Job Description

Head of Finance – Accommodation Services

Responsible to:Director of Finance

Payscale:55 - 60

Description of Role

To work to ensure the financial management and financial good health of Sense Accommodation Services.

To work collaboratively with the Group Director, Accommodation Services Director and the Senior Management Team within Sense Operations Group ensuring the values and mission of Sense are met through financial acuity

To ensure that the Accommodation Services across Sense operate to national finance policies and regulations.

To work flexibly as a member of the Finance and Resources Team to ensure the correct and timely completion of all tasks related to financial control.

Responsibilities

  1. Key Responsibilities

1.1To work with care staff and finance related functions as required. To liaise and work closely with all other Finance and Operations Group staff.

1.2To co-ordinate the annual budget setting process for Sense Accommodation Services in collaboration with the Director and senior operational managers.

1.3To work collaboratively with other Heads of Finance to agree any cross charges that may apply.

1.4To monitor financial performance and provide regular reports to the Director of Finance, Operations Group Director, Accommodation Services Director and Senior Management Team and other forums as required.

1.5To work closely with Internal Audit in the auditing of all financial systems, including service user finances.

1.6To lead on the preparation of business cases for new developments, ensuring that all business plans are financially viable.

1.7To ensure financial compliance with statutory requirements of CQC

1.8To ensure financial compliance with Registered Domiciliary Care Provision

1.9To understand the impact of the MCA in relation to deafblind people.

1.10To ensure that systems for supporting people to manage their finances are in place and maintained. And that these systems are compliant with the MCA, are person centred and empowering for the deafblind person whilst ensuring that the deafblind persons finances are safeguarded.

1.11To be cognizant of the legal requirements of the benefits system and action accordingly for our deafblind people.

1.12To negotiate fees with Local Authorities and Health Authorities, and to work closely with the National Finance Team in ensuring annual inflationary uplifts are achieved as required.

1.13To devise a costing strategy and prepare costs for new placements and alterations in care provision and to lead in the negotiation of such fees with Funders taking a lead from the Director of Accommodation Services.

1.14To lead in the development of all financial information for Grant Bids relating to Accommodation Services and to record and deliver financial reports required under the terms of Grants received.

1.5To assist the Fundraising Department in costings, bids and liaison with Donors.

1.6To provide ad-hoc reports to support Local and National initiatives and reviews.

1.17To ensure that all staff follow relevant financial policies and procedures, providing a comprehensive training service to all Budget Holders.

1.18To offer day-to-day advice and guidance on all financial issues to Budget Holders as required.

1.19To assist in project management activities related to the continuous improvement of Sense's finance systems.

1.20To ensure that all activities related to the operation of the Sense accountancy software are completed appropriately. This will include managing a team of staff members completing a sizeable amount of primary inputting.

1.21To ensure the integrity of all imputing to Sense’s Financial Ledgers in relation to Accommodation Services, and to work closely with the National Finance Team to this end.

1.22To work closely with the National Finance Team to ensure that external service contracts are effectively negotiated and implemented.

1.23To assist in the negotiation of property leases pertaining to Accommodation services and liaise with the Estates Team and National Finance Team and Sense’s Legal Advisors to ensure all Procedures are complied with.

1.24To perform investigations into any alleged financial malpractice and to assist in implementing Sense’s Disciplinary Procedures.

1.25To manage fixed asset purchases within Accommodation Services and work with the National Finance Team to ensure all purchases and disposals are correctly dealt with

1.26To ensure all Finance and Other Leases pertaining to Accommodation Services are dealt with in line with Sense Financial Procedures

1.27To be a member of the National Finance Management Team and attend meetings regularly.

1.28To work with the Insurance Manager to ensure that all activities are properly insured and that claims are reported and dealt with in a timely manner.

1.29To assist in the development of policy and strategy and to help ensure Sense’s strategic aims are kept at the front of Service development.

1.30To ensure that all arrangements relating to Sense Accommodation Services payroll are conducted in a smooth and efficient manner.

1.31To undertake training and research to ensure Sense remains up to date on all Legislations affecting Charities, Local Authorities, Health Authorities and the Welfare Benefit streams received by Deafblind people.

1.32Be prepared to participate in any deafblind training considered appropriate for this level of post

  1. Additional Responsibilities

2.1To provide financial training to all new Sense staff, within your area of responsibility, at a level appropriate to their operational requirements.

2.2The postholder’s duties must at all times, be carried out in compliance with Sense’s Policies and procedures, in particular the postholder must act in accordance with the Equal Opportunities and Health and Safety Policies

Person Specification

Head of Finance – Accommodation Services

Education and Training
Essential Criteria / Desirable Criteria
Must be a member of a professional accountancy body, eg. ACCA, ACA, CIMA / Educated to higher education standard, with a related qualification.
Achievements and Experience
Essential Criteria / Desirable Criteria
Knowledge and understanding of Data Protection issues / Knowledge of charity accounting requirements.
Experience of managing the day to day ledger accounts of a multi-cost centre company / Knowledge and understanding of the MCA and Safeguarding regulation and how these would impact on deafblind people and the finance function.
Significant experience of financial management in an organisation with a significant turnover / Knowledge and understanding of the financial issues affecting people living in residential care homes and supported living services, including DSS benefits
Experience of developing and monitoring a large annual budget within a multi-cost centre environment / An understanding of the Care Funding Calculator and Commissioning Practice
Knowledge and experience of business planning processes
Payroll experience including the resolution of payroll issues
Experience of managing and motivating staff
Skills & Abilities
Essential Criteria / Desirable Criteria
A positive approach to providing high quality developmental services for people with deafblindness and related disabilities / Knowledge and understanding of the needs of people with deafblindness and related disabilities
An understanding of the contracting process within a service environment / Presentation and training skills
An ability to communicate complex ideas verbally and in writing to a variety of groups / Advanced Information Technology skills
An ability to develop the knowledge, skills and performance of others
A proven ability to successfully project, manage and co-ordinate a range of activities
A demonstrable commitment to the principles and practices of Equal Opportunities
An ability to build effective working relationships with internal colleagues and external agencies, so that objectives are met consistently and change is introduced successfully
Highly developed creative and practical problem-solving skills
An ability to analyse, monitor and present information in various formats, so that the financial position and performance of services, and the effectiveness of policies and procedures can be assessed and managed on a proactive basis
An ability and willingness to travel across Sense and for regular meetings and audits
Good Information Technology skills. Excellent working knowledge of Excel spreadsheets.