management accountant Plymouth, England
Job description
Provide a comprehensive and high level finance support service to, Managers, Budget Holders, Consultant Principal Investigators and Support Managers in a way that both supports improving the delivery of research and balances Trust financial objectives. Apply best accounting practices to ensure an accurate representation of R&Ds financial performance. Be able to use the Trust accounting packages to a high standard, thereby ensuring maximum information is available to R&D and Trust. Proficient with modern Office Packages pref.
Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint, an aptitude for IT with advanced keyboard skills to ensure highest level of accuracy at all times. Able to prioritise own work and that of others effectively within ever changing priorities and tight deadlines to ensure all Trust/ CRN/ NIHR and grant funders timelines are met. Capability to work under intense pressure and to concentrate on highly complex accounting information for prolonged periods of time on a frequent basis. Managing the finances for UHPNT sponsored studies (these projects span several years and can be in excess of £2m in value) from costing stage to end of study.
This includes liaising with the Clinical Trials Finance Administrator to prepare monthly accruals to ensure an accurate month end figure, ensuring payments from the DoH/other funder in line with the finance schedule, ensuring prompt payment of study collaborators and sites, and annual and study end reporting to the DoH/other funder. Perusing clinical trial protocols (these are complex documents that will require a high level of knowledge covering many hospital disciplines/specialities to enable all study requirements/resource implications to be clearly identified), from which a detailed breakdown of costs incurred by the Trust will be provided. These are also very commercially sensitive documents for which the Trust signs a Confidentiality agreement. Work with Business Advisors, and service line managers to maintain a summary of all Trust wide cost implications (NHS and commercial rates) for use in costing clinical trials.
Collate cost pressures and other service changes and ensure cost allocations used reflect, as far as possible, the true costs of delivering that service. Monitoring activity for changes to the plan. Working with R&D management and clinical colleagues to play a key role in working with clinicians and managers to improve the processes in their Service Lines relating to R&D activity e.g accurately costing and recording all research activity to maximise income. Lead the budget setting process for R&D including CRN, DoH Excess Treatment Costs, 100+ R&D accounts.
Agree and ensure the R&D Financial Standing Orders (FSO) are implemented and aligned with the wider Trust FSOs. Leading on and preparing the Annual Financial Plan and Quarterly and Annual Returns for the CRN funding allocation to reflect previous and planned patient accrual to portfolio studies, and any specific funding areas as outlined in the CRN Finance Schedule, reflecting any changes as this is updated throughout the year. Liaising with the Finance team at the CRN to ensure accuracy, compliance with the NIHR guidance and successful upload to the online finance tool, in excess of £2m per year. Preparing ASTOX annual reports for all NIHR/DoH granted funded Trust sponsored research.
Preparing the annual report to DoH for Research Capacity funding. Being the AcoRD (DoH non-commerical research costing guidance) expert for the Trust reviewing non-commercial studies in-line with DoH non-commercial research attribution rules. Working with researchers and the CRN Study Support Service to attribute costs for Plymouth Chief Investigator led studies using the HRA SoCEAT tool.
