Finance — Families — Roles and skills

Finance officer

Finance officers keep the organisation's day-to-day finances accurate and under control. They process and record invoices, payments, income, and journals, reconcile ledgers and bank accounts, and help budget holders and suppliers with their queries. In a digital health care organisation much of this work involves technology suppliers, software licences, and cloud services, often paid from public funding with strict rules on how it is spent.

Payroll officer

Payroll officers make sure every member of staff is paid accurately and on time. They process starters, leavers, and changes, calculate pay and deductions, run payroll checks, and answer pay queries. In a digital health care organisation the payroll may include clinical, digital, and corporate staff on different contracts and pay rules, and it is often run on a shared or outsourced payroll system that the team must check and assure.

Management accountant

Management accountants give managers the financial information and advice they need to plan, control spending, and make good decisions. They set and monitor budgets, forecast spending, cost services, and build the financial case for investment. In a digital health care organisation they work closely with digital programmes and product teams, where getting capital and revenue, whole-life costs, and value for money right is central to good decisions.

Financial accountant

Financial accountants make sure the organisation's accounts are complete, accurate, and follow accounting standards and public sector reporting rules. They manage the balance sheet, prepare the annual accounts and statutory returns, manage cash and treasury, account for assets, and work with auditors. In a digital health care organisation, much of the complexity comes from accounting for software, data assets, cloud arrangements, and multi-year technology contracts.

Head of finance

Senior finance leaders are accountable for the organisation's financial health, financial control, and use of public money. They lead financial strategy and planning, advise the board on affordability and value for money, and lead the finance, payroll, and often procurement functions. In a digital health care organisation they shape how investment in technology and data is funded, approved, and shown to deliver benefits for patients and the health and care system.