Senior Accounts Payable Officer, Band 4

The Senior Accounts Payable Officer will undertake a broad range of Accounts Payable activities and provide technical support across the service.

Key responsibilities will include processing invoices and payments, supporting payment runs and BACS processes, maintaining supplier information and supporting supplier master data governance, investigating duplicate or incorrect payments and resolving complex and escalated supplier and departmental queries.

The post holder will monitor workflows and performance, support the production of KPI information, contribute to financial controls and No PO No Pay requirements, and assist with month-end and year-end activities.

The role will also provide day-to-day guidance, training and buddying to colleagues and cross-cover across Accounts Payable processes to support service resilience.

The successful candidate will contribute to continuous improvement and will support the implementation of the new finance system, including testing, process changes, training and embedding new ways of working.

For full details please see Job Description

The post holder will

Prepare, validate, input and process Accounts Payable transactions including invoices, credit notes, payment requests, urgent payments and adjustments, ensuring payments are accurate and processed within agreed timescales.

Ensure invoices and payments comply with Standing Financial Instructions, Trust policies, procedures and delegated authorisation limits.

Support the preparation and processing of supplier payment runs, including BACS files, other payment methods and remittance advice.

Monitor Accounts Payable workflows and queues to support the prompt processing and payment of invoices.

Investigate and resolve supplier, departmental and stakeholder queries, taking ownership of more complex and escalated queries and escalating issues appropriately where required.

Support supplier master data governance, including the creation and maintenance of supplier records and changes to supplier bank details in accordance with agreed procedures and financial controls.

Identify, investigate and support the prevention of duplicate, incorrect or potentially fraudulent payments.

Review and reconcile supplier statements, investigating discrepancies and taking appropriate corrective action.

Process and monitor urgent and priority payments and escalate risks to service delivery where appropriate.

Maintain accurate financial records and appropriate audit trails.

Support the effective management of generic Accounts Payable mailboxes and ensure queries are responded to within agreed service standards.

Support electronic invoice interfaces and other system-generated transactions.

Assist with month-end and year-end processes as required.

Support the production and monitoring of departmental KPIs and performance information, identifying trends, recurring issues and opportunities for improvement.

Support compliance with Trust procurement and financial procedures, including No PO No Pay requirements.

Contribute to the review and improvement of Accounts Payable processes and working practices.

Support finance system developments and implementation, including system testing, process changes, training and the introduction and embedding of new ways of working.

Produce and maintain procedural guidance and desktop instructions.

Provide day-to-day guidance and support to less experienced colleagues and assist with the induction, buddying and training of new team members.

Maintain knowledge across a range of Accounts Payable processes and provide cross-cover during periods of annual leave, sickness, vacancies, training and peak workload.

Support workload prioritisation and service continuity during periods of high demand or system issues.

Work closely with Finance, Procurement, budget holders, managers, suppliers, auditors and other internal and external stakeholders.

Explain financial processes and requirements clearly and professionally and manage challenging queries appropriately.

Maintain confidentiality and comply with information governance, financial control and Trust policy requirements at all times.

Undertake other duties appropriate to the grade as required.

Gloucestershire NHS Shared Service provides financial and other support services to Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and other NHS organisations within Gloucestershire.

The Accounts Payable team provides a high-volume transactional finance service, working closely with colleagues across Finance, Procurement and operational services as well as with a wide range of external suppliers.

We are committed to providing an accurate, timely and customer-focused service whilst maintaining strong financial controls. The team is currently going through an exciting period of change with the implementation of a new finance system, providing opportunities to improve processes, increase automation and develop new ways of working.

We encourage team working, knowledge sharing and development and are looking for someone who will contribute positively to the team, support colleagues and help us continue to improve the service we provide.

Qualifications and Training

Knowledge and Skills

Experience

Personal Attributes