Accounts Receivable Officer

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join The Dudley Group as a key part of our Accounts Receivable Department within the Finance Department based at Russells Hall Hospital.
Our Finance Department has recently received the Future Focussed Finance (FFF) Accreditation Level 1 and is currently working towards Level 2.
The Accounts Receivable Team is responsible for securing the clinical and non-clinical income for the Trust, its subsidiary company Dudley Clinical Services Limited and its charity Dudley Group NHS Charity by communicating with colleagues to ensure all information is obtained in a timely manner to enable prompt invoice raising for services provided. The Team also issue reminder letters and statements as well as resolving queries and enquires relating to sales invoices and debt recovery.
The post holder will play a key role managing their own customer portfolio and provide support to the Accounts Receivable Manager to play an integral part in the delivery of an excellent accounts receivable service. As well as taking lead responsibility for a customer portfolio, the post holder will participate in initiatives to enhance the delivery of objectives for the team., To deliver a high standard of accounts receivable portfolio management.
The post holders
+ will support the Department's responsibility for securing income receipt for the Trust, its subsidiary company Dudley Clinical Services Limited, and its charity Dudley Group NHS Charity through communication with external clients as well as internal colleagues from various departments within the Trust, ensuring that invoices are paid in a timely manner and to resolve credit queries.
+ will be responsible for designated accounts receivable client portfolios including the provision of invoices, credit notes and debt recovery., + Responsible for designated accounts receivable client portfolios including the provision of invoices, credit notes and debt recovery.
+ Uses the Sales Ledger, Cash Management Ledger, and Microsoft Office suite of software, and scanning facilities to ensure accurate electronic record keeping, workflow and time management.
+ Respond promptly to correspondence (telephone calls, e-mails & letters), queries and enquiries relating to outstanding sales invoices, interrogating finance systems as required, ensuring good relationships with debtors and other external bodies e.g. other NHS organisations.
+ Raise sales invoices and credit notes relating to specific organisations for whom the Trust has provided a service, promptly, and in accordance with Trust procedures.
+ Participate in training from the Trust VAT Advisors to ensure that all invoices are raised in accordance with VAT legislation/guidelines.
+ Ensure reminder letters and monthly statements are produced as required. Pursue outstanding debts following Trust procedures using appropriate systems.
+ Participate in chasing individuals / departments for submission of invoices due to be raised.
+ In liaison with the Head of Financial Services, set up instalment payment plans where this represents the only possibility of securing payment of a debt.
+ Monitor existing instalment payment plans, ensuring all paperwork is completed and returned by the customer and alerting the Head of Financial Services and Accounts Receivable Manager to any break in agreed payments.
+ In liaison with departments / divisions investigate queries relating to outstanding sales invoices, cancelling, reducing or crediting incorrect sales invoices as necessary.
+ Participate in meetings with portfolio clients to secure settlement of outstanding debts.
+ Completion of relevant documentation for debt escalation, and where relevant for court referral or write off, and preparation of adjustments to account for provision of irrecoverable debts.
+ Provide support and information in an accurate and timely manner to Senior Managers.
+ Responds to routine queries from staff, customers and patients as required, dealing with any contentious and sensitive issues in the appropriate manner.
+ Ensures Trust policies & procedures, and financial timescales, are maintained.
+ Plans own daily workload, with effective scheduling of priority tasks.
+ Works with little direct supervision, referring more complex queries to the Accounts Receivable Manager.
Staff Management and Responsibilities
Communicates statutory financial regulations and NHS rules in a simplified form to finance and non-finance people, explaining any complicated financial matters concerning invoices raised.
Support for Trust Activities
+ Take the lead role for the issue of invoices and credit notes from the Sales Ledger System.
+ Set up new customers on the Sales Ledger as required.
+ Take the lead role for debt recovery for the customer portfolio.
+ Issue correspondence and calculate applicable interest due on outstanding debts.
+ To provide monthly management reports and updates, and participate in the monthly debt review meetings with senior management.
+ To provide weekly updates on the customer portfolio to the Accounts Receivable Manager in readiness for the Cash Meeting.
+ To provide cover across other colleague's customer portfolios as required.
+ To provide support and assistance to the Accounts Receivable Manager as and when required.
+ To be familiar with the organisation of the Hospitals within the Trust and in particular the duties of immediate colleagues, thus, enabling efficient and flexible administration by substituting and deputising within the Finance Directorate, as required, without compromising the Standing Financial Instructions.
Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the United Kingdom (UK) are welcome and will be considered, dependant upon Job Role and Salary needed to meet the criteria for sponsorship, alongside all other applications. Please note that from January 2021, to work in the UK all candidates who are not UK or Republic of Ireland (RoI) nationals require sponsorship unless you have permission to work via another route. Non UK / RoI candidates wishing to apply can self-assess the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship here Work in the UK.
