Job summary
The Royal Marsden is seeking an outstanding finance leader as Director of Finance: Operations to help shape the future of the finance team. We are looking for an individual who combines financial expertise with the ability to navigate the unique dual nature of their work, serving both NHS and private patients, while embracing and enhancing the distinctive culture of a unique specialist Trust.
As The Royal Marsden faces new challenges and growing demands, we need a leader who can think differently, influence thoughtfully, and support a shift towards greater financial resilience and strategic agility. This role will be instrumental in embedding a strong and stable finance leadership structure, one that enables transformation, drives performance, and reinforces The Royal Marsden's continued standard of excellence.
If you bring energy, vision, and the passion to lead a high-performing finance function that supports world-class care and innovation, we would love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
As Director of Finance: Operations, you will lead the Trust's operational finance function and deputise for the Chief Financial Officer. You will be responsible for ensuring the Trust's compliance with NHS financial regulations, overseeing the development and delivery of the financial plan, and supporting the organisation's broader strategic objectives. A key part of this role involves working collaboratively with commissioners and the Executive Team to negotiate effective contracts and optimise financial outcomes.You will play a central role in embedding a business-focused, high-performing finance function that enables operational excellence, supports clinical and corporate decision-making, and ensures financial rigour across all areas. This includes leading on financial planning and performance, overseeing the delivery of annual cost improvement programmes, and ensuring the production of high-quality statutory reports, including the annual accounts.
About us
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals - one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey - as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.
At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.
At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will also provide leadership on financial systems, controls, and policies, working closely with internal and external auditors and regulatory bodies.Beyond technical expertise, you will manage and develop a skilled finance team, fostering a culture of openness, innovation, and continuous improvement. You will ensure alignment of the finance function with the Trusts workforce plans, contribute to the wider strategic direction, and represent the CFO when required. Ultimately, you will shape a finance function that acts as a key enabler of performance, change, and resilience in one of the UK's leading specialist Trusts.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will also provide leadership on financial systems, controls, and policies, working closely with internal and external auditors and regulatory bodies.Beyond technical expertise, you will manage and develop a skilled finance team, fostering a culture of openness, innovation, and continuous improvement. You will ensure alignment of the finance function with the Trusts workforce plans, contribute to the wider strategic direction, and represent the CFO when required. Ultimately, you will shape a finance function that acts as a key enabler of performance, change, and resilience in one of the UK's leading specialist Trusts.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- CCAB recognised accountancy qualification
- Management qualification or equivalent experience
- Continuing Professional Development
- Relevant master's degree qualification or equivalent experience
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable relevant experience in finance at a senior management level
- Experience in Business Planning processes
- Experience at working at a strategic level, able to recognise direction and implications of policy
- A thorough understanding of the NHS, its strategic directions and implications
- Experience producing annual report and accounts
Desirable
- Understanding of the contracting and commissioning process
Skills, abilities and knowledge
Essential
- Able to demonstrate sound analytical skills with the ability to deal effectively with large quantities of complex data, both financial and non-financial and producing clear and understandable recommendations from it
- Good knowledge of the Trust, its aims, targets to be delivered, structures and activities
- Able to demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the NHS as a whole, its strategic direction and implications of policy
- Able to make effective contributions to the decision making process within the Division/Directorate and more widely for the Trust
- Able to ensure that the finance department matches operational needs of the Trust
- Able to contribute to the strategic direction of the Trust and to approach issues with a broad view
- Excellent communication skills and be able to communicate highly complex, highly sensitive or highly contentious financial information effectively and persuasively, both verbally and in writing to all levels of the organisation
- Able to predict or calculate the resources and/or time needed for an activity using knowledge and experience and aware of the need to make realistic predictions and contingency plans
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- CCAB recognised accountancy qualification
- Management qualification or equivalent experience
- Continuing Professional Development
- Relevant master's degree qualification or equivalent experience
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable relevant experience in finance at a senior management level
- Experience in Business Planning processes
- Experience at working at a strategic level, able to recognise direction and implications of policy
- A thorough understanding of the NHS, its strategic directions and implications
- Experience producing annual report and accounts
Desirable
- Understanding of the contracting and commissioning process
Skills, abilities and knowledge
Essential
- Able to demonstrate sound analytical skills with the ability to deal effectively with large quantities of complex data, both financial and non-financial and producing clear and understandable recommendations from it
- Good knowledge of the Trust, its aims, targets to be delivered, structures and activities
- Able to demonstrate a detailed knowledge of the NHS as a whole, its strategic direction and implications of policy
- Able to make effective contributions to the decision making process within the Division/Directorate and more widely for the Trust
- Able to ensure that the finance department matches operational needs of the Trust
- Able to contribute to the strategic direction of the Trust and to approach issues with a broad view
- Excellent communication skills and be able to communicate highly complex, highly sensitive or highly contentious financial information effectively and persuasively, both verbally and in writing to all levels of the organisation
- Able to predict or calculate the resources and/or time needed for an activity using knowledge and experience and aware of the need to make realistic predictions and contingency plans
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.
