POSITION DESCRIPTION

Position Title: / Management Accountant
Reports To: / CEO
Direct Reports: / To be confirmed
AWARD: / Victorian Public Health Sector (Health Professionals, Health & Allied Services, Managers & Administrative Officers) Multiple Enterprise Agreement 2016-2020
Classification / Dependent on Qualifications and Experience
Key Relationships & Interactions / Internal: Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, Managers, Administration Staff, Supply and others as relevant. Board Finance and Audit committee
External:Contracted Accountant, Internal and External Auditors, DHHS, VAGO

Values

Integrity

•We are fair, consistent, and honest in all our actions. We do the right thing.

Respect

•We listen to others and accept differences. We value diverse opinions

Collaboration

•We commit to a common purpose and encourage participation and sharing of ideas.

Excellence

  • We have a customer focus and always strive to improve. We set a high standard.

Position Purpose

The purpose of the role is to provide a high level of accounting technical expertise supporting the CEO across Nathalia, Cobram and Numurkah health services in delivering a quality service. This position will initially focus on Cobram and transition to support shared corporate functions. Specifically this entails the core tasks as follows:

  • To assist the CEO with developing and maintaining the health servicebudget and to prepare financial and budget reports for Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Board and Management.
  • To maintain an accurate General Ledger and produce timely financial reports for internal and external stakeholders
  • Review monthly operating results and provision of advice to internal budget holders to assist them in managing results.
  • Responsibility for preparation of acquittals, other financial statements/reports required by third party funding authorities including the Department of Health and Human Services.
  • Preparation of financial reports and commentary for presentation to the Board of Directors and other reports that may be requested by the Chief Executive or executive members of the management team.
  • Oversee My Aged Care financial regulations, legislation and standards for residential aged care and home care packages
  • To fulfil operational requirements by providing financial solutions when required and to perform other tasks required by the CEO upon request

Key Accountabilities & Responsibilities
The following description of responsibilities is not exhaustive and may include others as directed from time to time:

Leadership and People Management

  • Contribute to the building of a cohesive team around goals and accountabilities.
  • Supports individuals and the team, delegating responsibilities appropriately.
  • Motivates others to achieve goals.
  • Brings together the best possible group to achieve objectives.
  • Translates organizational strategy into meaningful long-term plans and objectives.
  • Clearly defines roles expectations, monitors performance, provides timely and constructive feedback and facilitates employee development.
  • Ensures staff is effectively deployed through effective workforce planning practices.

Relationship Building

  • Establishes and maintains relationships with people at all levels
  • Promotes harmony and consensus and a team approach to resident care
  • Builds trust through consistent actions, values and communication

Organizing & Planning

  • Sets clearly defined objectives and priorities
  • Identifies processes, tasks and resources required to achieve a goal
  • Liaises with others when organizing work
  • Anticipates barriers and finds effective ways to deal with them

Verbal & Written communication

  • Clearly & confidently communicates with people at all levels of the organization
  • Handles difficult and sensitive communications well
  • Identifies key messages and information required for decision making
  • Prepares reports using clear, concise and grammatically correct language
  • As requested prepares and delivers logical, sequential and succinct presentations.
  • Confident computer skills with the ability to use a wide range of software application features for email, word processing, spreadsheets etc.

Flexibility

  • Adaptability according to the situation
  • Prioritise and re-prioritise workload accordingly
  • Accepts changed priorities without undue discomfort
  • Open to new ideas
  • Recognizes the merits of different options and acts accordingly

Position Specific Requirements & Qualifications

Essential:

  • Bachelor degree or above in accounting/finance
  • Working experience/skills in health and/or aged care sector
  • More than three years' experience in relevant roles in accounting/finance department
  • Proficient user Excel essential and you must have strong communication skills
  • Proficient user of major accounting software such as Oracle and Power budget is preferable
  • Proactive in your approach
  • An eye on detail
  • Time management and able to meet the deadline
  • A team player
  • Confident in dealing with staff across the organisation

Core Behaviours
The following Core Competencies are the behaviours expected of an employee or potential employee:
Service Focus /
  • Seeks to understand clients’ operating environment and to understand their issues/ problems.
  • Develops and implements systems and policies to ensure outstanding client service to achieved.
  • Establishes systems to gather feedback from clients about service and to identify areas for improvement.
  • Models high standards of service delivery to clients and stakeholders.
  • Develops strategic alliances with external groups to enhance the quality of service.

