Director of Finance

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Director of Finance (DOF) for the Leeds GP Confederation is to be the professional expert on finance ensuring that the Confederation meets all its legal requirements with regards to finance. The DOF is a key leadership role within the Confederation and will advise the Executive members and Strategic Board on the effective, efficient, and economic use of its funds, on remaining within that budget allocation and delivering required financial targets and duties.

The post holder is managerially responsible for the Finance Directorate. The team provides financial, economic and financial management expertise across a range of contracts, services and projects. This post holder has a pivotal role in engaging with stakeholders, negotiating and ensuring appropriate resource provision to them.

Working with the Chief Executive, the Director of Finance is responsible for the Confederations compliance with its financial, accounting information, obligations, and related duties. This includes responsibility for the effective management of the budget.

The role is specifically accountable for supervising the Confederations financial and accounting systems and for advising on the best possible stewardship of funds received. In addition, the DOF has day-to-day responsibility for financial matters including strategy development, governance, and management on behalf of the Confederation.

The role, as with all director roles, will be responsible for representing Primary care and being a voice of Primary Care at the ICB. Support Practice resilience & PCN development and support the sustainability of general practice. Enable the Co-ordination for PCN involvement in wider city structures and aid the implementation of ICB decisions agreed by GP representatives.

Responsible for the Provision of services on behalf of PCNs through development of initiatives, that support practices and ensuring value for money and management of independent income streams for Confed resilience as part of the financial sustainability plan.

Being an active member of the Leeds Health & Care Partnership including its finance colleagues. The finance team and its leader (this post) is required to be at the forefront of knowledge and expertise in NHS system change developments able to respond quickly, flexibly and effectively to big change challenges and requests for support from disparate areas. The post holder needs to ensure that their team is dynamic and able to draw on a variety of networks (internal and external to the Leeds GP Confederation) and capable of seamlessly partnering with others, both inside and outside the Confederation and the immediate Leeds health system, to make connections and provide and engage expert resources to enable change.

As a member of the Confederation executive, the Director of Finance also has a shared responsibility to ensure that the Confederation exercises its functions in accordance with good governance and within the terms of the Confederations articles of association as agreed by its members.

Ensure strong partnerships with commissioners and external providers, providing advice and leadership on issues relevant to contracts. Maintaining strong relationships with all relevant stakeholders.

Lead of corporate governance and compliance ensuring all financial and accounting duties are fully compliant maintaining and updating articles of association and shareholders/holdings.

Work closely with other members of the Executive to develop and implement new services ensuring that all necessary and relevant information is available and considered before any decisions are made.

Challenge as appropriate potential decisions to ensure the Financial Sustainability of the Confed is protected at all time and that processes are followed to ensure correct governance and compliance.

Strong communication is key to the success of the organisation and as such the Finance Director will ensure various methods of communication are used to be certain that complex financial information is fully understood and that the bigger picture is being considered not services/projects in isolation. Effective communication includes building strong relationships internally by means of regular calls and meetings with colleagues and the finance team.

Main purpose and duties

• The Director of Finance is the Confederations professional expert on finance and will ensure through robust systems and processes the regularity and propriety of expenditure is fully discharged.

• Day to day financial management and leadership of the Finance Function for the Confederation, to undertake a range of activities and provide financial leadership and expertise on behalf of the Confederation to a range of internal and external stakeholders.

• The Director of Finance is responsible for providing financial advice to the Confederation and for supervising financial control and accounting systems.

• The Director of Finance is responsible for making appropriate arrangements to support, monitor and report on the Confederations finances, and overseeing robust audit and governance arrangements leading to propriety in the use of Confederation resources.

• The Director of Finance is responsible for advising the Exec and Strategic Board on the effective, efficient, and economic use of its budget to remain within that allocation and deliver required financial targets and duties, and to promote continuous evaluation of existing services and development of alternatives that offer greater benefits.

• The Director of Finance is responsible for producing the financial statements for publication in accordance with legal requirements and to demonstrate effective stewardship of public money and accountability to taxpayers when required.

• The Director of Finance is responsible for ensuring the Confederation achieves required performance targets, advising of associated risks and the development of corrective action plans as required, and facilitating the achievement, monitoring and management of performance targets.

• The Director of Finance is responsible for the reporting of financial performance information for internal and external requirements.

• The Director of Finance is responsible for the oversight and effective development and management of contracts as agreed with the Chief Executive.

• The role is additionally responsible for the design & implementation of a comprehensive financial Tracking, Monitoring and Reporting process across the Confederation where appropriate that will be related to contracts and projects.

• Provide strategic finance leadership and expertise in all aspects of the development of all finance plans including financial and contract modelling, technical financial guidance on pathway redesign impact assessments and providing the Confederation leadership with a clear understanding of options and impact to support their decision making processes.

• The role includes being the line manager for the Finance Team which will act as a pool of finance experts of a range of levels of ability and support to the programmes and projects undertaken initiatives across the wider health system.

• Be the lead Finance expert on all processes and projects involved in developing, identifying and setting up programmes for the Confederation. This will involve the ability to fully interpret and understand complex provider and patient pathway information and translate these into detailed financial and economic models to then be used to as the basis for making recommendations for change and evaluating the system wide impact of changes.

