. Undertaking other such duties as may be required commensurate with grade, training and experience. Also on occasion participates in organisation wide work groups appropriate to the post holders expertise and experience.

Person Specification

Qualities, Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Understanding/practical application of financial data analysis
  • Advance system skills EXCEL / ACCESS
  • IT & Reporting skills
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Organisation / working to deadlines
  • Ability to prioritise work with min supervision/ team work
  • Enthusiasm to learn & develop / self motivated

Desirable

  • Knowledge of Compendia
  • Aware of Pension Scheme Regs & accounting requirements
  • Knowledge of Integra, Access Dimensions, Crystal reports, Oracle, BI

Experience

Essential

  • Complex calculation’s and reconciliations (2)

Desirable

  • Experience in a relevant financial position
  • Developing databases, queries, reports, reconciliation processes, procedure notes
  • Experience in managing client relationships

Qualifications

Essential

  • 5 GCSE’s or equivalent including Maths and English
  • Studying towards AAT qualification

Desirable

  • A level standard or equivalent
  • AAT Qualified or studying towards an accountancy qualification

Core Capability’s

Essential

  • Confident and clearly presents messages in all communications
  • Spots warning signs of things going wrong and escalates when required
  • Positively handles the dynamics within their team, peers and colleagues
  • Stands by and promotes own and teams actions/decisions where needed
  • Uses evidence to assess the benefits and risks of options when making decisions

Desirable

  • Actively looks to broaden understanding for self & others beyond business area
  • Good understanding of areas strategy and how it contributes to organisation.
Person Specification

Qualities, Knowledge and Skills

Essential

  • Understanding/practical application of financial data analysis
  • Advance system skills EXCEL / ACCESS
  • IT & Reporting skills
  • Excellent communication skills
  • Organisation / working to deadlines
  • Ability to prioritise work with min supervision/ team work
  • Enthusiasm to learn & develop / self motivated

Desirable

  • Knowledge of Compendia
  • Aware of Pension Scheme Regs & accounting requirements
  • Knowledge of Integra, Access Dimensions, Crystal reports, Oracle, BI

Experience

Essential

  • Complex calculation’s and reconciliations (2)

Desirable

  • Experience in a relevant financial position
  • Developing databases, queries, reports, reconciliation processes, procedure notes
  • Experience in managing client relationships

Qualifications

Essential

  • 5 GCSE’s or equivalent including Maths and English
  • Studying towards AAT qualification

Desirable

  • A level standard or equivalent
  • AAT Qualified or studying towards an accountancy qualification

Core Capability’s

Essential

  • Confident and clearly presents messages in all communications
  • Spots warning signs of things going wrong and escalates when required
  • Positively handles the dynamics within their team, peers and colleagues
  • Stands by and promotes own and teams actions/decisions where needed
  • Uses evidence to assess the benefits and risks of options when making decisions

Desirable

  • Actively looks to broaden understanding for self & others beyond business area
  • Good understanding of areas strategy and how it contributes to organisation.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .

Additional information

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .