Information: Generic Job Descriptions - Hay 14

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Please find below a generic description of the Hay 14 role.

These are generic descriptions and in addition to specific information which can be viewed by clicking on individual roles.


Post Title:	Generic Divisional Accountant
Grade:	Hay Grade 14

Job Summary

To develop and manage the Council’s financial strategy and core financial services.

This will include:

Working with Strategic Directors and Business Managers to improve devolved financial management within the Council and to ensure that legislative requirements, corporate objectives and best value are successfully achieved.
Taking responsibility for the development and maintenance of financial expertise and control, ensuring that all services provided by finance staff and internal/external contractors:
- Are innovative and quality driven, so that these will be responsive to public, Member or client needs;
- Demonstrate, and operate in accordance with, clear corporate direction, vision and style; and
- Achieve effectiveness and efficiency in their operation.
Contributing to the management of a service department or Financial Management Services (FMS) in accordance with the Business Plan, Scheme of Management and Financial Scheme of Delegation.
Managing a section within a service department or FMS to provide the highest quality service in accordance with the Council's vision and values.

Principal Responsibilities

To manage the provision of an effective financial service within a service department or FMS.
To formulate aspects of the Council’s financial policies and strategies and report on those issues to Senior Management Team (SMT), Strategic Directors/Chief Officer Team (COT) or Members as needed.
To provide expert advice and support to the Council/Department, its Committees, Members and Senior Management on all financial issues.
To attend Council-wide working parties as appropriate and to take the lead role on relevant financial issues emanating from these discussions.
To respond to, and take actions as appropriate on, relevant government initiatives.
To be responsible for the implementation of, and compliance with, the Council's overall regulatory framework and to advise Strategic Directors and their senior management teams on changes within their Departments.
To be responsible for the integrity of financial information.
To be responsible for the production of all relevant statutory accounts.
To manage the effective delivery of financial and related services supplied to the Council by a third party or by any in-house supplier and to take appropriate action to improve the value for money obtained by the Council from those suppliers.
To ensure that sound financial management systems and procedures are in operation within their department or FMS.
To promote and implement the Council’s risk management strategy.
To implement the Council’s corporate anti-fraud strategy, in order to protect the Council’s assets.
To make an effective contribution to all relevant Council initiatives aimed at continuous improvement and to create appropriate targets or implement corporate targets to be met by the finance functions under their control.
To be responsible for managing and developing a team of staff.
To take an active role in such training courses as are necessary to ensure that Managers across the Council are able to carry out their responsibilities within Southwark’s devolved financial environment.

Organisational Standards

The following standards apply to this post -

Customer Focus
Duties are performed to ensure the best possible outcome for the customer.
Equalities
Performance and conduct promote equality of opportunity and eliminate discrimination on any basis related to an individual’s profile.
Personal Development
Learning and development is undertaken so that duties are delivered more effectively and to prepare for change, this will include mandatory training, for example in equalities & diversity, as determined by the Council.
Decision Making
Decisions are taken within the Council’s rules and any legal constraints to achieve organisational objectives, based on the best possible information that it is reasonable for the employee to obtain.
Organisational Codes of Conduct
Duties are undertaken within the Council’s Code of Conduct and other professional or organisational codes, which set standards of behaviour.
Risk Management
Risks to service delivery, internal systems and their management will be considered and challenged. The consequences of actions will be thought through and informed judgements made.
Legal and Constitutional Frameworks
Proper regard for statutory and other legislative requirements must be made in planning and delivering services. The Council’s constitution must be followed especially with regard to decision-making.
Business & Performance Planning
Through proper business planning, there will be clarity on what the Service aims to achieve and the resources required. Actual performance will be regularly monitored and managed; this will include business contingency/ emergency planning.
Human Resources
Human resources, (employees, teams etc), will be planned, developed and managed to ensure the achievement of Council objectives alongside the quality of life for the Council’s people.
Financial and Asset Management
The Council’s finances, procurement process and assets will be managed with probity, efficiently and with openness.
Information Management
Information will be accessible and only collated for its stated purpose. It will be retained only for as long as necessary in a way that is safe and secure. Duplicate records should be avoided. Responsibility for records management will be clear and resourced. Information will be used prudently & appropriately making efficient use of our investment in technology.
Procurement
Corporate contracts must be used. Acquisition of new goods, works or services must follow a strategic process and all EU legal requirements. The council's contract standing orders, best practice & value for money guides, must be applied at all times.