Communication /
  • Composes communications which convey specialises concepts in order to influence outcomes or decisions.
  • Tailors communication style and method of delivery to the level of the audience
  • Prepares and delivers confident and persuasive presentations.
  • Knows the audience, and identified and uses this knowledge to build strategies to influence outcomes.
  • Organises events and meetings to facilitate information sharing.
  • Negotiates agreement on complex issues.

Motivation / Time Management /
  • Sets challenging and realistic goals and clear measures of success for themselves and their team.
  • Identifies and handles impediments to achieving outcomes
  • Demonstrates personal energy, and enthusiasm for programs and projects
  • Delivers excellent outcomes within deadlines
  • Demonstrates a passion for excellence and celebrates achievements.

Flexibility & Adaptability – Change Management /
  • Provides open leadership and effective communication during change.
  • Builds and supports team resilience in changing times
  • Plans change to focus on positive aspects and to minimise negative effects on individuals.
  • Maintains clarity and focus on outcomes in turbulent situations
  • Demonstrates willingness to modify a strongly held position in the face of new information.
  • Builds a culture of continuous improvement within teams.

Performance expectations and Key performance indicators

Provide high quality financial information including analysis of financial status

and projected out-turns.

  • Develop and manage the production of standard accounting reports.
  • Confirm, understand and communicate the reasons for significant variances.
  • Develop ad hoc reports that address operational requirements.
  • Ensure that financial information tells a clear and complete story.
  • Highlight significant variances and provide analysis of options.

Provide support to develop budgets, monitor budgets & savings and ensure

significant items are correctly reported.

  • Ensure that budget financial information is consistent with strategic and organisation priorities.
  • Ensure that budget information is consistent with Organisational policies and guidance.
  • Ensure that budget assumptions are reasonable, captured and communicated.
  • Analyse spend profiles and ensure they are in line with budget and priorities.
  • Challenge budget holders on spend to date and obtain full explanations for

variances.

  • Confirm that reported savings are in line with recorded financial information.
  • Escalate significant budget and savings concerns on a timely basis to enable

corrective actions to be taken in a timely manner..

Input to reports including those for committees and

support agreed elements of the preparation of annual accounts.

  • Input and prepare reports to specified timescales, materiality and format, taking into

account the final recipient’s needs and financial knowledge.

  • Complete annual financial accounts sections using professional knowledge to

ensure correct disclosures.

Ensure that correct accounting policies are being applied when budgeting and

allocating actual spend.

  • Confirm the impact of changes in accounting policies and/or the introduction of new

service initiatives with qualified team members to ensure adequate technical

accounting support is provided.

Provide a link between finance and non-finance information and provide

general finance advice and assistance.

Ensure that relevant financial information is supplied to senior managmentprior to the meeting toenable review and study by members.

  • Ensure that financial knowledge weaknesses identified within the Organisation are

addressed quickly and adequately to help ensure improved management of

resources.

  • Ensure that financial explanations are provided in a way that is easy to understand

for non-finance team members.

  • Ensure that comprehensive advice is provided to address individual problems or

issues.

  • Obtain necessary financial and tax advice from relevant specialists to enable

accurate information to be provided.

Support the delivery & documentation of standard, efficient, controlled and

effective processes.

  • Ensure processes are assessed to deliver a standard approach across the service.
  • Ensure that processes contain sufficient robust controls.
  • Ensure that all processes are documented (process map and step by step guidance)

in a consistent manner.

  • Ensure that process documentation is kept up to date and that key processes are

tested on at least an annual basis.

