Assistant Director of Finance (XN11)

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

The closing date is 02 January 2025

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Job summary

We are seeking to appoint to the key leadership role of Assistant Director of Finance. Reporting into the Deputy Director of Finance, the postholder will provide strategic financial management support to a number of Clinical Services Units; including being the finance lead for a number of significant business cases and projects within Leeds and across West Yorkshire. This role will also lead the Trusts income and contracting function.

We are looking for a highly skilled and ambitious individual, who can lead by example in terms of promoting and upholding the Leeds Way values and will continue to drive a culture of continuous improvement within the Directorate consistent with the Leeds Improvement Method.

This would be an excellent role for an aspirant Director of Finance to work within a high performing function and Trust. We welcome applicants from all sectors with the relevant skills and experience to meet the remit of the role however, knowledge of NHS finances would be considered highly desirable. Most importantly, you will be an individual who operates with passion and integrity, demonstrates an inclusive and collaborative leadership style and upholds values which are aligned to those of our Trust.

We would particularly encourage applications from women and those from a BAME background to improve the diversity of the senior management team.

Flexible working applications will be considered.

Main duties of the job

Support and advise CSUs on strategic and operational issues

To contribute to the strategic financial planning activities of the Trust and, in particular, provide financial input to major capital developments including the corporate appraisal of differential options.

To lead, from a corporate perspective, the business planning activities of the Trust and contribute to the negotiations with the commissioners so that plans and service level agreements meet the objectives of the Trust.

To corporately assist the annual budget setting process and ensure that budgets set are reflective of agreed commissioner contracts and account for key issues such as cost pressures, developments and WRP delivery plans

To ensure that financial and budgetary information is available to all levels of the organisation in a timely and accurate manner.

To provide support and advice to all those with budgetary responsibility and ensure that all budget managers receive appropriate training and development to facilitate the best possible standards of patient care within available resources. Training and support should also be extended to non-budget holders such as Non-executive Directors.

To work with the Deputy Director of Finance and direct reports to develop and review financial systems, procedures and controls to ensure that the budgetary, accounting, income and expenditure systems operate efficiently to the highest professional standards.

About us

Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT) is one of the largest and busiest acute hospital trusts in the country currently rated Good by the CQC. Every year, LTHT provides healthcare and specialist services for people from the city of Leeds, Yorkshire and the Humber and beyond. We also play an important role in the training and education of medical, nursing and dental students and are a centre of world-class research and pioneering new treatments.

Our vision is to be the best for specialist and integrated care. Our staff helped to define the values and behaviours that we should work to so that we can achieve this vision. This has become known as The Leeds Way, and forms the foundation of our culture, our ethos and how we work every day. These values are

We are patient-centred;

We are fair;

We are collaborative;

We are accountable;

We are empowered.

Our Trust has a strong track record of financial performance.

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions.

Expected Shortlisting Date:

03/01/2025

Planned Interview Date:

16/01/2025

Date posted

13 December 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£88,168 to £101,677 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9298-FIN-0126

Job locations

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Job description

Job responsibilities

The post-holder is responsible for the financial management for several Clinical Service Units (CSU), leading the delivery of CSU financial plans and their translation into agreed budgets across the organisation, inclusive of the required waste reduction targets. In addition the post holder leads on improving the development of SLR / SLM with appropriate clinical engagement. They will lead on the production of accurate and timely monthly financial information for reports to the CSU triumvirate. They will be required to interpret complex and changing national policy and advise on the financial impact and expected duties coming out of the policy for the Trust and CSU.

