About this role
Job summary
We are seeking an exceptional finance leader with a positive attitude and strong personal qualities to ensure financial ambitions align with putting patients first. Joining a respected finance directorate during a period of transformation, the postholder will champion continuous improvement, support change and provide experienced leadership in complex environments. The role requires ensuring robust financial systems, controls and governance while supporting the Chief Finance Officer in delivering a sustainable financial framework. Working closely with system partners, the postholder will help develop the finance team and promote high standards. As a key senior leader, you will deputise for the Chief Finance Officer as required and contribute across the Trust and the Integrated Care System. A full CCAB/CIMA qualification with substantial senior experience and ongoing professional development is essential. The ideal candidate will bring integrity, accountability, commercial acumen, strong communication skills, a record of achievement, and experience leading complex change. Understanding of the NHS agenda and operating in regulated settings is highly desirable.
Main duties of the job
The Deputy Chief Finance Officer (Strategy) on behalf of the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) will lead and manage the Finance Directorate in conjunction with the Deputy Chief Finance Officer (Operational Finance). As required they will provide support / advice to the Procurement & Supply Chain Function. They are accountable to the CFO for the successful delivery of the Trusts strategic financial objectives. The postholder will ensure the directorate delivers services that contribute to delivery of the Trust strategy. The postholder will make a significant contribution to the overall development and continued successful operation of the organisation.
The Deputy Chief Finance Officer (Strategy) will be responsible for strategic financial planning, the annual financial process, financial reporting and day to day management of a range of departments (incl Financial Services; Contracting; Costing and Coding) providing leadership for all respective line management services. The role is responsible for maintaining sound financial controls, annual accounts and external liaison with auditors, regulators and colleagues in the Integrated Care System.
They will also be expected to champion the Counter Fraud agenda and support the Internal Audit Consortium as required.
In undertaking the duties for this post the postholder must comply with the Department of Health and Social Cares (DHSC) Code of Conduct for NHS managers (October 2002).
About us
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust is a large acute and specialised hospital trust that provides a range of local acute services to the residents of Worcestershire and more specialised services to a larger population in Herefordshire and beyond.
The Trust operates hospital-based services from three sites in Kidderminster, Redditch and Worcester
Our workforce is more than 7,000 strong, and our caring staff are recognised as providing good and outstanding patient-centred care. You could be one of them.
We are committed to recruiting the best people to work with us. Our values, which we ask all staff to demonstrate, underpin our everyday work and remain firmly at the heart of all we do.
Being open and honest
Ensuring people feel cared for
Showing respect to everyone
We are committed to developing a culture of continuous improvement by embedding the principles of our Improvement System.
We are proud to have achieved Timewise accreditation - this means we are committed to embedding flexible working within our organisation as a flex positive employer.
DBS Checks and Costs
Any applicants who are offered posts requiring a DBS check as part of their employment check will have the cost of this check (at the current rate) deducted from their salary. Please see link in Supporting Information section for more details on DBS checks and costs.
Job description Job responsibilities
(see full job description)
Key Duties:
1. The Deputy Chief Finance Officer Strategy, on behalf of the Chief Finance Officer and in conjunction with the Deputy Chief Finance Officer (Operational Finance), will lead and develop the Finance Directorate on a day-to-day basis, promoting standards of professionalism, so that it provides the Trust with financial advice, information and expertise to enable devolved decision making contributing to the best care for patients.
2. To assist the CFO to both define and develop the strategic direction of the directorate so that it is able to set and meet challenging objectives for the future and which are responsive to the evolving requirements and needs of the Trust.
3. To deliver annual financial statements and annual accounts for the Trust to nationally determined timescales ensuring that the organisation meets statutory obligations in accordance with the NHS Group Accounting Manual and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).
4. Responsible for collection, review and processing of financial information and presentation in an appropriate form for Trust Board, NHSE and other forums. To exercise expert and professional judgement in the interpretation of financial information used to prepare reports, to an agreed timetable, on all key financial performance indicators.
5. To ensure the development of financial strategies and commercial considerations associated with NHS Healthcare contracts and non-NHS income streams including private patients and overseas visitors.
6. To ensure financial systems are fit for purpose, consistent with best practice and to take a lead in managing and developing effective finance systems and lean processes across the Trust.