Report the achievement of service standards on a monthly basis and actively

support continuous improvement across the team.

  • Capture and report performance indicators (KPIs), service issues and areas for

action.

  • Report service KPIs on a monthly basis to the Board Finance and Audit.
  • Lead the identification of improvement opportunities and the implementation of

projects.

  • Ensure that a reasonable “business case” is made for improvements.
  • Ensure that changes to processes as a result of improvement initiatives are

adequately tested and communicated prior to being implemented.

Support the development of a service culture within the team and support

initiatives, from the Team Leaders, to develop the Finance services.

  • Ensure service levels are communicated and monitored.
  • Ensure that fellow team members understand customer needs and how they are

fulfilled.

  • Provide process input to Managers to support new initiatives and research.

Prioritise work

  • Assess workload and agree changes to priorities with DF&A.
  • Cooperate with other team members to help deliver high service levels.

Support the development of staff of all grades.

  • Support the achievement of a breadth of work experience by individual team

members by assisting in the development of work programmes.

  • Support team members when they are performing new roles.
  • Ensure that feedback on performance is provided in a structured and evidenced way

that allows the recipient time to consider the views and respond to them.

Support the hospital’s internal policies and procedures, such as Work Health &

Safety, staff development and staff communication.

  • Support the Organisation’s policies by complying with them on a timely basis.
  • Support the Appraisal processes

Jobs Demands checklist / Frequent / Occasional/ Infrequent/ Not Applicable / Repetitive.
Cobram District Health has a duty of care to all staff. The purpose of this section is to ensure that you fully understand and are able to perform the inherent requirements of the role (with reasonable adjustments if required) and that you are not placed in an environment or given tasks that would result in risks to your safety or others.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
Sitting – remaining in a seated position to perform tasks / Frequent
Standing – Remaining standing without moving about to perform tasks / Occasional
Walking – Floor type: even / uneven/ slippery / indoors/ outdoors / slopes / Indoor /even – Frequent
Running – Floor type: even / uneven/ slippery / indoors/ outdoors / slopes / Not Applicable
Bend / Lean Forward from Waist – forward bending from the waist to perform tasks / Occasional
Trunk Twisting – Turning from the waist while sitting or standing to perform tasks / Occasional
Kneeling – remain kneeling posture to perform tasks / Not Applicable
Squatting / Crouching – Adopting a squatting or crouching posture to perform tasks / Infrequent
Leg / Foot movement – Use of leg and / or foot to operate machinery / Not Applicable
Climbing (stairs / ladders) – Ascend / descend stairs, ladders, steps etc / Infrequent
Lifting / Carrying – light lifting & Carrying: 0-9 kg / Frequent
Lifting / Carrying – Moderate lifting & Carrying: 10 -15 kg / Infrequent
Lifting/ Carrying – Heavy lifting & carrying: 10-15kg / Not Applicable
Reaching – Arms fully extended forward or raised above shoulder / Infrequent
Pushing / Pulling / restraining – Using force to hold / restrain or move objects toward or away from the body / Infrequent
Head / Neck Postures – Holding head in a position other than neutral (facing forward) / Infrequent
Hand & Arm movements – Repetitive movements of hands and arms / Frequent
Grasping / Fine Manipulation – Gripping, holding, clasping with fingers or hands / Frequent
Work at Heights – Using ladders, footstools, scaffolding, or other objects to perform work / Not Applicable
Driving – Operating any motor powered vehicle / Occasional
SENSORY DEMANDS
Sight – Use of sight is a integral part of work performance e.g. Viewing of X-Rays, use of computer screens / Frequent
Hearing – Use of hearing is an integral part of work performance, e.g., Telephone enquiries / Frequent
Smell – Use of Smell is an integral part of work performance e.g., food preparation / Not Applicable
Taste – Use of taste is an integral part of work performance e.g., Food preparation / Not Applicable
PSYCHOSOCIAL DEMANDS
Distressed People - e.g., Emergency or grief situations / Infrequent
Aggressive & Uncooperative People – e.g., Dementia, mental illness, head injuries / Occasional
Unpredictable People – e.g., Dementia, mental illness, head injuries / Occasional
Restraining – involvement in physical containment of patients / clients / Not Applicable
Exposure to Distressing Situations - e.g., Child abuse, viewing dead / mutilated bodies / Not Applicable
ENVIRONMENTAL DEMANDS
Dust – Exposure to atmospheric dust / Not Applicable
Gases – Working with explosive or flammable gases requiring precautionary measures / Not applicable
Fumes – Exposure to noxious or toxic fumes / Not Applicable
Liquids – Working with corrosive, toxic or poisonous liquids or chemicals requiring PPE / Not Applicable
Hazardous Substances – e.g., Dry Chemicals, glues / Infrequent
Noise – Environmental / background noise necessitates people raise their voice to be heard / Occasional
Inadequate Lighting – Risk of trips, falls or eyestrain / Infrequent
Sunlight – Risk to sunburn exists from spending more than 10 minutes per day in sunlight / Infrequent
Extreme Temperatures – Environmental Temperatures are less than 15 c or more than 35 c / Not applicable
Confined Spaces – area where only one egress (escape route) exists / Frequent
Working at Heights – Ladders / stepladders / scaffolding are required to perform tasks / Not Applicable
Biological Hazards – e.g., exposure to body fluids, bacteria, infectious diseases / Infrequent