In addition, the post-holder will lead on the provision of finance advice and support:

Ensure the most efficient and effective way of providing support and to provide the best possible service for customers and stakeholders both internal and external;

Develop and maintain the level of expert knowledge and skills the subject area requires;

Provide central coordination of some key requirements, working with and across CSUs;

Carry out necessary diagnostic and development work, identifying the impact on the Trust and then developing and implement the longer-term arrangements and policies, and;

Provide appropriate financial input and assurance into Trust-wide groups

The Assistant Director of Finance is responsible for:

Supporting and working closely with Directors and CSUs, implementing and developing policy and assessing organisational risk;

Leadership and management of their finance team, ensuring the provision of high quality, accurate and timely financial advice, business intelligence and information;

Undertaking the role of the senior finance lead responsible for communicating with external stakeholders, this to include involvement in contract negotiations, contract monitoring and service commissioning;

Provide the development and provision of financial skills training and resources for the CSU and non-finance managers across the organisation;

Have the corporate responsibility for overseeing the delivery of activity information provision to the CSU, and;

Have a key supporting role in the development of the following strategies i.e. Waste Reduction, Operational planning, Financial planning & information.

NHS Commissioner Contracts;

Managing the Trusts contract income position

The post-holder must deputise for the Deputy Director of Finance as appropriate and undertake all duties in line with the requirements of the role to support the Director of Finance in the delivery of financial governance and assurance, business and commercial advice across a range of capital and revenue service changes and corporate responsibilities as a senior member of the Trust.

The post-holder is accountable to the Deputy Director of Finance, both managerially and professionally. Whilst advice and guidance many be sought from more senior or specialist finance colleagues, the post holder is required to work autonomously using and interpreting organisational and broad occupational policies. The post-holder will also be required to interpret national policy which may be developing and unclear and therefore develop the required organisational policies and responses. Net expenditure budgets for individual CSUs can be in excess of £100m. The post-holder would be expected to oversee a number of CSUs at any one time.

The nature of the work will require close working with other finance colleagues and significant interaction with non-finance colleagues within and external to the Trust. It will involve supporting and reporting to levels including Executive and Non-Executive Directors. The success of the team will be underpinned by the development and maintenance of strong and effective partnership relationships.

The post holder is required to maintain their knowledge of current national and international accounting standards and NHS accounting and financial reporting requirements.

The post holder will:

Support and advise CSUs on strategic and operational issues

To contribute to the strategic financial planning activities of the Trust and, in particular, provide financial input to major capital developments including the corporate appraisal of differential options.

To lead, from a corporate perspective, the business planning activities of the Trust and contribute to the negotiations with the commissioners so that plans and service level agreements meet the objectives of the Trust.

To corporately assist the annual budget setting process and ensure that budgets set are reflective of agreed commissioner contracts and account for key issues such as cost pressures, developments and WRP delivery plans

To ensure that financial and budgetary information is available to all levels of the organisation in a timely and accurate manner.

To provide support and advice to all those with budgetary responsibility and ensure that all budget managers receive appropriate training and development to facilitate the best possible standards of patient care within available resources. Training and support should also be extended to non-budget holders such as Non-executive Directors.

To work with the Deputy Director of Finance and direct reports to develop and review financial systems, procedures and controls to ensure that the budgetary, accounting, income and expenditure systems operate efficiently to the highest professional standards

To co-ordinate the monitoring of financial performance against plan and advise the Deputy Director of Finance on major variances and year end projections.

To support clinical and non-clinical areas in the preparation of business cases, paying particular attention to the financial and economic appraisal of such cases and the linking of these cases to the overall financial strategy of the Trust.

To manage the team on a daily basis and provide leadership, direction and motivation through objective setting, regular performance reviews, training and development.

To independently interpret NHS guidance and ensure that Trust financial goals and standards are set to achieve the required guidance outputs.

To provide corporate assurance on all financial governance issues.

To contribute to the completion of all statutory returns and required monitoring information e.g. Annual Accounts, Regulator returns and Reference Cost submissions.

To support the development, production and submission of any financial planning models for NHSE or ICB.

To scan the horizon for potential commercial opportunities and risks and plan and develop strategies and mitigations appropriately in advising the Director of Finance and the Trust Board.

To oversee the provision of robust activity information across the organisation to support:

- Executive and Trust Board decision making;

- CSU decision making, and;

- Individual departmental decision making

To deputise as required for the Deputy Director of Finance at key meetings including both internally and to external stakeholders.

Take account of conflicting demands and complex facts, to analyse, interpret and evaluate a range of options for service developments.

