Finance Business Partner

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire system. Our 5,500 staff have 1.2 million patient contacts a year, 13,000 operations carried out in our theatres, around 4,000 babies born and well over 100,000 emergency attendances each year. This is an exciting time to join Great Western Hospitals. We cultivate a culture that fosters equality, inclusion, wellbeing and leadership. We are a Disability Confident Employer and a Veteran Aware organisation, signed to the Armed Forces Covenant. If we receive a high volume of applications we may close adverts prior to the published closing date and advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible. Job overview An exciting opportunity has arisen for a driven, proactive and enthusiastic Corporate Finance Business Partner to join the award-winning Finance team at Great Western Hospital. The role suits a qualified accountant with strong communication skills who enjoys working collaboratively with multiple stakeholders in Finance and the wider Trust. This is a key post in our Group model, offering opportunities for career development and collaboration with Green Group partners. Main duties of the job Reporting to the Head of Financial Management and Value, the post holder has the following key areas of responsibility: Work closely with the Transformation & Improvement team to build, oversee, challenge and support the Trust's improvement programme to meet its short‑term and medium‑term efficiency targets. Maintain, develop and manage the Trust's efficiency tracking system, ensuring adequate governance, control arrangements and exception highlighting on risks and mitigation strategies, supporting the clinical teams. Test and challenge schemes with project leads, confirming savings values and performance against quality‑related KPIs, providing evidence for assurance purposes. Provide business leadership advice to the Corporate and Estates divisions and ensure effective use of financial resources to achieve agreed Divisional and Corporate goals. Produce robust monthly performance monitoring reports so that key management decisions are based on accurate business information and risks are assessed. Working for our organisation Our STAR values – Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect – guide everything we do. These values help us deliver great joined‑up services to our local community, empowering individuals to lead independent and healthier lives. Detailed job description and main responsibilities PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT Ensure effective operation of key governance meetings, producing and maintaining terms of reference, papers, reports, minutes, decisions and actions. Provide expertise on programme structuring, planning, benefits quantification and tracking on behalf of the PMO, ensuring outputs and benefits are defined within scope and programmes are delivered on time, within budget and to required quality standards. Hold Senior Responsible Owners to account for delivery of efficiency programmes, providing a high‑quality programme management and reporting service to boards and divisional meetings as required. Develop Improvement and Efficiency programmes and review KPIs related to goals and outcomes, monitoring project delivery. Engage staff fully in the change‑management process, ensuring clinicians are involved at the forefront of operational improvement and efficiency projects. Challenge clinical practice and decision making through reliable and effective patient cost data. Lead quantitative and qualitative analysis and project audit as part of the benefit realisation process, ensuring lessons are learned for future programmes. Undertake the project management role for assigned projects with the Transformation and Improvement team. Design an appropriate and proportionate project structure to enable successful delivery, including objectives, scope, credible plans, risks, interdependencies, benefits and resources in collaboration with others. Make decisions on complex issues where multiple options exist to achieve desired results. Maintain and update plans consistently across assigned projects per Trust requirements. Manage projects using best‑practice approaches and tools (e.g. PODs, plans, report templates). Contribute to the continuous improvement of agreed approaches and tools. Link with system partners and share learning from financial improvement methodologies to deliver efficiencies. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Present information clearly to Corporate Directors to enable accurate understanding of budgets and resources. Influence Corporate and Estates teams to meet Divisional financial objectives. Provide the Head of Financial Management and Value with relevant information to ensure all financial risks within Corporate and Estates Divisions are assessed, understood and mitigated. Deliver all aspects of financial management within Corporate and Estates Divisions, including: Monthly detailed financial reports to management and for Trust board papers; Identification of financial risks, opportunities and mitigation strategies; Variance and trend analysis; Year‑end forecast outturn and future year impact; Progress against efficiency programme targets; Workforce and activity trends and trajectories with financials. Develop KPIs to inform