Assistant Director of Finance

Assistant Director of Finance - Financial Management Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Finance. Responsible for the leadership of the Financial Management function, and ensuring the department supports the Trust in the achievement of its short and long term financial plans.

This role is pivotal in taking a lead on financial planning and in year reporting to Trust Board, sub committees and regulatory reporting. Previous post holders have secured promotion to Deputy Director roles.

Main duties of the job

Ensure there is an effective budgetary control framework in place, along with related systems and policies that allow financial planning and performance reporting is in place to meet internal and regulatory requirements.

In addition, the post holder will provide financial support and advice to the Corporate Division. Working as part of the Divisional Management Team to ensure a sound financial basis for business and service changes, ensuring robust monitoring information is provided to enable the Division to maximise its financial performance.

About us

The Finance department is proud to have Level 2 Future Focused Finance Accreditation.

• We are a forward looking, innovative team who work in close collaboration with our clinical and operational teams to support delivery of the best value services for our patients.
• We embrace the Trust's One Culture of Care approach, values and behaviours
• We offer flexible working and support colleagues working from home and our modern office base in a hybrid way. We prioritise communication and maintaining team engagement. We want our colleagues to feel not just part of the Finance team but also the wider Trust team. This is reflected in our positive staff survey results.
• We work in partnership across the Place, provider collaborative West Yorkshire Association of Acute Trusts and the West Yorkshire Integrated Care System
• We employ c.50 whole time equivalents from entry level apprentice through to senior managers.
• We encourage progression and development within the team through a range of training opportunities including courses, job rotation and getting involved in new projects.

Job responsibilities

The postholder will:

• Lead the annual budget setting process, planning and coordinating the work of the Finance Department and staff across all divisions of the Trust. This will require the postholder to have a clear understanding and involvement in Trust's operational planning processes.
• Maintain a long-term financial plan linking to Trust strategies and objectives, and national planning assumptions. This will include and on-going assessment of the Trusts underlying position, risk and sensitivity assessments and scenario analysis.
• Lead the financial operating plan process and submission to regulatory bodies and Integrated Care System (ICS). Preparation of update reports and presentations on financial planning as necessary.
• Ensure the accurate and timely provision up internal monthly financial reporting across the Trust focusing on ensuring this is relevant and focused on service needs. Continual development and improvement of financial reporting systems and procedures.
• Ensuring effective in year financial forecasting is in place linked to activity and workforce position. Supporting the production of mitigating action plans for the achievement of financial targets.
• Active involvement in cost improvement planning and reporting linking with the Project Management Office. Reporting on cost improvement plans and performance.
• Line management and professional development of Senior Finance Managers and Systems Accountant.
• Ensuring financial training resources are accessible to budget holders, operational staff, Council of Governors and Executive Directors.
• Oversee the production of financial modelling and analysis on relevant issues relating to national policy, inflation, changes to accounting standards etc.
• Support the Deputy Director of Finance in ensuring the effectiveness and compliance with financial controls. Writing and updating financial policies and procedures.
• Prepare reports for Trust Board, Finance and Performance Committee and Executive Director meetings and attend as and when necessary.
• To lead the financial management of the Corporate Division providing strategic financial advice to the Division, ensure the provision of regular financial reports and budget statements, which meet both the Divisions requirements and the agreed timetable for corporate financial reporting. To identify and analyse key budget variances and provide advice on resolving them.
• To prepare financial plans and projections in conjunction with the Corporate Divisional Management Team. To identify potential areas of cost improvement and income generation to the Division and to lead the achievement of those savings/income where appropriate.
• To provide timely information for benchmarking purposes.
• To review and implement national policy direction and guidance into Financial Management processes and procedures.
• Active involvement in local finance networks. Liaison with colleagues from ICS partner organisations as required on shared issues and developments.
• To deputise for the Deputy Director of Finance as required.
• Support the development of the finance vision and strategy, ensuring engagement and commitment from colleagues within the finance team and wider Trust.
• Undertake any other duties as required commensurate with the grade.

Person Specification QUALIFICATIONS / TRAINING

• Professionally qualified (CCAB, CIMA, etc)
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Graduate or equivalent

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE & EXPERTISE

• Excellent IT skills including Microsoft Office and general ledger systems
• Experience of working in a large organisation with complex management structures.
• Knowledge of IFRS accounting standards in the classification and reporting of financial transactions
• Demonstrates the emotional intelligence and stamina necessary to achieve demanding challenges and goals in a complex and challenging environment.
• Demonstrates a significant level of financial competency at a strategic and operational level.
• Demonstrable evidence of influencing and managing organisational change, with clear decision making
• Demonstrable evidence of delivering and implementing innovative ways of working
• Experience of providing board level financial information, forecasting and gaining ownership of financial information to support decision making
• Experience of financial risk assessment and reporting and the development of risk management strategies.
• Experience of business case development and implementation.
• Practical experience of developing and delivering efficiencies and recovery plans
• Ability to analyse complex data, statistics and financial information communicate key messages to finance and non-finance colleagues
• Experience of working in finance in an NHS environment.
• Knowledge of NHS funding flows and the financial framework of an NHS Foundation Trust.

COMMUNICATION AND RELATIONSHIPS (INCLUDING MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES)

• Demonstrates ability to lead and develop a team
• Excellent communication skills including, listening, influencing and persuading.
• Significant experience of partnership working.
• Ability to develop and maintain communication with people on complex issues, anticipating barriers and taking action to improve communication as necessary.
• Experience of working effectively with clinicians.

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.

Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Huddersfield Royal Infirmary

Acre Mill Outpatients, Acre Street, Lindley

£83,571 to £96,376 a yearper annum, pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time,Flexible working,Home or remote working

Reference number

372-CORP1840

Job locations

Huddersfield Royal Infirmary

Acre Mill Outpatients, Acre Street, Lindley

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