The post-holder will be accountable for recruiting, managing and development a team of staff who will provide a professional service to the CSU / Trust. This will involve managing professional and personal development needs

Qualifications and Experience

Full Professional Accountancy qualification (CCAB or CIMA qualified)

Post graduate qualification to Masters level or equivalent experience.

Extensive financial management experience gained within a Finance Department at a senior management level which has included experience of:

A range of accounting areas and use of financial systems

Working autonomously and undertaking leadership responsibilities

Inspiring confidence and developing highly effective working relationships with finance, clinical and other non-finance colleagues, providing high quality advice

Leading successful projects or work-streams and achieving change, working in a business partnership with others

Constructively challenging information and assumptions

Presenting highly complex financial and non-financial information, including the delivery of formal presentations and leading financial discussions at meetings

Leading and managing finance teams with demonstrable success

Experience of designing finance skills training resources and delivering finance training.

Experience of leading high impact transformation cross cutting change projects within a complex environment

Experience of briefing and presenting to Board level, Executives and other senior officers

Experience of delivering complex and contentious WRP

Leading successful programmes or work-streams and achieving change, working in a business partnership with others

Knowledge and skills required

Expert knowledge of accounting concepts, conventions, policies and procedures and the requirements of the NHS financial regime and the legislative framework within which it operates.

Awareness and understanding of current NHS priorities and an advanced practical and theoretical knowledge of NHS legislation and development agendas.

Extensive knowledge and understanding of strategic and operational factors impacting on the financial performance of CSUs.

Extensive experience in providing impartial detailed financial advice and information to multi-disciplinary clinical and other management teams, obtaining engagement and ensuring key financial concepts and issues are clearly understood

Experience of supervising and leading staff, with knowledge including the techniques, required to lead, develop and maximise performance of staff.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post-holder is responsible for the financial management for several Clinical Service Units (CSU), leading the delivery of CSU financial plans and their translation into agreed budgets across the organisation, inclusive of the required waste reduction targets. In addition the post holder leads on improving the development of SLR / SLM with appropriate clinical engagement. They will lead on the production of accurate and timely monthly financial information for reports to the CSU triumvirate. They will be required to interpret complex and changing national policy and advise on the financial impact and expected duties coming out of the policy for the Trust and CSU.

In addition, the post-holder will lead on the provision of finance advice and support:

Ensure the most efficient and effective way of providing support and to provide the best possible service for customers and stakeholders both internal and external;

Develop and maintain the level of expert knowledge and skills the subject area requires;

Provide central coordination of some key requirements, working with and across CSUs;

Carry out necessary diagnostic and development work, identifying the impact on the Trust and then developing and implement the longer-term arrangements and policies, and;

Provide appropriate financial input and assurance into Trust-wide groups

The Assistant Director of Finance is responsible for:

Supporting and working closely with Directors and CSUs, implementing and developing policy and assessing organisational risk;

Leadership and management of their finance team, ensuring the provision of high quality, accurate and timely financial advice, business intelligence and information;

Undertaking the role of the senior finance lead responsible for communicating with external stakeholders, this to include involvement in contract negotiations, contract monitoring and service commissioning;

Provide the development and provision of financial skills training and resources for the CSU and non-finance managers across the organisation;

Have the corporate responsibility for overseeing the delivery of activity information provision to the CSU, and;

Have a key supporting role in the development of the following strategies i.e. Waste Reduction, Operational planning, Financial planning & information.

NHS Commissioner Contracts;

Managing the Trusts contract income position

The post-holder must deputise for the Deputy Director of Finance as appropriate and undertake all duties in line with the requirements of the role to support the Director of Finance in the delivery of financial governance and assurance, business and commercial advice across a range of capital and revenue service changes and corporate responsibilities as a senior member of the Trust.

The post-holder is accountable to the Deputy Director of Finance, both managerially and professionally. Whilst advice and guidance many be sought from more senior or specialist finance colleagues, the post holder is required to work autonomously using and interpreting organisational and broad occupational policies. The post-holder will also be required to interpret national policy which may be developing and unclear and therefore develop the required organisational policies and responses. Net expenditure budgets for individual CSUs can be in excess of £100m. The post-holder would be expected to oversee a number of CSUs at any one time.