decision‑making, financial plans and forecasting. Hold the Division accountable for its financial practice, challenging poor performance and ensuring services are cost‑effective and provide best value. Work with Divisional Directors of Operations and Transformation and Improvement team to analyse and interpret complex financial and non‑financial data, benchmark and advise on improvement options, and develop and implement KPIs and performance reporting for productivity and efficiency programmes. Prepare annual budgets for Corporate and Estates Divisions, ensuring: Managers are fully involved in budget setting; Prior year cost pressures, developments and savings are considered and challenged where applicable; Divisional workforce plans are accurately reflected in budgets; Budgets are directly linked to planned and contracted activity levels; The Trust's budget setting framework is fully adhered to. Manage the aged debt position within the Divisions, overseeing debtor and creditor positions. Lead financial elements of peer comparator returns, including Corporate benchmarking and ERIC returns, and other system and regional submissions. Increase financial capability of Divisional management teams through financial awareness training and continuous support for budget managers and service leads. Provide input to the Trust's statutory financial reports. OTHER Line‑manage the Financial Efficiency Accountant, addressing performance conduct, sickness, grievance and bullying and harassment issues per Trust policies. Undertake annual appraisals and objective setting for continuous professional development, agreeing personal development plans to maximise performance. Ensure the Divisional management accounts team delivers a service meeting Finance department priorities and service requirements. Ensure staff health and safety. Develop, influence and implement Trust‑wide policies and processes with clinical, Corporate senior managers and departments for service delivery improvement. Take overall responsibility for procurement compliance, managing quotations, tenders and contracts per policy. Accountable to the Director of Finance for adherence to statutory accounting requirements, DHSC and NHSI/E accounting standards and Trust policies for internal control, corporate governance and reporting. Develop training and knowledge of managers on Trust's Standing Financial Instructions and core financial and budgetary procedures. PERSON SPECIFICATION Qualifications – Essential criteria 1st degree or equivalent CCAB fully qualified accountant with minimum five years post‑qualification experience in financial management within a large organisation and a member of a professional body. Evidence of CPD. Experience – Essential criteria In‑depth knowledge of current NHS agenda, challenges and financial regime. Experience advising on management of large budgets and providing financial advice to non‑financial managers in a clearly understood and authoritative manner. Expert knowledge of management accounting techniques and relevant Financial Reporting Standards. Expert knowledge of the NHS and its financial regime and of NHS service delivery. EEO STATEMENTS We are committed to equality and diversity. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and provide reasonable adjustments for people with disabilities. We are a Veteran Aware organisation and recognise the contribution of those who have served. Applications Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence programmes are used, the application may be rejected as they are an important part of the assessment process. Applicants seeking support with applications due to a declared disability may be accommodated. Certificate of Sponsorship Applicants who require Skilled Worker sponsorship will be considered where the role is eligible for a skilled worker visa and salary requirements are met. The role is not available for sponsorship in all circumstances. Eligibility requires: Current right to work in the UK, subject to verification. Qualification of the eligibility sponsorship criteria. From 4 April 2024, UK immigration policy changes have increased minimum salary levels for skilled workers. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website. Current employees should be aware that this position is advertised as a Great Western Hospitals position and appointment ends any TUPE protection. Candidates are responsible for covering the cost of their own DBS check if required: £21.50 for a standard DBS check, recoverable from the first pay, or £49.50 for an enhanced DBS check, divided and recoverable over the initial two pay periods. Payment for DBS checks for bank posts must be settled before commencement. Apprentices are exempt from DBS payment. We are committed to supporting staff in achieving a healthy work‑life balance through flexible work arrangements. Upon joining the Trust, you have the right to request flexible working, with an unlimited number of requests allowed. Upon acceptance of a job offer, your information will be transferred to the national NHS Electronic Staff Records System. All communication regarding your application will be conducted via email; please check your junk/spam folders as emails may occasionally be filtered there. Employer certification / accreditation badges Job Description (PDF, 232.6 KB) Recruitment Jobs Pack (PDF, 1.1 MB) #J-18808-Ljbffr