Job Context

1.	Organisational Objectives
a)	Southwark has a devolved financial administration and Section Heads and Senior Finance Managers are responsible for ensuring that this delivers a more economic, efficient and effective service to customers. The post holder has a professional responsibility to the Section 151 Officer (Finance Director) and in carrying out their duties, enables him to fulfil the statutory requirements.
b)	The Council is committed to maintenance of its IIP accreditation. The post holder will be responsible for the implementation of the Council’s People and Performance Management systems, particularly as these relate to staff supervised. These include the following linked systems: The preparation of a relevant annual Business Plan and Service Plans, incorporating measurable Performance Indicators; The induction of new and temporary staff; Preparation of work-plans and training plans; The regular monitoring and reporting of performance.
c)	The Council is committed to continuously improving the quality of finance services, in line with its core objectives. Finance staff are responsible for ensuring that such initiatives are implemented successfully.
d)	All staff are responsible for ensuring that all services are implemented in a manner consistent with the Council’s commitment to Equality and Diversity.
2. (a)	Finance Structure - see attached high-level structure chart The post holder will be responsible for managing a team, which may include temporary staff and contractors. This will vary depending on the number and range of specific projects currently being managed on behalf of the Council. Details of the teams to be managed by the postholder are not shown.
(b)	Work Complexity and Creativity - The post holder will be required to undertake continuous professional development to ensure that they are able to identify national and local economic trends and best practice within financial management and assess the impact upon the Council, bringing forward innovative recommendations for the ongoing enhancement of effective corporate and operational financial management strategies, policies and procedures in the specialist areas appropriate to the post. The post holder will be expected to contribute to corporate initiatives, which will require the encouragement of cultural change in the development of innovative financial partnerships to maximise leverage through external investment both within the private and central government sectors to enhance the overall quality of life within Southwark’s business and residential communities.
c)	Contacts - Liaison as necessary with external organisations (such as Central Government departments, Audit Commission, and CIPFA), Members, Strategic Directors, other senior managers and the Council’s internal auditors across the Council on matters related to the financial management of the Council’s resources, financial strategy and the operation of external contracts.
(d)	Financial Responsibilities - Responsibility for the administration, management and control of a significant proportion of the Council’s budget. This will include the review, formal authorisation and approval of the budget, financial transactions and accounts in line with the Scheme of Delegation for Financial Authority and Accountability and relevant Scheme of Management.

Budgets at 2007/08

These will vary from department to department and from year to year, depending on the Council's key policies and priorities.

Council Wide
	£m
Annual Gross General Fund Budget	1,027
Housing Revenue Account	266
Annual Capital Programme	188
Capital Assets valued	3,200
Annual cash flow	3,000
Long-term loan debt	700
Daily external cash investments	300

Grade/Conditions of Service

Evaluated as Hay Grade 14 (Spinal Points 1-8)

Governed by JNC for Chief Officers of Local Authorities (as amended by Southwark Procedures)

Contractual hours: 36 hours Monday to Friday. The Council operates a Work life Balance Scheme for which you may be considered, subject to exigencies of service.

Special Conditions of Service

The postholder will be expected to work outside normal office hours, including attendance at evening meetings. The post is politically restricted under the terms of the Local Government & Housing Act 1989.

Key Tasks for the specific post

Operational management of the Financial Accounting and Reporting Team
Ensure that the monthly corporate budget monitoring report and quarterly member budget monitoring reports are prepared promptly and represent a ‘true and fair’ view of the Council’s financial position at that time.
Manage part of the accounts closedown programme on behalf of the Chief Accountant such as:
- Consolidated Revenue Account and associated notes
- Trust Funds
- Oversight and quality assurance of other accounts where FMS has responsibility such as Pension Fund and Capital.
Operational quality assurance of the final accounts working papers to ensure that they meet the standards expected by both the Council and the Audit Commission.
Manage a monthly closing of accounts programme that ensures that across the council all key reconciliations take place and suspense accounts are cleared. Ensuring that working papers are held in Financial Accounting and Reporting Team and a sample are quality assured.
Manage the strategic financing budget of the Council.
Manage the collection fund account and ensure an accurate report of the fund position is produced each month.
Produce for the Finance Director, at the appropriate times, the statutory Collection Fund surplus and deficit report for notification to preceptors and the report to Council setting the council tax collection rate for the coming year.

Organisational Charts

To be provided by each department.

Person Specification

Staff in finance are encouraged to be flexible to meet service demands. All staff are expected to meet basic competencies relevant to their band. These are attached for information and will be assessed by way of competency testing.

Competencies required to be short-listed for the post are denoted by ‘A’, those which may be tested are denoted with a ‘T’, and those with an ‘I’ may be assessed at interview. Candidates should note that the interview panel may wish to re-examine some competencies at interview.

Your application will be specifically short-listed with reference to the Core Competencies set out below.

Core Competencies	Essential or Desirable	Method of Assessment
	E or D	Application Form	Interview	Test
Qualification
CCAB qualified accountant, preferably CIPFA Or Relevant experience at a proven senior professional level	} E	A A	I I
Knowledge
Detailed, up-to-date knowledge of all relevant aspects of Local Government finance including Local Authority accounting, the finance of LG and financial administration	E	A	I
Knowledge of issues affecting Local Government finance and proposed changes in financial legislation and regulations	E	A	I
Experience
Experience in all relevant management competencies as per schedule attached	E	A	I
Extensive experience of the following: - Financial Governance - Financial Planning - Financial Decision Making - Financial Monitoring & Forecasting - Financial Reporting	E	A	I	T
Effective application of a computerised financial information system	E	A	I
Effective use of ICT applications in a workplace	E	A
Council Wide
Understand Equality and Diversity issues	E	A	I
Understand the concept of a Performance Management scheme	E	A	I
Operate safely in the workplace	E	A	I

Management Competencies	Essential or Desirable	Method of Assessment
	E or D	Application Form	Interview	Test
Behaving Ethically and Professionally	E		I
Communicating Effectively	E		I
Team Leadership	E		I
Building Effective Working Relationships	E		I
Building and Developing a Team	E		I
Managing Performance	E		I
Managing Customer Service	E		I
Flexibility	E		I
Analytical Judgement	E		I
Resilience & Reliability	E		I
Breadth of View	E		I
Creativity	E		I
Political Awareness	E		I
Presenting and reporting	E		I
Strategic Leadership	E		I
Influencing & Negotiating	E		I
Delegating and Empowering	E		I
Managing Finance	E		I
Managing Information	E		I
Project Management	E		I
Initiating and Managing Change	E		I
Strategic Planning	E		I
Maintaining a Safe Working Environment	E		I
Commissioning	E		I
Managing Contracts	E		I