Job Description

Customer & Stakeholder Focus

1. Continually assess customer demand and manage/plan/prioritise resulting workload in order to best meet customer expectations
2. Communicate effectively with internal and external customers in order to ensure the timely resolution of disputes
3. Exercise the challenge function in order to ensure probity of NIHE funds
4. Provide advice and guidance to customers in relation to NIHE authorisation and payment procedures

People Management

1. Motivate and manage the performance of a sizeable team of staff to optimise compliance against Team targets, including (but not limited to) Government Prompt Payment targets, HMRC PAYE targets etc
2. Ensure staff are continually briefed on priorities, targets and current performance
3. Identify staff training needs and develop a strategy to ensure staff skillsets are continually developed in line with changes in working practices
4. Instil an ethos of continuous improvement within the Team, so that current performance standards can be challenged through new ways of working, without compromising control
5. Provide advice, guidance and help to staff in relation to daily priorities
6. Conduct performance appraisls and reviews as required and in accordance with HR Policy including Return to Work interviews.

Policy & Planning

1. In conjunction with the Deputy Payments Manager and Payroll Manager, identify and manage daily/hourly staffing requirements for the Team to ensure customer demands are addressed efficiently and effectively
2. Ensure that an up to date document library is maintained directly related to the work of the Team including work instructions, control procedures etc.  Ensure that these documents are reviewed/updated periodically to ensure their ongoing relevance

Control Environment

1. Ensure control checks are consistently exercised via monthly reconciliations and compliance checking/sampling in order to ensure the integrity of financial information
2. Ensure that non-compliance issues identified via reconciliations and compliance checks are communicated to the Team in a timely manner and that appropriate counter-measures are identified to prevent reoccurrence
3. Provide information to assist compliance reviews undertaken by Internal Audit, HMRC etc.

Information & Communication

1. Ensure weekly performance team meetings are held to discuss customer demand, priorities, current level of performance, and develop understanding of wider organisational issues within the Team.
2. Promote greater understanding within the sections in respect of customer demand, team performance, team resourcing and areas of non-compliance (if any)
3. Develop proposals to achieve streghten internal controls and improve efficiency within the sections.

Requirements: 

In addition, candidates must have at least 3 years relevant experience.

Exceptionally, candidates who do not meet the qualification requirements above but can demonstrate that they have at least 5 years relevant experience will also be considered.

Relevant experience must include:

Experience successfully managing staff in a medium sized department in a busy, target-driven, and controlled transaction processing environment.

Experience in three of the four areas listed below.

1. use of a financial management system
2. advanced use of spreadsheets
3. the abilty to specify/produce reports from the system and produce information to assist in the management of the function.
4. experience in a transaction processing environment demonstrating an understanding of VAT, financial coding and supplier management.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The final examinations of AAT or IATI  / the foundation papers of a CCAB body  (or equivalent)  / a relevant degree (e.g. Accounting, Business Studies) / equivalent qualification