7. To develop and implement financial policies and internal financial control procedures across the Trust, ensuring that the Trust is compliant with regulations and Standard Accountancy Practice. In conjunction with Internal and External Auditors ensure these are complied with and operate effectively.
8. To advise the CFO on the availability of resources to discharge the Trusts financial management responsibilities, maintain reserves and contingencies and ensuring that sufficient distressed cash financing is secured from the DHSC to meet required operational commitments.
9. To promote an environment of effective financial control and support the Deputy CFO (Operational Finance) to lead the process of financial performance management in the divisions of the Trust
10. Ensure appropriate financial advice, support and relevant financial training is available, sought and thus valued across the organisation.
11. To lead the production of the Trust financial plan and annual budgets (activity, income, expenditure, capital and cash as well as supporting workforce requirements/resources), and presenting in a clear and concise manner to the Trust Board for approval prior to the start of the financial year.
12. To champion the review, interpretation and dissemination of the Trusts Use of Resources (UoR) through review of for example Model Hospital; GIRFT; Corporate and other Benchmarking indices to ensure the drivers of the underlying deficit financial position are clearly described and improvement opportunities identified.
13. To work autonomously, interpreting national and international policy, strategy and best practice on an ongoing basis ensuring Trust financial and service plans are developed and implemented in line with national and local guidance.14. To lead the alignment of Trust financial plans to the wider system Long Term Plan, mitigating risk to the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Integrated Care System and partners.15. In representing the Trust externally, develop, and continuously seek to strengthen relationships across the wider health system to ensure the Trust remains a key integration partner in the developing ICS.
16. To lead the risk management process for the Directorate, ensuring strategic financial risks are identified, mitigations sought, and appropriately allocated for monitoring by the Finance and Performance Committee aligned to the Corporate Risk Register and Board Assurance Framework.
17. To be a highly visible leader, with the authority to make financial policy decisions as required. To provide active leadership and support to finance staff throughout the Trust.
18. To be an excellent communicator with the ability to explain to key stakeholders, both internal and external, the assumptions and challenges of the Trusts financial position. To have the confidence and ability to lead discussions with stakeholders on all financial matters within areas of prime responsibility and the Trust.
19. To deputise for the CFO as required internally, within the wider system and nationally.
General Duties:
To ensure the provision of high quality, effective services and professional support and advice to internal users of:
Financial services (including creditor/debtor management contract)
o Responsible for managing the Trusts working capital and transactional finance, including the operation of Trust bank accounts and treasury management. To deliver cash management strategies which ensure that the Trust is able to discharge its formal responsibilities and achieve Public Sector Payment Policy requirements.
o Responsible for accurate financial reporting, maintaining expert working knowledge of IFRS and a working knowledge of UK taxation as it applies to Health, and ensure senior staff are up to date and capable of providing specialist technical support to colleagues.
o Provide leadership to the overseas visitors and private patients team to improve systems and processes, raise awareness within the organisation and ensure national policy is being followed.
Financial Management and Costing
o Support the Deputy CFO (Operational Finance) who leads on the provision of a high quality Finance Business Partnering service to the Divisions
o Lead on developing the Trusts costing and pricing mechanisms so as to ensure that the organisation has a granular understanding of its costs and ownership by the clinical teams.
Commissioning and Contracting.
o Lead the negotiation, development and management of healthcare contracts (c.£700m) operating an effective, high quality, contracting function that takes account of the national and local agenda.
o To ensure the Trusts interests are served in the provision and receipt of services from partner organisations.
o Promote effective contract management by respective Directorates and Specialties for Health and Commercial contracts; with full life-cycle oversight of significant long-term contracts.
Strategic financial planning
o Provide financial input to strategic planning processes, reviewing and analysing highly complex business cases and recommending a course of action. Ensure the application of appropriate resources to each project.
o Take a leading role in the development of the Trust Medium Term Financial Plan.
o To manage the highly complex task of ensuring integral capacity plans and contracts are reflected in the revenue budgets, and the national requirements for the preparation of Operational Plans are fully complied with. Communicate planning information and assumptions to Executives and the Board, and where necessary make challenging recommendations in order to meet the Trusts financial targets.
o To provide strategic financial input into the Clinical Services Strategy, Major Reconfiguration Projects and other Strategies, ensuring that they do not adversely impact on business as usual.
