Head of Finance

NHS; Brighton; On-site; GBP 53,000 - 61,000

Job description

Job summary

Job title: Head of Finance

Location: Brighton

Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust was granted Foundation Trust status from April 2016 and provides high quality sustainable community services to the people of Brighton and Hove, West Sussex and East Sussex. The Trust has a turnover of £330m. As a result of an operational restructure, an opportunity has arisen for a Head of Finance post supporting one of our Operational Divisions. The post holder will be the expert in providing highly complex and business focused advice to the Area and will be responsible for leading and developing the Division's Management Accounts team. The post holder will need to make judgements and decisions on a range of complex financial situations and business opportunities, taking into account the principles supporting the Monitor risk rating regime as well as the impact on the Trust's Income and Expenditure position. The post holder will have experience of working as part of a large finance function and experience of producing corporate reports and providing long term strategic business planning advice. The post holder will have excellent communication skills and be experienced in explaining complex financial information to non-finance managers. The post holder will be a CCAB qualified accountant or equivalent with proven experience.

Main duties of the job

1. Produce financial plans for the Operational Division that meet the Trust's business and financial objectives.
2. Develop, implement and monitor the financial components of the Operational Division Annual Plan ensuring that efficient systems are available to allow income and expenditure plans to be projected for up to 3 years.
3. Provide expert advice on the Division's Income and Activity position to the Division's Management Team and Trust Directors.
4. Analyse and identify the financial consequences and risks of local service changes and national financial guidance.
5. Lead investment appraisal and financial analysis of Divisional development proposals and business cases which may involve other organisations, commercial joint ventures and partnerships and commissioners.
6. Undertake strategic analysis which compares income, costs and financial risk for a range of options and outline recommendations. Liaison with the Contracts Team.
7. Provide financial support to identify and monitor delivery of the Division's service transformation plans and cost reduction proposals.
8. Present highly complex financial information to senior managers and represent the financial interests of the Operational Division.

About us

We are the main provider of NHS community services across East and West Sussex. Our 6,000 staff serve a population of 1.3 million providing essential medical, nursing, and therapeutic care to adults and children.

Our Trust vision is to provide excellent care at the heart of the community, helping people plan, manage, adapt to changes in their health, supporting avoidable hospital admissions and reducing hospital stay times.

We have opportunities for everyone across our wide variety of services including medical, clinical, support and corporate services.

Why work for us?

• Positive 2022 NHS Staff Survey results, scoring highly in compassionate culture & leadership, and staff wellbeing support
• Variety of working environments across the community, in patients' homes, within our community hospitals and bases across the county
• Supportive flexible working patterns such as: part time, flexi time, annualised hours, and flexi retirement options
• Excellent training and development opportunities
• Research opportunities
• Cost-effective workplace nurseries in Crawley, Hove and Brighton
• Thriving BAME, Disability and Wellbeing, LGBT+ and Religion and Belief staff networks
• Level 3 accredited Disability Confident Leader, committed to creating inclusive workplaces
• Veteran Aware Trust, achieving accreditation from Veterans Covenant Healthcare Alliance (VCHA)
• Located in stunning Sussex, with easy access to the South Downs and the coast
• Access to a wide range of benefits and discounts for NHS staff

Date posted: 24 March 2025

Pay scheme: Agenda for change

Band: Band 8a

Salary: £53,755 to £60,504 a year Per annum/pro-rata

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time

Reference number: 150-GM1603-COR

Job responsibilities

1. Provide monitoring information to the senior managers of the Division on key financial information to inform the Divisions performance management process.
2. Identify benchmarking opportunities and work with the Division to implement change to provide efficient services.
3. Assist in the preparation of the Trusts monthly and year-end monitoring returns.
4. Responsible for leading the annual budget setting process for the Division with service managers so that they agree budgets that will meet Division and Trust QUIPP productivity and cost reduction targets.
5. Co-ordinate the production of high quality, accurate, relevant and timely information to ensure the Division and Trust financial targets are met.
6. This will include detailed financial analysis and investigation to understand and highlight key issues for attention and action.
7. Provide financial management information, analysis and advice to the Divisional Director, Heads of Service, Service Managers and other Budget Managers.
8. Oversee the provision of an effective budgetary control system for the Division, providing budget holders with accurate and reliable feedback on their financial performance in order to support the delivery of the planned year-end financial position.
9. Assist in the monitoring and recording of CIPs and any required reconciliations to Block contracts.
10. Provide information for external reporting and statutory requirements as necessary.
11. Ensure the Divisional Finance Team provides a high quality, timely and accurate service to the Division.
12. Manage and develop the Division Finance Team, carrying out appraisals, disciplinary procedures and ensuring that team members have a Personal Development Review, which they are supported to deliver.
13. Develop the skills and competencies of staff through training and development activities, ensuring that progress is maintained and future needs identified and actioned.
14. Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff, complying with the Trusts policies.

Person Specification

Qualifications Essential

• A Level or equivalent qualifications
• CCAB qualified or equivalent experience
• Evidence of Continuing Professional Development

Experience Essential

• 3 years of working as part of a large finance function
• Presenting complex financial information to senior level managers
• Financial procedures and NHS policies affecting financial management

Desirable

• Senior Finance Management role in an NHS setting

Skills & Knowledge Essential

• IT and spreadsheet skills
• Written and Oral skills
• Develop and maintain good working relations
• Staff Leadership - motivate and manage team

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

Employer name: Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust

Address: Arundel Building, Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, Brighton, BN2 3EW