The nature of the work will require close working with other finance colleagues and significant interaction with non-finance colleagues within and external to the Trust. It will involve supporting and reporting to levels including Executive and Non-Executive Directors. The success of the team will be underpinned by the development and maintenance of strong and effective partnership relationships.

The post holder is required to maintain their knowledge of current national and international accounting standards and NHS accounting and financial reporting requirements.

The post holder will:

Support and advise CSUs on strategic and operational issues

To contribute to the strategic financial planning activities of the Trust and, in particular, provide financial input to major capital developments including the corporate appraisal of differential options.

To lead, from a corporate perspective, the business planning activities of the Trust and contribute to the negotiations with the commissioners so that plans and service level agreements meet the objectives of the Trust.

To corporately assist the annual budget setting process and ensure that budgets set are reflective of agreed commissioner contracts and account for key issues such as cost pressures, developments and WRP delivery plans

To ensure that financial and budgetary information is available to all levels of the organisation in a timely and accurate manner.

To provide support and advice to all those with budgetary responsibility and ensure that all budget managers receive appropriate training and development to facilitate the best possible standards of patient care within available resources. Training and support should also be extended to non-budget holders such as Non-executive Directors.

To work with the Deputy Director of Finance and direct reports to develop and review financial systems, procedures and controls to ensure that the budgetary, accounting, income and expenditure systems operate efficiently to the highest professional standards

To co-ordinate the monitoring of financial performance against plan and advise the Deputy Director of Finance on major variances and year end projections.

To support clinical and non-clinical areas in the preparation of business cases, paying particular attention to the financial and economic appraisal of such cases and the linking of these cases to the overall financial strategy of the Trust.

To manage the team on a daily basis and provide leadership, direction and motivation through objective setting, regular performance reviews, training and development.

To independently interpret NHS guidance and ensure that Trust financial goals and standards are set to achieve the required guidance outputs.

To provide corporate assurance on all financial governance issues.

To contribute to the completion of all statutory returns and required monitoring information e.g. Annual Accounts, Regulator returns and Reference Cost submissions.

To support the development, production and submission of any financial planning models for NHSE or ICB.

To scan the horizon for potential commercial opportunities and risks and plan and develop strategies and mitigations appropriately in advising the Director of Finance and the Trust Board.

To oversee the provision of robust activity information across the organisation to support:

- Executive and Trust Board decision making;

- CSU decision making, and;

- Individual departmental decision making

To deputise as required for the Deputy Director of Finance at key meetings including both internally and to external stakeholders.

Take account of conflicting demands and complex facts, to analyse, interpret and evaluate a range of options for service developments.

The post-holder will be accountable for recruiting, managing and development a team of staff who will provide a professional service to the CSU / Trust. This will involve managing professional and personal development needs

Qualifications and Experience

Full Professional Accountancy qualification (CCAB or CIMA qualified)

Post graduate qualification to Masters level or equivalent experience.

Extensive financial management experience gained within a Finance Department at a senior management level which has included experience of:

A range of accounting areas and use of financial systems

Working autonomously and undertaking leadership responsibilities

Inspiring confidence and developing highly effective working relationships with finance, clinical and other non-finance colleagues, providing high quality advice

Leading successful projects or work-streams and achieving change, working in a business partnership with others

Constructively challenging information and assumptions

Presenting highly complex financial and non-financial information, including the delivery of formal presentations and leading financial discussions at meetings

Leading and managing finance teams with demonstrable success

Experience of designing finance skills training resources and delivering finance training.

Experience of leading high impact transformation cross cutting change projects within a complex environment

Experience of briefing and presenting to Board level, Executives and other senior officers

Experience of delivering complex and contentious WRP

Leading successful programmes or work-streams and achieving change, working in a business partnership with others

Knowledge and skills required

Expert knowledge of accounting concepts, conventions, policies and procedures and the requirements of the NHS financial regime and the legislative framework within which it operates.

Awareness and understanding of current NHS priorities and an advanced practical and theoretical knowledge of NHS legislation and development agendas.