• Working with external accountants to ensure corporate compliance regarding details filed with companies house and some duties commensurate with that of the company secretary.

• Ensuring strong relationships both internally and externally

• Contract negotiation and development of tenders/bids for new services

• Horizon scanning and strategic financial planning and business development

• Provide support and challenge- critical friend in all meetings to continually protect the Confed and highlight potential risks and mitigations.

• Effectively manage Conflicts of Interest

• Deputise for the Chief Executive Officer as and when required.

• Effectively communicate explain and deliver financial sustainability plans.

Role description

• To lead the development of the Confederations financial strategy.

• To maintain the financial stability of the Confederation as an organisation and to ensure it meets its financial objectives.

• To ensure that the Confederation is advised of, and complies with, legal and other financial duties and responsibilities.

• To ensure that all parts of the Confederation operate to the highest standards of financial management and performance criteria.

• To lead the development of first-class financial management, and performance and information systems at every level of the Confederation.

• Develop and agree the budget setting framework for the Confederation.

• To advise the Services Committee and Workforce Committee on all matters relating to effective Internal Control including audit, counter-fraud, and assurance.

• To ensure that where financial performance is unsatisfactory, robust recovery plans are developed and delivered.

• To provide professional leadership to the finance and performance function and staff with a particular focus on improving professional standards through training and development.

• Contribute to the establishment of a culture in which innovation is promoted and best practice is actively shared and adopted.

• Manage the effective identification of financial risks

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Accredited Accountancy qualification

Behaviours

Essential

• Demonstrates the values and behaviors of the Leeds GP Confederation
• Demonstrates commitment to continuously improving outcomes, tackling health inequalities, and delivering the best value for money for the taxpayer.
• Embraces effective governance, accountability and stewardship of public money and demonstrate an understanding of the principles of good scrutiny.
• Demonstrates commitment to improving patient services via the Confederation and to the wider interests of the health services.
• Committed to ensuring that the body remains in tune with the member practices.
• Brings a sound understanding of, and a commitment to upholding, the NHS principles and values as set out in the NHS Constitution.
• Demonstrates a commitment to upholding The Nolan Principles of Public Life along with an ability to reflect them in his/her leadership role and the culture of the Confederation.
• Committed to ensuring that the organisation values diversity and promotes quality and inclusivity in all aspects of its business.
• Considerate of social care principles and promote health and social care integration where this is in the patients best interest.

Experience

Essential

• Board level experience including working in a collective decision-making group such as a Board or committee.
• Board level experience including effective governance and risk management processes, performance and commissioning.
• Experience of the range of NHS including Commissioning and Provider experience.
• Knowledge of information governance and GDPR
• Knowledge of Primary care PCNs - PMS/GMS & APMS contracts etc.
• Experience of developing and implementing strong performance management systems against clear business objectives and organisational vision
• Track record of success and delivery in leadership roles including strategic development and delivery.
• Experience of senior level decision-making and delivery in an ambiguous and changing environment
• The confidence to question information and explanations supplied by others, who may be experts in their field

Strategic Thinking

Essential

• Able to create a compelling vision for the future and communicating this within and across the organisation.
• Experience of setting strategic business goals (income, growth areas, challenges)
• Able to think conceptually in order to plan flexibly for the longer term and continually identify opportunities for improvement.

Knowledge and Understanding

Essential

• Financially literate with the ability to critically review, challenge and effectively utilise financial information for decision-making.
• Able to understand the principles of value for money and challenge performance on this basis.
• Able to understand the requirements of effective financial governance and probity.
• Able to understand the requirements of effective performance frameworks and management.
• Able to understand the principles of commissioning including Payments by Results and apply to give high quality, value for money services.
• Able to understand the Confederations risk environment including knowledge and understanding of the strategies that have been adopted by the Confederation and the risks inherent in any transformation strategies.
• In-depth understanding of health and social care, and an appreciation of the broad social, political and economic trends influencing them.
• Able to understand and analyse complex issues, drawing on the breadth of data needed to inform Confederation decision-making
• Able to balance competing priorities and make difficult decisions.
• Sound understanding of the NHS principles and values as set out in the NHS Constitution

Leadership Skills

Essential

• Experience of leading and delivering business planning process.
• Experience of leading complex negotiations to a successful outcome
• Experience of working with and influencing in a political environment.
• Ability to provide inspiring entrepreneurial leadership.

Communication and Influencing

Essential

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to influence and persuade others articulating a balanced view and provide constructive challenge and feedback.
• Track record of strong commitment to active partnership working, stakeholder management and the development and sustaining a range of appropriate networks.
• Able to develop a clear and compelling organisational vision that describes the future strategy of the Confederation, and to effectively communicate this to a wide range of audiences.
• Politically astute and aware.
• Good understanding of the role of effective communications and engagement with patients, public, workforce and stakeholders in achieving/delivering Confederations objectives and maintaining the reputation of the NHS and Confederation.
• Highly resilient individual with the ability to cope under pressure.
• Flexible to both Lead and be hands on when required.
• Committed to the equalities agenda.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

Leeds GP Confederation

Address

Building 3, White Rose Office Park

Millshaw Park Lane

Leeds

LS11 0DL

Employer's website

https://www.leedsgpconfederation.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)