Senior Finance Manager

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust

South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust has a vacancy for the role of Senior Finance Manager to lead one of our divisions.

As an essential member of the Financial Management team you will be responsible for providing a comprehensive financial management service for the division. The post holder and their team will be responsible for divisional budget setting, financial planning, forecasting, monthly monitoring and reporting within corporate standards and timetables.

Technically strong, with in-depth financial management experience and an appreciation of the current NHS regimes. Due to the complexities of the information that you will be dealing with, it is essential you have the capabilities to understand, interpret and convey financial concepts clearly and persuasively to finance and non-finance colleagues. Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, will be essential.

Main duties of the job

1. To provide leadership and accountable management for the identified services that form the Division, ensuring effective use of the Division's financial resources in pursuit of agreed Divisional and Corporate goals.
2. To take full responsibility for providing comprehensive financial management and support service to the Division, providing a full range of advice to the Associate Director of Operations and Associate Medical Directors on divisional, departmental and specialty budgets.
3. To lead on Divisional budget setting, financial planning, forecasting, monthly monitoring and reporting within corporate standards and timetables.
4. The post holder will be required to constructively challenge all aspects of divisional performance whilst maintaining a team ethic within the Division.
5. To be responsible for the overall management and performance of a small team.
6. To ensure all statutory NHS accounts and returns are completed to timescales and legal requirements, as well as represent a true and fair view.

Job responsibilities

1. To be responsible for the provision of financial information, advice and support to the Associate Director of Operations, Associate Medical Directors and Service/Departmental Managers.
2. The post holder must be capable of influencing the team to ensure achievement of the Trust's financial objectives and balancing the budget.
3. The post holder is required to have extensive expert knowledge and experience of financial management.
4. To take a lead role in the division in the annual budget setting process.
5. The post holder will lead in the delivery of financial plan for the division and for the management/monitoring of cost improvement and cost control programmes.
6. The post holder is required to have expert knowledge of financial and accounting procedures, and NHS finance policies.
7. To undertake lead responsibility for the implementation and monitoring of recharging mechanisms to improve budgetary control.
8. To take responsibility for the financial aspects of the Approval to Recruit process.
9. The post holder will lead their team in the production, interpreting, forecasting and reporting of the financial position of the Division.
10. The post holder will be responsible for the preparation of revenue budgets which are consistent with the financial control objectives and business plans of the Trust.
11. The post holder will work with the Trust's management to ensure that the needs of patients and clinical targets are met.
12. The post holder will assist in identifying and achieving cost improvement targets, income generation targets and ensuring value for money.
13. The post holder will provide regular financial advice and support to the Management Teams, Service Managers, other Heads of Department and Lead Nurses.
14. The post holder will provide the Deputy Chief Finance Officer with corporate information necessary for corporate financial reporting.
15. The post holder will ensure that for the areas of responsibility, Budget Setting, Financial Planning, Forecasting, Monthly monitoring and Reporting are done to the required standards and timetables.
16. The post holder will participate in the development of new costing and budgeting methodologies.
17. The post holder will review the Trust's costs relative to national norms and other provider units.
18. The post holder will monitor the service provided by the division to other Trusts in accordance with the Service Level Agreements.
19. The post holder will be responsible for the financial aspects in any competitive tendering process.
20. The post holder will increase the financial capability of management teams through the provision of financial awareness training.
21. The post holder will participate in ad-hoc working groups on particular issues as required.
22. The post holder will be responsible for the day to day management of the financial management team.
23. The post holder will provide input as required to the Trust's statutory financial reports.
24. The post holder will ensure that the Trust's standing financial instructions and codes of procedures are adhered to at all times.
25. The post holder will assist generally in the financial management of the Trust.
26. The post holder will be responsible for ensuring that Clinicians within the Division are fully involved in all aspects of financial management.
27. The post holder will ensure that staff are fully engaged in the process of change management.
28. The post holder will ensure that mechanisms are in place to discuss service improvement initiatives with Clinicians.
29. The post holder will ensure that information is made available to Clinicians to enable them to play an active part in the development of Service Line Reporting.
30. The post holder will be responsible for the design and development of Service Line Reporting.
31. The post holder will support the review of demand and capacity within the Division.
32. The post holder is expected to influence strategic planning and provide challenge to the Associate Director of Operations and management team.
33. The post holder will communicate highly sensitive, complex and contentious information.
34. The post holder will work with the Divisional team and the Senior Finance Manager to provide robust financial risk evaluations of business cases.
35. The post holder will liaise with clinicians/service managers to ensure all options have been considered.
36. The post holder will work with the Senior Finance Manager to analyze the financial impact of capital equipment proposals.
37. The post holder will work with the Senior Finance Manager to develop a corporate approach to streamline financial information production.
38. The post holder is responsible for supporting the Senior Finance Manager in the full roll-out of the Service Line Management.
39. The post holder will work with the Senior Finance Manager to ensure that any statutory returns are completed.
40. The post holder will be required to communicate/present complex financial issues to clinicians and non-finance managers.
41. The post holder will be responsible for the financial management input into the design and development of a budget system.
42. The post holder will create complex spreadsheets using advanced spreadsheet skills.
43. The post holder will ensure that own professional skills and knowledge are regularly updated.
44. The post holder will plan own workload and manage the team on a daily basis.
45. Any other duties as commensurate with the grade of the post.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Commitment and evidence of continuing professional development in line with the post holder's Professional Accounting body.
• Further specialist finance training and experience relating to income management accounting.

Experience

• Extensive expert knowledge and experience in Financial Management or equivalent.
• Minimum of five years at senior level in the Finance sector.
• Expert knowledge of financial and accounting procedures and NHS finance policies.
• Acute Sector Experience.

Skills

• Expert user of Financial Systems and Microsoft Excel.
• Demonstrable evidence of influencing and persuading.
• Highly numerate and analytical.
• Advanced report writing skills.
• Understanding of current NHS structures and key policies.
• Knowledge of acute hospital environment.
• Ability to lead and motivate staff.
• Able to plan and prioritise workload effectively.
• Able to design a budget system or ledger upgrade.
• MS Access skills.

Personal Qualities

• Committed to Continuing Professional Development.
• Commands credibility and respect from operational managers and colleagues.
• Able to concentrate and work under pressure.
• Professional and reputation for integrity.
• Flexible and supportive work colleague.
• Commercially astute.

Other

• Knowledge and understanding of equal opportunities.
• Able to travel between sites.
• Occupational Health clearance.
• Working towards ECDL.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

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.