Assistant Financial Accountant

Job Overview

University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust is delighted to offer a fantastic opportunity to work with us.

Please see below for the detailed job description of the role.

This post is only open to internal applicants

Main duties of the job

This is a great opportunity to join the Finance Team at a large, high-performing acute Foundation Trust on the South Coast. As an Assistant Financial Accountant, you’ll play a key role in supporting the Trust’s statutory reporting, VAT compliance and financial control processes. You’ll work closely with colleagues across Operational Finance, including Financial Control, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable and Finance Systems, helping to maintain strong financial governance and accurate financial records. You’ll report to the Financial Accounts Manager and be part of a supportive, collaborative and development-focused finance team.

Working for our organisation

University Hospital Southampton is one of England's largest acute teaching Trusts, offering a wide range of learning and development opportunities to support your career aspirations.

Located on the south coast with an international airport and direct rail links to London, Southampton offers an ideal setting to live and work, with the New Forest, South Downs and Jurassic Coast.

We believe that using technology wisely shows strong time management and commitment to innovation. However, personalising your recruitment application to highlight your unique skills and experiences is crucial. Relying too heavily on generic, AI-generated content instead of drawing from your own strengths and accomplishments may lead to your application being rejected if multiple candidates present identical or similar information.

At UHS, we’re committed to providing a flexible working environment where possible. Whether you are balancing family, study, or your wellbeing with your career, we want to support you so you can help our patients.

At UHS, we proudly champion individuality, recognising that outstanding care is only possible with a diverse, inclusive team. We’re committed to creating an anti-racist, anti-discriminatory environment where everyone feels valued, safe, and empowered to make a meaningful impact in our communities. We welcome applicants of all backgrounds, identities, and experiences to join us in building a healthcare community where everyone can belong, thrive, and contribute.

What You’ll Do

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Support the production of the Trust’s statutory accounts by preparing robust working papers and documentation for internal and external audit.
• Assist with VAT compliance across the Trust and its subsidiaries, including preparing accurate VAT returns and providing VAT-related support to colleagues.
• Supporting the Financial Services Manager with reconciliations, inter-company transactions and the Agreement of Balances (AOB) process, to deliver high-quality financial accounting services.
  
  

What We’re Looking For

• You’ll bring experience in financial accounting, including reconciliations, ledger work and supporting the production of financial information.
• You’ll have strong technical skills, with the ability to prepare working papers, support audit processes and ensure accurate financial records.
• You’ll be confident working with VAT processes, or willing to develop expertise with support from the team.
• You’ll be able to work collaboratively across finance teams, building strong relationships and supporting colleagues with financial queries.
  
  

Person specification

Qualifications, Knowledge And Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience and expertise across a range of accounting disciplines, gained through professional accountancy qualifications such as Degree or CIMA Diploma in Management Accounting, or equivalent qualifications to degree level experience or equivalent practical knowledge gained in a finance role.
• Experience of working in a finance or accounting environment.
• Experience of preparing or supporting financial reconciliations and analysing financial information.
• Experience of working with financial systems and Microsoft Excel to process and analyse data.
• Experience of investigating and resolving financial queries or discrepancies.
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Experience in an NHS finance environment.
• Experience of VAT accounting or financial compliance processes.
• Experience with Oracle IT system.