Job summary
The Group Director of Operational Finance plays a crucial role in ensuring the financial health and sustainability of our Trust. The role leads delivery of financial services and management to support our operational objectives while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements and best practices. This position requires strong leadership skills, financial insight, deep understanding of financial management, and the ability to deliver high-quality, cost-effective healthcare services.
Main duties of the job
The Group Director of Operational Finance will be accountable for delivering financial operational targets and continuously striving to exceed customer expectations. Central to the success of this role is building a culture of high performance, continuous improvement and getting the basics right, whilst operating in a financially challenged and evolving organisation.
The Group Director of Operational Finance will provide leadership for the Group shared service function, providing a core finance service to our local sites and our Group Support Service teams, encompassing all operational finance activities including financial planning & reporting, corporate finance, financial control, financial performance, financial management and partnering.
The post will be responsible for delivering a high quality, effective, professional and efficient service across the organisation including provision of quality financialinformation.
About us
Our Group is situated in the beautiful county of Lincolnshire, serving a population of more than 750,000 people. Lincolnshire is such a wonderful place to live and work with many opportunities to grow and develop as well as spend time on hobbies, activities and taking in local historic sites. Find out more on the Visit Lincolnshire website.
Our Group provides community, acute and specialist services to people in Lincolnshire and neighbouring counties. Our 2023/24 Group annual income was c£874m, and we employ approximately 11,000 WTE staff.
We provide services at Lincoln County Hospital, Grantham and District Hospital and Pilgrim Hospital, Boston, as well as running services from community hospital sites and other community locations across Lincolnshire.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Ensure that each organisation receives high quality financial services, including ensuring the maintenance of robust financial controls and systems, rigorous working capital, cash flow management and effective financial reports of historic and prospective financial performance information.
Responsible for ensuring that each organisation obtains best value for money from its financial systems and services and provides professional support to all financial services and control departments.
Provide the financial framework and guidelines for each organisations annual plans and ensure they are consistent with the long-term strategy and objectives.
Lead budget setting and financial planning process for the Group, leveraging best practice and automation where beneficial.
Develop clear insight into the key challenges across the Group and work to ensure that Directorates and business units monitor trends and areas of concern or strategic importance.
Work with the Group Chief Finance Officer to develop and implement in- year financial strategies necessary to meet the Trusts financial requirements.
Provide effective financial management and control systems so each organisation meets its statutory financial duties.
Provide valuable KPIs and insight to the Group in delivery of key plans and objectives.
Manage and report on the Trust compliance with the Public Sector Payments Policy (PSPP). Actively manage performance in line with PSPP requirements by identifying and implementing strategies to continuously improve compliance and consider the value of alternative delivery models.
Maintain stringent liquidity controls through effective long term cash management.
Focus on improving processes and controls with clear lines of ownership, schedule of activities and cadence for monitoring performance against target.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Ensure that each organisation receives high quality financial services, including ensuring the maintenance of robust financial controls and systems, rigorous working capital, cash flow management and effective financial reports of historic and prospective financial performance information.
Responsible for ensuring that each organisation obtains best value for money from its financial systems and services and provides professional support to all financial services and control departments.
Provide the financial framework and guidelines for each organisations annual plans and ensure they are consistent with the long-term strategy and objectives.
Lead budget setting and financial planning process for the Group, leveraging best practice and automation where beneficial.
Develop clear insight into the key challenges across the Group and work to ensure that Directorates and business units monitor trends and areas of concern or strategic importance.
Work with the Group Chief Finance Officer to develop and implement in- year financial strategies necessary to meet the Trusts financial requirements.
Provide effective financial management and control systems so each organisation meets its statutory financial duties.
Provide valuable KPIs and insight to the Group in delivery of key plans and objectives.
Manage and report on the Trust compliance with the Public Sector Payments Policy (PSPP). Actively manage performance in line with PSPP requirements by identifying and implementing strategies to continuously improve compliance and consider the value of alternative delivery models.
Maintain stringent liquidity controls through effective long term cash management.
Focus on improving processes and controls with clear lines of ownership, schedule of activities and cadence for monitoring performance against target.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- CCAB / CIMA qualification or equivalent and current professional registration
- Management qualification at degree level or equivalent experience
- Evidence of recent management and leadership development
- Evidence of continuous professional and personal development
Desirable
- Postgraduate management qualification
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience at senior leadership role in either an acute or community Trust within the NHS or other large complex organisation
- Experience of effective partnerships and working with internal and external stakeholders
- Significant Experience leading finance operations including financial services, financial control and cash flow management.
- Must be able to demonstrate substantial experience in financial management of both capital and revenue budgets; including evidence of cost improvements/efficiencies as well as in financial planning.
