Head of Finance

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Provision of financial and commercial advice and insights to achieve the strategic and operational goals of the Care Group, Corporate areas and wider Trust. Advice, guidance and support to business leaders and clinicians, enabling and influencing decision‑making to achieve optimal performance.

• Identification of issues to be addressed by the Board, Executive Team or Care Group/Corporate Group.
• Ensure advice is consistent across the financial management department, fostering shared learning and a one‑trust approach.
• Work with the Financial Management department to continuously identify and improve accounting systems and financial reporting, contributing to the services financial sustainability plan and developing efficiencies, consistency and centralisation of processes where appropriate.
• When necessary deputise for the Assistant Director of Finance on financial management matters.

• Overall responsibility for all aspects of financial management within the allocated Care Group / corporate area in conjunction with the Associate Head of Financial Management.
• Review and approve for distribution the monthly performance reporting packs for the Care Group and corporate areas.
• Provide financial advice and support to the Executive team and senior management within the Trust, translating complex and technical financial issues into meaningful management information.
• Monitor non‑financial performance indicators (e.g. length of stay, theatre utilisation) to identify areas where resource use can be improved; work with operational managers and clinicians to improve productivity and demonstrate the impact on financial performance.
• Where performance differs from plan, develop recovery measures in consultation with Care Group and corporate areas leadership.
• Contribute to the evolution and development of Care Group reporting, in collaboration with the Associate Head of Financial Management.

• Work with the care group and corporate senior management to develop efficiency schemes in accordance with overall trust and national requirements, identifying opportunities and providing financial, support, advice and direction.
• Ensure robust, credible and effective short‑, medium‑ and long‑term plans are in place to deliver the service improvement programme, and that appropriate resources are available to support delivery.
• Assess, monitor and review the delivery of efficiencies and associated financial benefits, working with Care Group and corporate areas to address any issues.
• Ensure that the financial content is developed for PIDs for schemes that will be taken forward.
• Promote and maximise the use of PLICS to identify and develop transformational efficiencies.

• Lead on finance/business planning advice in relation to strategic planning, service redesign/modernisation proposals and new business for the specific Care Group or Corporate Group.
• Lead on the annual budget setting process for the Care Group and corporate area, including the setting of objectives to achieve key performance targets in order to meet the Trusts business and financial objectives.
• Identify, coordinate and quantify Service Developments, Cost Pressures, Improving Value Programmes and Capital Bids to support the annual objectives; ensure deadlines set by the Associate Head of Financial Management are met and can be incorporated by the reporting team.
• Review and approve amendments to budgets, including any amendments to the next year base budget.
• Ensure that financial forecasting is robust and provides effective early warning to the Care Group and Corporate area of potential future problems and enables financial risks to be effectively managed.
• Where forecast out‑turn deviates from plan, lead the process of preparing a financial recovery plan.
• Ensure budgets are approved and signed off before the start of the financial year.

• Take overall responsibility for the financial element in business cases, coordinate input and sign off any detail to enable sign‑off from the Care Group and corporate area in the development of the…