Extensive knowledge and understanding of strategic and operational factors impacting on the financial performance of CSUs.

Extensive experience in providing impartial detailed financial advice and information to multi-disciplinary clinical and other management teams, obtaining engagement and ensuring key financial concepts and issues are clearly understood

Experience of supervising and leading staff, with knowledge including the techniques, required to lead, develop and maximise performance of staff.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Full Professional Accountancy qualification (CCAB or CIMA qualified)
  • Post graduate qualification to Masters level or equivalent experience.
  • Evidence of continuing professional and personal development

Experience

Essential

  • Extensive financial management experience gained within a Finance Department at a senior management level
  • Leading successful projects or work-streams and achieving change, working in a business partnership with others
  • Presenting highly complex financial and non-financial information, including the delivery of formal presentations and leading financial discussions at meetings
  • Leading and managing finance teams with demonstrable success
  • Experience of designing finance skills training resources and delivering finance training.
  • Experience of leading high impact transformation cross cutting change projects within a complex environment, delivering complex and contentious WRP

Desirable

  • Experience of working within NHS with/in organisations who face financial recovery
  • Experience of providing expert advice to Trust Board, Directors, Audit Committee etc.

Skills & Behaviours

Essential

  • Expert knowledge of accounting concepts, conventions, policies and procedures and the requirements of the NHS financial regime and the legislative framework within which it operates
  • Awareness and understanding of current NHS priorities and an advanced practical and theoretical knowledge of NHS legislation and development agendas
  • Extensive experience in providing impartial detailed financial advice and information to multi-disciplinary clinical and other management teams, obtaining engagement and ensuring key financial concept
  • Experience of supervising and leading staff, with knowledge including the techniques, required to lead, develop and maximise performance of staff
  • Demonstration of effective stakeholder management, with an on-going commitment to building and maintaining strong and effective partnerships and collaborations
  • A preparedness to take responsibility and work autonomously demonstrating a commitment to delivering results, a quality service and delivering at pace

Desirable

  • Staff management and development techniques
  • Knowledge of training techniques and best practice
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Full Professional Accountancy qualification (CCAB or CIMA qualified)
  • Post graduate qualification to Masters level or equivalent experience.
  • Evidence of continuing professional and personal development

Experience

Essential

  • Extensive financial management experience gained within a Finance Department at a senior management level
  • Leading successful projects or work-streams and achieving change, working in a business partnership with others
  • Presenting highly complex financial and non-financial information, including the delivery of formal presentations and leading financial discussions at meetings
  • Leading and managing finance teams with demonstrable success
  • Experience of designing finance skills training resources and delivering finance training.
  • Experience of leading high impact transformation cross cutting change projects within a complex environment, delivering complex and contentious WRP

Desirable

  • Experience of working within NHS with/in organisations who face financial recovery
  • Experience of providing expert advice to Trust Board, Directors, Audit Committee etc.

Skills & Behaviours

Essential

  • Expert knowledge of accounting concepts, conventions, policies and procedures and the requirements of the NHS financial regime and the legislative framework within which it operates
  • Awareness and understanding of current NHS priorities and an advanced practical and theoretical knowledge of NHS legislation and development agendas
  • Extensive experience in providing impartial detailed financial advice and information to multi-disciplinary clinical and other management teams, obtaining engagement and ensuring key financial concept
  • Experience of supervising and leading staff, with knowledge including the techniques, required to lead, develop and maximise performance of staff
  • Demonstration of effective stakeholder management, with an on-going commitment to building and maintaining strong and effective partnerships and collaborations
  • A preparedness to take responsibility and work autonomously demonstrating a commitment to delivering results, a quality service and delivering at pace

Desirable

  • Staff management and development techniques
  • Knowledge of training techniques and best practice

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 Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Employer's website

https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Employer's website

https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Deputy Director of Finance

Chris Ellison

chris.ellison@nhs.net

Date posted

13 December 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8d

Salary

£88,168 to £101,677 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working

Reference number

C9298-FIN-0126

Job locations

St. James's University Hospital

Beckett Street

Leeds

LS9 7TF


Supporting documents

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