- Experience of managing within a change-oriented environment
- A proven track record in project management, managing and delivering highly complex and multiple projects across functional boundaries
- Experience of delivering complex change programmes
- Experience of cultivating a high performance culture
Desirable
- Knowledge and experience of a variety of public and private sector financial management systems and processes
- Experience of combining teams and driving high performing culture
- Experience of implementing / leading Robotic Programme Automation.
- To have demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the NHS and its culture.
- Deputy or Director level experience
Evidence of Particular Knowledge, skills and Aptitudes
Essential
- Proven track record of sound financial management
- Developing and implementing strategies and savings plans
- Evidence of continual improvement in a challenging setting.
- Able to interpret and provide judgement on highly complex facts or situations
- Able to manage a multiplicity of targets and objectives
Desirable
- Awareness of a broad range of management specialties
- Knowledge of NHS policies and regulations
- Able to judge value for money in its broadest sense
- Able to analyse highly complex and technical information within tight timescales
- Demonstrates detailed "risk" management" judgements in the development of responses to financial / business and quality challenges
Personal Skills
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate strategic thinking across a range of organisational issues
- Leadership skills combined with a range of management competencies
- Strong intellect with the capability to analyse complex multi-disciplinary problems
- Good interpersonal skills and the ability to respond appropriately to a wide range of people including clinical staff
- Ability to influence and motivate staff at all levels (include Board level) through the use of integrity, influence and credibility Willingness to challenge others and win support for new ideas
- Ability to communicate complex financial information to non-finance members of staff across organisational hierarchy.
- Advises Board members
- Able to work collaboratively with partner organisations
- Must inspire others and lead by good example to deliver change
- Ability to present very complex, sensitive and contentious information to a range of colleagues and in a variety of media.
- Proven negotiating skills
- Ability to Manage conflict and communicate in a hostile or emotive atmosphere
Desirable
- Advocate of partnership working and collaboration
- Able to promote and market
- Able to manage communication with external bodies, in other industries (eg Universities) in a proactive manner
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- CCAB / CIMA qualification or equivalent and current professional registration
- Management qualification at degree level or equivalent experience
- Evidence of recent management and leadership development
- Evidence of continuous professional and personal development
Desirable
- Postgraduate management qualification
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience at senior leadership role in either an acute or community Trust within the NHS or other large complex organisation
- Experience of effective partnerships and working with internal and external stakeholders
- Significant Experience leading finance operations including financial services, financial control and cash flow management.
- Must be able to demonstrate substantial experience in financial management of both capital and revenue budgets; including evidence of cost improvements/efficiencies as well as in financial planning.
- Experience of managing within a change-oriented environment
- A proven track record in project management, managing and delivering highly complex and multiple projects across functional boundaries
- Experience of delivering complex change programmes
- Experience of cultivating a high performance culture
Desirable
- Knowledge and experience of a variety of public and private sector financial management systems and processes
- Experience of combining teams and driving high performing culture
- Experience of implementing / leading Robotic Programme Automation.
- To have demonstrable knowledge and understanding of the NHS and its culture.
- Deputy or Director level experience
Evidence of Particular Knowledge, skills and Aptitudes
Essential
- Proven track record of sound financial management
- Developing and implementing strategies and savings plans
- Evidence of continual improvement in a challenging setting.
- Able to interpret and provide judgement on highly complex facts or situations
- Able to manage a multiplicity of targets and objectives
Desirable
- Awareness of a broad range of management specialties
- Knowledge of NHS policies and regulations
- Able to judge value for money in its broadest sense
- Able to analyse highly complex and technical information within tight timescales
- Demonstrates detailed "risk" management" judgements in the development of responses to financial / business and quality challenges
Personal Skills
Essential
- Ability to demonstrate strategic thinking across a range of organisational issues
- Leadership skills combined with a range of management competencies
- Strong intellect with the capability to analyse complex multi-disciplinary problems
- Good interpersonal skills and the ability to respond appropriately to a wide range of people including clinical staff
- Ability to influence and motivate staff at all levels (include Board level) through the use of integrity, influence and credibility Willingness to challenge others and win support for new ideas
- Ability to communicate complex financial information to non-finance members of staff across organisational hierarchy.
- Advises Board members
- Able to work collaboratively with partner organisations
- Must inspire others and lead by good example to deliver change
- Ability to present very complex, sensitive and contentious information to a range of colleagues and in a variety of media.
- Proven negotiating skills
- Ability to Manage conflict and communicate in a hostile or emotive atmosphere
Desirable
- Advocate of partnership working and collaboration
- Able to promote and market
- Able to manage communication with external bodies, in other industries (eg Universities) in a proactive manner
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
