Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit

Finance Analyst

The closing date is 06 July 2025

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen within the CSU Finance team at Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit for a Finance Analyst to play a key role in delivering business finance support services.

We want a team player, who is proactive, resilient and driven to succeed, with a real commitment to work as part of the team taking the finance function forward and contributing to the CSU and our clients success. In return we offer great opportunities to become part of a vibrant organisation where passion and commitment forms part of our vision to provide high quality care to patients and services to our customers. We have demonstrated our strength, quality and positive culture of our finance team by achieving One NHS Finance Towards Excellence Accreditation highest level.

We are passionate about the NHS, client service and continuous improvement. We wish to add like-minded individuals to our team, in order to develop our business in a time of significant opportunity and to "make a difference".

Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit recognises the value of serving personnel, reservists, veterans, and military families bring to our business and would encourage people from the armed forces community to apply for our vacancies.

Please note for any NHS candidates in substantive roles applying for fixed terms contract positions (both for internal and external applicants), these have to be agreed on a secondment basis. Prior to applying for the position, you must discuss with your current Line Manager and HOS to ask permission to be released on a secondment basis, should you be successful in your application

Main duties of the job

The Finance Analyst will be pivotal in ensuring that the CSU meets its financial targets in terms of both income and margin generation. The role will be responsible for ensuring the effective use of financial resources by working with the Senior Business Partner, service leads and budget holders in order to manage financial risk.

The post holder will also be expected to provide financial advice and support to non-finance managers, discuss complex, contentious and / or sensitive issues with budget holders, managers and other senior officers within the CSU together with other stakeholders as appropriate.

The post holder should be an experienced Accountant who has brilliant management skills, who is comfortable compiling reports and holding meetings with different leaders to correlate data and support improvements and efficiencies.

ML is committed to our process of redeployment at risk members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all 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.

About us

The NHS is the biggest employer in Europe. It's a world-renowned institution and an exciting place to work, full of challenges and opportunities.

NHS Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit (MLCSU) is part of the NHS family, both 'of' and 'for' the NHS and are pivotal in supporting major improvements in health and wellbeing for organisations across our partner Integrated Care Systems (ICSs) and their populations. We are integral to the healthcare systems we work in partnership with, and our philosophy is to face every new challenge and opportunity together with our partners.

Our mission is to be a great place to work, to be great people to work with, striving to be better tomorrow than we are today.

Offering a full range of professional services to all parts of the NHS, other public bodies and the private sectors across the country, our NHS values underpin everything we do.

The CSU Finance team is a highly motivated team who perform at the highest standard to achieve its financial objectives.

In return, we provide a supportive environment in which to learn and develop, with the opportunity to further your skills and career within an exciting and evolving environment.

Joining our inclusive and innovative team comes with a range of benefits including flexible & agile working arrangements, pension scheme and generous annual leave allowance.

Details

Date posted

23 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

877-CSU-6310443-A

Job locations

To be confirmed dependent on candidate location. Default Leyland House

Leyland

PR26 6TR


Job description

Job responsibilities

CSU Financial Management and Control

  • Ensure an efficient finance function and to contribute to its day to day running
  • Ensures financial information is processed in accordance with procedures and investigates complex enquiries providing assistance and advice as required
  • Review and maintain the CSU general ledger in relation to all financial management aspects
  • Support the development of short, medium and long term financial plans
  • Generation and maintenance of standard operating procedures and ensuring their adherence to
  • Production of internal and external reports on financial performance incorporating commentary on variances to plans and forecasts
  • Play a key role in the success of the financial performance through the following across a number of divisions
  • Provide an outward facing, high quality and customer focused Finance Business partnering service to the Divisions and SBU. Provide financial information that is robust and accurate and to be able to influence budget holders to prioritise required actions
  • To provide high quality tools, information and data to enable budget managers to effectively and efficiently manage budgets and to support development of strategies to improve financial performance
  • To provide support to the delivery of an appropriate contribution margin leading to improved financial performance
  • To provide accounting and business information to clinical and non-clinical colleagues
  • To constructively and positively challenge all aspects of Division financial performance
  • To ensure that there is a robust control environment in place within the Divisions to ensure compliance with corporate governance procedures
  • Responsible for ensuring accurate sales invoicing and reviewing the status of the sales ledger

