Download line management

Job Title:
Assistant Management and Cost Accountant
Line Managed by:
Finance Manager, Management Accounting & Costing
Location:
Sighthill Campus
JOB PURPOSE
The purpose of this role is to undertake various management accounting duties,
principally in preparing monthly management accounts. This role also provides
comprehensive support to the Finance Manager, the finance team and to budget
holders relating to costing and pricing of courses and contracts undertaken by
the College. This element requires the jobholder to perform efficient contract
analysis and lead the effective cost and contract management of College
operations. This is an extremely varied role which requires a high degree of
flexibility and will involve travelling between all College campuses on a regular
basis.
MAIN DUTIES & RESPONSIBLITIES
Management Accounting
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Producing, finalising and reviewing monthly management accounts in line
with strict deadlines.
Maintain and develop spread sheets and input into the financial ledger,
upon approval, income and expenditure accrual and prepayment entries,
for month end reporting purposes.
On a monthly basis, complete a variety of nominal account reviews and
reconcile / re-allocate any erroneous entries where applicable.
Perform monthly reviews of income and expenditure against budget, in
conjunction with the management accounting team, and highlight any
discrepancies on targets.
Meet with College budget managers (academic, support and commercial)
on a monthly basis to review and support their financial performance.
Assist in the preparation and review of the annual budget.
Assist in ensuring all College balance sheet control accounts are reconciled
on a monthly basis.
Assist in the preparation of forecasts for outturns.
Cost Accounting
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To ensure that the costing and pricing of contracts within the College are
appropriate and generate a return on investment.
Develop and maintain costing and pricing models in line with internal
and external guidelines, including the identification of appropriate cost
drivers to allocate costs to key areas of College activity.
To prepare and maintain costing models to support service delivery.
To understand the costs of each College department and to work closely
with the budget holder to understand the cost drivers.
To complete VFM exercises across college activities, to identify cost
efficiencies and to seek cost improvements within the overall cost
management of the College.
Support departmental managers in the preparation of course tariff
schedules.
To support departmental managers in the costing and pricing of more
specialist contracts and bids. Where issues are identified in relation to
the service the Finance Department provides to all stakeholders, to work
with the affected parties towards satisfactory solutions.
To promote an understanding and awareness of costing and pricing
throughout the College, including the delivery of training as appropriate.
Ensure that the financial regulations, financial policies and procedures of
the College are strictly adhered to.
Lead the development of procedures and controls within the Finance
Department
To assist in the development and maintenance of reporting systems for
cost management purposes.
Ensure that aspects of work which may be subject to internal or external
audit scrutiny are completed to a standard which will result in
compliance.
To work closely with the Finance Manager in using detailed costing
models to enable support and academic staff to make effective
decisions, including the financial appraisal of new activities.
To work closely with the Procurement team to establish procedures for
contract development, review and monitoring.
To hold regular meetings with designated budget holders to develop and
review costing performance, and to provide support for the monitoring
and management of contracts.
General
 To undertake any other reasonable duties within the framework of this
post.
RESPONSIBLE FOR
 No staff responsibility. The post-holder will be expected to work at
different sites (where necessary) and will be required to assist in the
training of staff.
DECISIONS MADE IN THE COURSE OF THE JOB
 The post holder is responsible for the prioritisation of work assigned to
him/her.
LINE MANAGEMENT
 The post-holder will be line managed by the Finance Manager, Management
Accounting and Costing.
CONTACTS
 The post-holder will be required to work with members of the College at all
levels, including the Leadership Team and third party organisations.
 The post-holder will be in contact with staff members who have varied levels
of financial knowledge and will have to adapt his/her approach to explaining
and interpreting financial information as required
 At all times, the post-holder will be expected to present themselves as an
ambassador for the College and its objectives.
QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIRED SKILLS
 At the least, the post holder should possess either a HND qualification or a
degree and ideally will hold a recognised CCAB qualification.
 Excellent written, oral and interpersonal communication skills.
 Excellent Excel skills
 Experience of working in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
 Ability to effectively prioritise and execute required tasks.
EXPERIENCE
 The post-holder will be able to demonstrate the ability to work within a busy
financial environment, drawing on previous experience where appropriate.
 The ability to maintain high standards of work while working under pressure
to meet deadlines is essential.
 The ability to perform all tasks with the minimum of supervision will be
required together with good interpersonal skills and the ability to liaise
confidently and professionally at all levels.
 Excellent organisational skills are important, as is the ability to prioritize
his/her own workload.
 The post-holder will be able to demonstrate experience of working within a
financial costing environment
 He/she should have a flexible and pro-active approach to work.
 Excellent customer care skills are important, as is an awareness of financial
issues in general.
COMPLEXITY
 The post holder’s remit is varied. By its nature these areas of College
provision are demanding and cover a range of diverse functions and
services. The post-holder will be expected to undertake other duties, as
they may arise, pertinent to the post, as the role covers a range of diverse
functions and services.
CREATIVITY
 The post holder must possess the initiative and flexibility to deal with
situations as and when they arise. The jobholder will have to deal with a
number of complex tasks and should possess a natural flair for creativity
and innovative ideas.
GENERAL
 Edinburgh College operates a comprehensive programme of Staff
Development and Appraisal. The post holder will be expected to
participate in this.
 The key responsibilities are not intended to be exhaustive but simply
highlight a number of major tasks of the post. The post holder may be
required to undertake additional duties which might reasonably be expected
and which form part of the function of the post.
This job description will be subject to review on an annual basis, or:
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as a result of a change in strategic management, or
as a result of operational / team requirements, or
as a result of agreed staff development and career review needs and
objectives
within six months of appointment.