Capital Planning and programme management
o To provide financial leadership of the Trust Capital Programme, advising on technical financial issues, preparing targets and budgets and monitoring expenditure. Ensure that the Trust requirement for capital financing support is clearly understood and supported by regional NHSE, national Capital and Cash colleagues and the DHSC to maximise the ability of the Trust to secure required capital funds.
o To ensure robust policies and processes are in place for the management of the Capital Investment Programme within the agreed annual plan and respective Capital Resource Limit. Responsible for ensuring the plan reflects the type and level of investment needed to meet the Trusts strategic objectives.
Charitable Funds
o To ensure that consistent standards of reporting, financial control and audit apply to charitable funds and are applied in a way that maximises the benefit to patients of donations received. The postholder has a duty of care on behalf of the Trustees to ensure any expenditure falls within the terms of the Trust Deed and the requirements of the law, the Charity Commission and HMRC are met.
Clinical Coding
o To lead the Trusts clinical coding improvement programme, ensuring adherence to national clinical classifications, a high accuracy rate and timeliness of coding to meet the national SUS submission deadlines. To develop strategies and monitor progress in building clinical engagement in coding, to improve the accuracy of the clinical record.
Internal and External Audit
o To lead the response of the finance department to all Internal and External audit recommendations and to relevant Counter Fraud initiatives.
o To develop internal policy and procedures to ensure the Organisation appropriately engages with and responds to audit work.
Departmental management :
All aspects of Line management.
To act as budget manager for the Directorate including authorising of expenditure and monitoring of budgets
Person Specification
Personal Qualities Essential
A high level of personal resilience and be able to work calmly and confidently in a fast changing environment with considerable levels of stress / time pressure. High level of work organisation, self-motivation, drive for performance and improvement, and flexibility in approach and attitude Able to deliver to tight deadlines. Able to demonstrate an aptitude for working in teams and in complex matrix management environments involving very senior staff from internal and external stakeholders. Ability to recover quickly when under pressure and in difficult circumstances.
Qualifications Essential
Educated to degree level. Professional CCAB accountancy qualification. Evidence of active Continuous Professional Development.
Desirable
Masters level postgraduate qualification, or equivalent. Fellowship of a CCAB professional body. Expert specialist knowledge of costing, financial modelling and in particular the NHS Long Term Financial Model.
Improving Diversity and Inclusive Recruitment Essential
As part of the Trust's aim to improve diversity across the Trust, positive action is being taken and all applications for this post from BAME, Disabled and LGBT+ candidates can request to be considered under an expanded Guaranteed Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum criteria as specified in the person specification for this role. Here you can declare if you wish to be considered under this expanded Guaranteed Interview Scheme and this response would be visible to the Shortlisting Panel. If you have any queries about expanded Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please contact Rob Saunders (HR Manager - Recruitment) in confidence via email [email protected]
Skills & Knowledge Essential
Please demonstrate, by giving comprehensive examples, evidencing your ability against the following criteria: -Ability to form excellent relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, managing any conflict in an open manner. -Ability to lead and motivate staff to deliver change. -Expert knowledge of the NHS Costing regime and the use of SLR & PLICs. -Ability to critically analyse highly complex information or situations and evaluate a range of options for service improvement / solutions. -Able to make clear decisions in an autonomous way and to be accountable for it. -A good understanding of the Use of Resources framework and leading / preparing papers for the annual value for money audit review.
Experience Essential
Experience For the full person specification criteria please refer to the supporting documents. Specifically, please provide comprehensive examples, evidence of how you meet the following criteria. -Significant experience of operating at a strategic level in a complex NHS organisation. -Experience of writing complex, multi year business cases for major capital investment as well as expert knowledge of NHS business case process for public sector / treasury approvals. -Political sensitivity and experience of dealing with a range of complex issues within a demanding environment. -Able to present complex financial models to non-finance leaders such as the Board / Clinical leaders in a way that simplifies understanding. -Demonstrable experience of designing and implementing a CPIP. -Experience of working with benchmarking information to drive performance.
Other Job Requirements Essential
Ability to work flexible hours and travel across Trust sites, as required in the course of performing the duties under this role.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Address Charles Hastings Way
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR5 1DD
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)