Deputy Head of Finance 

Location: Cambridge 

Parking: No parking provision on site, good bus and Park and Ride provision nearby and on-site cycle parking is available.

Job Type: Temporary 

Duration of booking: This is a temporary ongoing role with no end date specified at this stage 

Proposed start date: ASAP

Sector: Healthcare 

Base: Hospital

Band: 8A

Pay Rates: 

£23.00- £26.00 paye per hour

£26.00 - £29.00 paye inclusive of holiday pay per hour

£29.00- £33.00 umbrella per hour

All depending on skill and experience 

Working Days and Hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm 

Job Summary

• The purpose of the post is to support the senior business unit teams.  
• The post will provide in depth analytical support to their Head of Finance.  
• The Deputy Head of Finance, where required, will represent the finance function at Management & Operational meetings and provide strategic financial and business planning advice in line with Trust objectives. The post holder is expected to interpret Trust policy and be skilled in presenting highly complex, and sometimes uncomfortable, information and make persuasive arguments for a course of action to a range of senior managers.
• The Deputy Head of Finance will provide expert knowledge on financial issues in the context of NHS finance policies and will be experienced in financial management. 
• At all times, the Deputy Head of Finance must ensure that statutory, NHS and other returns conform to national accounting standards to reflect a true and fair view and meet national and Trust timescales. The post holder must adhere to Professional Bodies’ requirement for Continuing Professional Development, maintain an understanding of changes in the NHS Financial Regime and guided by national policy, develop implementation strategies.
• The Deputy Head of Finance is expected to ensure that finance systems and processes are appropriate and efficient to meet the business needs of the Trust.

Key duties and responsibilities:

Strategic Planning and Development

• Assist the Head of Finance with input to the strategic planning agenda for their area of responsibility. 
• Draw up the long-term financial plans with Finance, Clinical and Administrative colleagues.
• Provide dynamic financial planning that reflects uncertainties and can be updated and adjusted as circumstances evolve. Work with budget holders to resolve often conflicting plans for financial balance. 
• Perform investment appraisals and complex financial analysis of Trust development proposals and business cases which may involve other organisations; identify and compare income, cost and financial risk for a range of options and make recommendations. 
• Support on department financial issues and assist implementation of both department and Finance wide objectives throughout the organisation.
• Identify opportunities for financial savings and highlight areas of risk. Report on progress in year.

Budgetary Performance

• Play a key role in budget setting for their area. Support on setting the annual budget; support and negotiate with managers and with other colleagues to meet efficiency and savings targets so the area can set a balanced Budget. 
• Provide financial leadership and present highly complex financial management information to senior Trust staff.  
• Provide guidance to Budget Holders and challenge assumptions to ensure the development of robust financial forecasts. 
• Monitor and review forecasts to ensure that plans are implemented and engage with clinical staff and services to put remedial plans in place where necessar
• Ensure that the requirements of Finance are balanced with the need for local flexibility in setting priorities and meeting Trust objectives.
• Coordinate the provision of financial reports and analysis through the Senior Management Accountants and supporting staff. 
• Manage the provision of financial management information, analysis and advice to the Head of Finance and where appropriate Executive Directors, Managers and other senior staff throughout the Trust.
• Take an active role, with other managers, in developing long term plans for efficiency savings and improvements in value for money. Identify ways to reduce costs and maximise income from all sources.
• Develop with Budget Holders an awareness of financial performance requirements, and of the need for budgetary control.
• Provide information for external reporting and compilation of statutory annual reports as necessary.

Managerial

• Take an active role in developing finance staff through on the job training, professional academic studies, and other approaches such as mentoring.

Technical

• Initiate continual improvement in accounting systems and practices to meet the performance monitoring needs of the Trust.
• Assist with the development and implementation of financial policies and procedures across the Trust. 
• Identify, recommend, and implement improvements in the financial management team performance, including regular review of systems, processes, and policies.
• Make use of comparative tools such as benchmarking in developing rolling financial plans and lead on developing their use within teams.
• Provide input to the costing, pricing, and financial planning activity of the Trust, including reviewing costs and prices and recommending changes to contracts where appropriate.
• Undertake the required financial reviews in the evaluation of tenders for new or renewal of contracts.
• Lead on the financial management requirements to produce annual statutory accounts in accordance with current professional accounting standards and conventions.

Training

• Take the Financial Management lead on identifying the financial training needs and requirements of Budget Holders and to provide the resources and materials to address these.
• Adapt and deliver Financial Awareness training to all levels of staff in the Trust.
• Participate in Trust wide training and communication initiatives.
• Ensure that managers are aware of Standing Financial Instructions. If staff are not in compliance with them form a plan with the Head of Finance on how to address this.

Essential skills, qualification and experience

• Completion of, or actively studying towards (with relevant experience), a Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) recognised accountancy qualification, or equivalent experience.
• Advanced technical & personal skills and competencies acquired from experience across a range of accountancy functions at a senior level. 
• Experience of motivating and developing a team to achieve desired objectives. Experience of staff performance management including undertaking appraisals and setting objectives
• Ability to negotiate and influence so that efficient and effective performance is achieved and targets are met. Prepared to lead on department issues and to take responsibility, without supervision, for implementation of policy and annual objectives across the organisation. Developed level of interpersonal skills that enable complex, technical issues to be explained in clear and concise terms. 
• Ability to develop good working relationships at all levels within the organisation. A willingness to accept responsibility and provide decisive leadership in a high pressure environment. 
• Developed skills in analysing complex financial data and information and producing concise and understandable recommendations from it. 
• Able to plan and co-ordinate the work of their team and of other departments inside and outside of Finance to meet business planning timetables. 
• Experience of negotiating and agreeing deadlines, standards and quality of work with other departments. Able to work on a number of projects simultaneously to meet agreed internal and statutory deadlines, concentrating and focusing on a range of issues in particular during the monthly reporting and annual business planning cycles, whilst co-ordinating the workload of others. Ability to understand client needs in a diverse organisation.
• Advanced knowledge of, and competence in, the use of spreadsheets. Managing large volumes of data to create and develop models using advance spreadsheets techniques. 

Understand and be able to apply the concepts and techniques for:

• Budgeting and financial planning 
• Costing and pricing
• Variance analysis and financial reporting
• The purpose of accounting accruals and provisions

Questions

Do you have experience working as Deputy Head of Finance in the NHS?

Do you have experience working as a Deputy Head of Finance in NHS at Band 8A? 

Do you have Advanced technical & personal skills and competencies acquired from experience across a range of accountancy functions at a senior level?

Do you meet the above criteria and available immediately?