It is vital that you provide full and accurate details of your current immigration status on the application form. Overseas applicants applying for entry clearance into the UK must present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided in continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
Not everyone needs a 'Skilled Worker' visa. If you are applying for a vacancy in health or adult social care, check if you're eligible to apply for the Health and Care Worker visa instead. It's cheaper to apply for and you do not need to pay the annual immigration health surcharge.
RECRUITMENT EQUALITY STATEMENT
We are committed to equal opportunities and want to ensure our workforce is representative of the population we serve. We welcome applications from all sections of the community and diverse groups. It is essential we understand our demographics, in order that we can monitor our performance as an equal opportunity employer, as well as continuing to embed a culture of inclusivity across the organisation, which supports the active participation and contribution of our diverse staff groups in the Trusts decision making processes . On application the shortlisting manager will not see this criterion and therefore it cannot be part of their decision making. Please ensure you complete your equal opportunities questions for us and help us to make sure everyone is welcome.
The Trust is committed to employing and supporting people with disabilities. It is the Trust's policy to interview all candidates with a disability who meet the minimum 'essential' criteria as identified on the person specification. To ensure we know you have a disability, please inform us under the appropriate section on the application form. We welcome applications from the LGBTQ+ community and openly encourage people with different sexual orientation, gender identity and expression to apply to join our team. We promise to respect and encourage the use of all pronouns and will not purposefully mis-gender anyone.
We are governed by the public sector equality duties and by our values of Care, Respect and Responsibility to ensure we eliminate discrimination, harassment, victimisation and any other behaviour that is unlawful, undermines our core values and/or falls short of our Behaviour Framework. We want all of our staff to 'call out' any behaviour from colleagues, patients or visitors that constitutes the above and appropriate action be taken.
We will, at every opportunity, advance equality and inclusivity for all staff, at all levels within the organisation, by removing or minimising disadvantage, encouraging participation and taking all relevant steps to meet the needs of anyone who shares a protected characteristic. We will also foster good relations between persons who share a protected characteristic by tackling prejudice and promoting understanding at every opportunity.
We have staff Networks in place to help support staff experience of diverse staff groups and inform us on the actions, interventions and support what we need to put in place to improve the working lives and daily experiences of all colleagues and all teams. Anyone can join the networks and we take pride in having Allies as part of every network within the organisation.
By submitting an application for a position with this organisation, you are declaring that the information given is true and complete, any deliberate omission, falsification or misrepresentation will be grounds for rejecting the application or subsequent dismissal, and where applicable, for positions that requires registration with a professional body, you authorise us to make the required employer checks on your professional registration status.
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date. Please note, preference will be given to at risk employees.
Applicants MUST ensure that they provide details of their referees and their referee email addresses on their application form otherwise their application may not be considered.
By applying for this post you are agreeing to the Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in your application to its preferred applicant management system. All subsequent information regarding your application will be generated from apps.trac.jobs. If you are offered a job, information will also be transferred into the NHS Electronic Staff Record system.

You should have experience in managing an accounts receivable portfolio and have excellent communication and organisational skills.

At the Dudley Group our patients and staff are at the heart of all that we do and that is to provide a world class service that aligns with our vision of "excellent health care, improved health for all". We are seeking to recruit staff who share our vision and values of making Dudley Group an incredible workplace.

As part of the NHS People Promise, your wellbeing is our priority, and we are committed to ensuring our employees achieve a healthy work-life balance supported by our flexible working options and by making reasonable adjustments where possible. We believe no-one should have to sacrifice family, friends, or their personal interests for work. We are a modern employer able to attract and retain high quality staff through our commitment to the NHS People Promise.
As an employer, we foster an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to contribute their best. We want to ensure that our workforce is representative of the population we serve. More information - inclusive practice people promise.
Dudley Group offer many opportunities for our staff to develop and grow within their roles through our Learning & OD Team. These include topics such as communication, wellbeing, team development, cultural competency, and values.
Please click below to view our EDI page: Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion - The Dudley Group NHS Foundation Trust (dgft.nhs.uk)