CSU Development Plans

  • Support continuous improvement initiatives to improve processes and systems, including greater automation, duplication elimination, consolidation and standardisation
  • Assist with scenario planning and quantitative and qualitative financial analysis
  • Produce financial plans and costings for procurements, service development proposals and skill mix changes for designated budget holders. Provide financial analysis and advise for new and existing Service Level Agreements
  • Support the development of financial and commercial training to non finance staff

Other

  • Help ensure that financial and other systems are fit for purpose and to generate reliable and accurate reports to allow stakeholders to make appropriate financial decisions and to assess financial risks
  • To ensure effective internal control is maintained, advising the Senior Business Partner of any weaknesses and to help to correct any problems

The duties and responsibilities outlined in this document are indicative and are not exhaustive. The post holder may be requested to carry out other tasks that are necessary.

Job description

Job responsibilities

CSU Financial Management and Control

  • Ensure an efficient finance function and to contribute to its day to day running
  • Ensures financial information is processed in accordance with procedures and investigates complex enquiries providing assistance and advice as required
  • Review and maintain the CSU general ledger in relation to all financial management aspects
  • Support the development of short, medium and long term financial plans
  • Generation and maintenance of standard operating procedures and ensuring their adherence to
  • Production of internal and external reports on financial performance incorporating commentary on variances to plans and forecasts
  • Play a key role in the success of the financial performance through the following across a number of divisions
  • Provide an outward facing, high quality and customer focused Finance Business partnering service to the Divisions and SBU. Provide financial information that is robust and accurate and to be able to influence budget holders to prioritise required actions
  • To provide high quality tools, information and data to enable budget managers to effectively and efficiently manage budgets and to support development of strategies to improve financial performance
  • To provide support to the delivery of an appropriate contribution margin leading to improved financial performance
  • To provide accounting and business information to clinical and non-clinical colleagues
  • To constructively and positively challenge all aspects of Division financial performance
  • To ensure that there is a robust control environment in place within the Divisions to ensure compliance with corporate governance procedures
  • Responsible for ensuring accurate sales invoicing and reviewing the status of the sales ledger

CSU Development Plans

  • Support continuous improvement initiatives to improve processes and systems, including greater automation, duplication elimination, consolidation and standardisation
  • Assist with scenario planning and quantitative and qualitative financial analysis
  • Produce financial plans and costings for procurements, service development proposals and skill mix changes for designated budget holders. Provide financial analysis and advise for new and existing Service Level Agreements
  • Support the development of financial and commercial training to non finance staff

Other

  • Help ensure that financial and other systems are fit for purpose and to generate reliable and accurate reports to allow stakeholders to make appropriate financial decisions and to assess financial risks
  • To ensure effective internal control is maintained, advising the Senior Business Partner of any weaknesses and to help to correct any problems

The duties and responsibilities outlined in this document are indicative and are not exhaustive. The post holder may be requested to carry out other tasks that are necessary.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working in a finance office environment

Qualifications

Essential

  • oExperienced/equivalent to degree level

Skills, Knowledge & Competencies

Essential

  • oExperience in preparing, and inputting ledger amendments for journals and budget transfers
  • oKnowledge of financial management processes and reporting requirements.

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • oExcellent analytical/numerical skills
Person Specification

Experience

Essential

  • Experience of working in a finance office environment

Qualifications

Essential

  • oExperienced/equivalent to degree level

Skills, Knowledge & Competencies

Essential

  • oExperience in preparing, and inputting ledger amendments for journals and budget transfers
  • oKnowledge of financial management processes and reporting requirements.

Personal Qualities

Essential

  • oExcellent analytical/numerical skills

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

Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit

Address

To be confirmed dependent on candidate location. Default Leyland House

Leyland

PR26 6TR


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

Midlands and Lancashire Commissioning Support Unit

Address

To be confirmed dependent on candidate location. Default Leyland House

Leyland

PR26 6TR


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Finance Manager

Ellie Marshall

Ellie.Marshall@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

23 June 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 5

Salary

£31,049 to £37,796 a year per annum

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

6 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working

Reference number

877-CSU-6310443-A

Job locations

To be confirmed dependent on candidate location. Default Leyland House

Leyland

PR26 6TR


Supporting documents

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