Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Finance Business Partner - Costing & Reporting

The closing date is 19 February 2026

Job summary

Do you want to lead costing and reporting in a strong, solution-focussed Finance team at an 'Outstanding' NHS Trust?

Berkshire Healthcare is seeking a proactive and innovative Costings Lead. The role sits at the heart of our dedicated costing and reporting function. You'll lead the development and delivery of Service Line Reporting (SLR), Patient Level Information and Costing Systems (PLICS), lead national and local Cost Collections and provide senior oversight of key reporting requirements.

You'll thrive in a project-based role, enjoy autonomy and collaboration, building strong internal relationships, and turning complex data into meaningful insight to influence and improve services for patients and staff.

You'll be part of a supportive and driven team who are passionate about professional development, and you'll have opportunities to upskill and take on new responsibilities. We have the scope to consider a development role from Band 7 to Band 8a, so welcome applicants meeting many criteria who wish to develop their experience to this level.

You'll join an innovative Trust rated as 'Outstanding' by the CQC and recognised as a Global Digital Exemplar. We have an active Quality Improvement culture which is embedded in our Finance team. We're consistently recognised as a great place to work in NHS staff surveys.

This is permanent, full-time position (Mon-Fri, 9-5), with flexibility around core hours. Your main base is Bracknell with ample opportunity for home working.

Main duties of the job

  • Lead the Trust's costing function, including Service Line Reporting (SLR), Patient Level Information and Costing Systems (PLICS), and national and local cost collections, ensuring compliance with NHS guidance.

  • Take a senior role in the planning, coordination, and delivery of National Cost Collection submissions, working closely with internal and external stakeholders.

  • Oversee and support key reporting activity, balancing annual, monthly, and ad-hoc requirements, and providing senior cover and assurance.

  • Work in partnership with clinical and operational teams toidentifygaps in information, improve data quality, and develop practical, value-adding processes.

  • Translate complex costing and reporting data into clear, accessible insight to support decision making and quality improvement.

  • Support and embed a Quality Improvement mindset, using costing and reporting insight to unlock improvement opportunities across services.

  • Line manage and develop members of the costing and reporting team, fostering a culture of accountability, learning, and continuous improvement.

  • Collaborate with IM&T, informatics, and finance colleagues to improve system integration and automate processes where possible.

  • Represent the Trust at relevant internal, regional, or national costing and reporting forums.

Applications for this role will be processed as received, so we encourage you to apply as soon as possible, as vacancies may close early.

About us

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated 'outstanding' by the CQC, we're committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire. As an employer, we're committed to offering an inclusive and compassionate environment where our people share in a sense of belonging and are supported to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare are:

  • Caring for and about you is our top priority
  • Committed to providing good quality, safe services
  • Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

Your wellbeing is important to us. Some of the benefits of working for us include:

  • Flexible working options to support work-life balance
  • 27 days' annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell
  • Generous NHS pension scheme
  • Excellent learning and career development opportunities
  • 'Cycle to Work' and car leasing scheme including electric vehicles
  • Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services
  • Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants
  • Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities, the environment and armed forces community to support equality
  • Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave
  • Free parking across Trust sites

Details

Date posted

29 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,888 to £64,880 a year per annum (inc. of HCAS)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-TAP-CS3301

Job locations

London House

London Road

Bracknell

RG12 2UT


Job description

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

  • CCAB qualified (OR working towards qualification, OR equivalent relevant professional accounting experience)
  • Experience in costing and financial reporting
  • Experience in cost collection submissions, OR transferable skills from equivalent costing projects (e.g.: time-based absorption costing), OR a good understanding and drive to learn for a development role
  • Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to communicate complex concepts to finance and non-finance colleagues
  • Solution orientated with a strong focus on quality improvement

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Alex Packard on 01344415810 or email alex.packard@berkshire.nhs.uk wholl be delighted to help.

Please note, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The must haves for this role:

  • CCAB qualified (OR working towards qualification, OR equivalent relevant professional accounting experience)
  • Experience in costing and financial reporting
  • Experience in cost collection submissions, OR transferable skills from equivalent costing projects (e.g.: time-based absorption costing), OR a good understanding and drive to learn for a development role
  • Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to communicate complex concepts to finance and non-finance colleagues
  • Solution orientated with a strong focus on quality improvement

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification.

We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted.

Were committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community. Our commitment to inclusion is reflected in our accreditations: Race Equality Matters Silver Trailblazer, Neurodiversity in Business Corporate Member, Disability Confident Leader, Carer Confident Level 2, and the Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award. Reasonable adjustments will be provided to candidates as needed.

We welcome a conversation about flexibility and any other questions you may have. Please dont hesitate to call: Alex Packard on 01344415810 or email alex.packard@berkshire.nhs.uk wholl be delighted to help.

Please note, we may close this role earlier than the advertised closing date, so please submit your application as soon as possible.

Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • CCAB Professional Qualification

Continuous Professional Development

Essential

  • Evidence of continued CPD

Previous Experience

Essential

  • At least 3 years general accounting experience in a large and complex organisation
  • Experience in costing systems, SLR and PLICS
  • Experience of supporting or leading a National Cost Collection submission

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Ability to build and maintain strong collaborative relationships and influence across all levels, both inside and outside of the organisation
  • Knowledge and understanding of NHS guidance for statutory and mandatory costing returns.
  • High level of IT literacy with experience in use of finance system and reporting tools
  • Advanced data analysis skills, with ability to identify and utilise information from a range of sources, being clear their limitations and risk
  • Ability to analyse highly complex and sensitive information and appropriately communicate this in a clear and concise manner to colleagues at all levels
  • Ability to manage and prioritise own workload to meet deadlines
  • Ability to work autonomously and set own priorities

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • Strong commitment to both the Trusts and NHS principles and values
  • Demonstrable understanding of personal and professional accountability and how that drives standards within a team
Person Specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential

  • CCAB Professional Qualification

Continuous Professional Development

Essential

  • Evidence of continued CPD

Previous Experience

Essential

  • At least 3 years general accounting experience in a large and complex organisation
  • Experience in costing systems, SLR and PLICS
  • Experience of supporting or leading a National Cost Collection submission

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential

  • Ability to build and maintain strong collaborative relationships and influence across all levels, both inside and outside of the organisation
  • Knowledge and understanding of NHS guidance for statutory and mandatory costing returns.
  • High level of IT literacy with experience in use of finance system and reporting tools
  • Advanced data analysis skills, with ability to identify and utilise information from a range of sources, being clear their limitations and risk
  • Ability to analyse highly complex and sensitive information and appropriately communicate this in a clear and concise manner to colleagues at all levels
  • Ability to manage and prioritise own workload to meet deadlines
  • Ability to work autonomously and set own priorities

Additional Requirements

Essential

  • Strong commitment to both the Trusts and NHS principles and values
  • Demonstrable understanding of personal and professional accountability and how that drives standards within a team

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

London House

London Road

Bracknell

RG12 2UT


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust

Address

London House

London Road

Bracknell

RG12 2UT


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Finance & Performance

Alex Packard

alex.packard@berkshire.nhs.uk

01344415810

Details

Date posted

29 January 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£57,888 to £64,880 a year per annum (inc. of HCAS)

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

371-TAP-CS3301

Job locations

London House

London Road

Bracknell

RG12 2UT


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

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