Deputy Director of Finance

We are seeking an experienced values-led chartered accountant who can demonstrate excellent financial stewardship and compassionate leadership whilst balancing the operational and strategic demands of the broad portfolio of services in a large NHS provider.

With a focus on quality improvement and safety, this role is for a finance leader who can consistently create a positive, productive culture that promotes finance staff development.

Reporting to the Operational Finance Director, you will be joining the team at a challenging time as we lead the trust through the post COVID financial environment, working as a valued member of the integrated care systems finance leadership community. Working alongside the Deputy Director of Finance - Financial Management, the successful candidate will be able to deputise for the Operational Finance Director and demonstrate the ability to build credibility with, inspire confidence, and influence staff at all levels across our diverse services.

A forward-thinking, innovative leader with experience working as a senior finance professional in a large, complex organisation, you will have proven ability in leading, transforming, and delivering a range of financial services, driving a trust capital programme, and identifying best procurement practices. With the ability to gain credibility with a range of stakeholders, you will have the ability to interpret and advise on complex financial issues.

Main duties of the job

You will contribute to building a culture which is actively anti-racist and supports our strategic framework. You will be an exceptional leader of people, with drive, vision, a strategic mindset, clarity of purpose, and a proven track record of successful financial leadership and management.

The post holder will have responsibility for the strategic and operational development of the Finance Directorate and will contribute heavily to the development of the Financial Strategy of the organisation and the Integrated Care System. Plans to achieve the financial strategy will be underpinned by the delivery of short to medium-term objectives.

Key aspects of this role will be to provide assurance to the Board of Directors and Trust Committees that all internal financial processes reflect the latest financial standards, national policy, and recommendations from both internal and external audit. Act as expert advisor to the trust Charitable Fund and support the Charitable Funds Committee, ensuring timely provision of financial information to trustees.

About us

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales, and the Midlands.

We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health, as well as specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction, and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities.

At the heart of all we do is our commitment to 'perfect care' - care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable, and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We're currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide while safely reducing costs as we do so.

Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Job description

Job responsibilities

To provide day-to-day direction and management of the finance function. Work closely with other senior staff within the organisation and wider System to ensure the development and management of plans. Ensure appropriate financial systems and processes are in place to enable the implementation of the strategic plans in the organisation and the system.

Proactively manage the key financial risks and issues associated with the delivery of strategic and operational plans, ensuring appropriate actions are taken to mitigate or respond. Monitor and establish accountability on the overall progress of the financial strategy to ensure completion within the agreed time scales. Manage changes without destabilising business as usual. Promote relationships with key stakeholders.

As an organisation, we are committed to our Perfect Care Goal on Anti-racism and are employing positive action where we know there is underrepresentation; therefore, we encourage applications from people who are from BME communities.

The Equality Act (2010) permits Mersey Care as a defined public authority to take steps to address inequity and underrepresentation as positive action, including our approach for this position.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Masters degree or equivalent experience
• CCAB or CIMA membership with a minimum of 10 years post-qualification experience CPD Registration with professional body

Desirable

• Higher level degree or post-graduate level management qualification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential

• A successful track record at a senior level
• Experience of working with Executive teams and Boards
• Experience of strategic service planning and redesign
• Experience of leading and developing staff, including qualified staff and senior management staff
• Experience of effective partnership working with other organisations at a senior level, preferably a mix of public and voluntary sector
• Demonstrate the capability to maintain financial control whilst supporting a devolved style
• Expertise in financial management
• Experience of working under pressure and meeting deadlines
• Evidence of the ability to manage a senior team within a finance function
• Implementing national financial policies and guidance across an organisation
• Developing and implementing organisation-wide financial policies
• Working knowledge of Annual Accounts processes
• Understanding of Capital Accounting requirements
• Experience of delivering major capital programmes across multiple sites/projects
• Experience of leading on the relationship with NHS regulators
• Performance managing outsourced contracts
• Knowledge of NHS contractual and financial framework
• Demonstrate ability to work at Deputy Director of Finance level

Desirable

• Working in a Community and Mental Health Trust
• Project/change management experience
• Working with local authorities

Skills

Essential

• Able to demonstrate strong influencing and negotiation skills - must be able to present credible and compelling arguments to Board members, senior management, peers, finance staff, and commissioners, and develop effective relationships with them
• Skills to communicate in various methods: written, verbal, and presentational, including report writing
• Skills to communicate on a wide range of highly complex financial and non-financial issues
• Skills to communicate with a wide variety of people at all levels both within the organisation and externally
• Demonstrate highly developed planning skills and knowledge of project management approaches
• Skills to deliver contentious information
• Coaching & values-led leadership style, encouraging engagement and empowerment amongst staff and stakeholders, and in developing high-performing teams
• Ability to manage competing priorities, solve problems using a solution-focused approach, demonstrating competent persuasive and influencing skills.
• Significant knowledge of contract and procurement legislation and frameworks
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Politically astute
• Process redesign - the ability to design and implement changes to improve systems and processes
• Strong proactive and solution-oriented
• Ability to understand and interpret complex financial information
• IT literate and able to use and implement financial software and bespoke systems
• Ability to deal with uncertainty and complexity in a political environment
• Ability to work autonomously guided by general NHS and organisational policy
• Ability to formulate and evaluate alternative courses of action and advise and persuade senior staff of a certain course, applying constraints as appropriate
• A demonstrated understanding of Equality and Human Rights

Desirable

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Word, Excel, and Access
• Mentoring skills

Employer details

Employer name

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Hollins Park

Winwick

WA2 8WA

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

350-TWS6905238