Organisational respoNsibIlities

  • Positively promote Cobram District Health internally and externally to the organisation
  • Each employee has a responsibility to comply with all CDH’s policies and procedures and familiarise themselves with those relevant to their positions
  • Promote practise which comply with the policies and procedures of CDH and actively participate in the maintenance of relevant policies and procedures to ensure best practise
  • Participate in departmental and organisational meetings as required
  • Maintain accurate records, statistics and reports, as required
  • Participate in Risk Management activities or relevance and assist with identification and control of risks within their department
  • Actively participate in the “Staff Development and Review” processes, three months after commencement and annually thereafter
  • Report all clinical and non clinical incidents using VHIMS system and assist with investigation

Occupatonal health and safety

Each employee has the right to a safe working environment. Employees must:

  • Carry out their duties in a manner which does not adversely affect their own health and safety or that of others
  • Comply with measures introduced in the interest of health and safety
  • Undertake any training provided in relation to Occupational Health and Safety
  • Immediately report all matters that may affect workplace health and safety to their manager/supervisor
  • Report all incidents and near misses as soon as possible after the event
  • Comply with all Commonwealth and State legislative requirements
  • Correctly use any information, training, personal protective equipment and safety equipment provided by CDH
  • Refrain from recklessly or wilfully interfering with anything that has been provided for health and safety reasons

infection prevention and control:

  • Each employee has a responsibility to implement Infection Control guidelines of relevance to the position

disaster and emergency response:

  • In the event of disaster and emergency, the occupant of this position understands and acknowledges that s/he may be required to work as assigned, if required, to meet CDH responsibilities in a disaster or emergency situation
  • Each employee has a responsibility to participate in emergency response drills and attend relevant emergency training

continuous quality improvement:

  • Each employee has a responsibility to participate in ongoing and review of their daily work activities to identify opportunities for Continuous Quality Improvement

workplace harassment and bullying:

  • Each employee has the right to a workplace free from any form of harassment or bullying
  • Each employee has a responsibility to comply with Cobram District Health’s policy and participate in education and training

health promotion:

  • Cobram District Health adopts the principles of health promotion and encourages all employees to embrace the organisation’s Health Promotion Plan and activities
  • Each employee is encouraged to support and participate in health promotion programs

confidentiality:

  • Any breech of the Confidentiality Policy may result in disciplinary action and /or dismissal and a possible fine under the Health Services Act (Vic)

police record check:

  • The successful applicant will undergo a National Police Records check and, where applicable, a Working with Children’s check, prior to confirmation of employment

mandatORy training: