Job summary
The Business Manager is an integral part of the Observatorys workplan delivery. The role will include the undertaking of a wide range of managerial and administrative tasks to ensure the smooth running of the Observatorys business, contracting and finance functions, including key objectives agreed with the Observatorys Board.
Specifically, the postholder is responsible for:
- Oversight and management of the Observatorys Business Support Unit.
- Contract management of the Observatorys contract between NHS England and NHS Confederation.
- Developing and supporting effective processes for internal management
- Contributing to organisational performance reporting
- Supporting the Observatorys senior leadership team
Oversight of internal governance procedures
- Budget management and financial overview, in support of the Deputy Chief Executive
- Project management as and when required
Main duties of the job
As the Business Manager, you will be crucial in delivering the Observatorys workplan. You will manage various tasks to ensure the smooth running of our business, contracting, and finance functions. Your responsibilities will include:
- Oversight and management of the Observatorys Business Support Unit.
- Developing and supporting effective processes for internal management
- Contributing to organisational performance reporting
- Supporting the Observatorys senior leadership team
- Oversight of internal governance procedures
- Budget management and financial overview, in support of the Deputy Chief Executive
- Project management
About us
The NHS Race and Health Observatory (the Observatory) is an independent organisation that works to tackle ethnic and racial inequalities in health and healthcare experienced by patients, communities and the healthcare workforce. In doing so, it assesses aspirations in these areas as outlined in national healthcare policy, including those set-out in the NHS Long Term Plan. It is a proactive investigator, providing strong recommendations that inform policymaking and facilitate change. It is evidence-driven and solution-focused.
The Observatory is supported by NHS England and is hosted by NHS Confederation. Its Board and team are independent, and it dictates its own direction and areas of focus. The Observatory has three main functions:
- facilitating high-quality, and innovative research and evidence
- making strategic policy recommendations for change
- supporting the practical implementation of those recommendations.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Responsibilities
Finance
The postholder will:
- Oversee budget setting and financial management for the Observatory. This involves proactively. working with project leads in the Observatory to translate their work and future plans into budgets or forecasts
- Work with NHS Confederation finance colleagues to prepare and report on the Observatorys financial position at quarterly Board meetings.
- Act as a point of contact for internal and external queries associated with the Observatorys financial and business support functions.
- Work with NHS Confederation finance colleagues to ensure financial management of ongoing projects, including chasing invoices, ensuring purchase orders are raised etc.
- Identify and implement improvements to the RHOs finance processes.
Contract management
The postholder will ensure that the Observatorys Business Support Unit:
- Develops and maintains good working relationships with contract managers in stakeholder organisations through regular contact ensuring any potential issues relating to contracts are identified and resolved at an early stage.
- Takes ownership of logging and filing all contract records and documents on the online contract management system, alongside separate tracking on the Contract Register (managed on Excel)
- Manages and processes contract variation as appropriate.
- Develops and maintains robust systems for contract review and performance monitoring against planned activity ensuring the reports contain up to date, accurate information.
- Use contract date to create performance reports as appropriate.
- Identifies and actions improvements to contracting processes.
- Develops and maintains a contract risk register/issues log, working with the Observatorys policy and programme leads.
Good governance
The postholder will:
- Have oversight of internal governance policies and procedures.
- Oversee the provision of proactive business support to the Chief Executive and wider team; establish and continuously improve the organisations information systems and procedures to ensure an efficient and effective service and undertake reviews of systems and procedures as necessary.
- Lead on secretariat to the RHO Board.
Risk management
The postholder will:
- Support the implementation of a robust issues/risk management programme for all programmes of work across the Observatory, providing updates on progress, risks to delivery and project report where required.
- Provide analysis on ad-hoc issues, queries and projects as required.
Leadership
The postholder will:
- Lead as a senior manager, with line management responsibilities, in line with the values of the organisation.
- Provide effective and values-based leadership to the Business Support Unit, providing coaching and support to ensure that staff have the skills and capacity to effectively deliver the requirements of the organisation.
- Develop the annual plan for the BSU that will ensure the services required by the business are delivered on time and on budget.
- Oversee the continual learning and improvement in the standards of the finance service.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Responsibilities
Finance
The postholder will:
- Oversee budget setting and financial management for the Observatory. This involves proactively. working with project leads in the Observatory to translate their work and future plans into budgets or forecasts
- Work with NHS Confederation finance colleagues to prepare and report on the Observatorys financial position at quarterly Board meetings.
- Act as a point of contact for internal and external queries associated with the Observatorys financial and business support functions.
- Work with NHS Confederation finance colleagues to ensure financial management of ongoing projects, including chasing invoices, ensuring purchase orders are raised etc.
- Identify and implement improvements to the RHOs finance processes.
Contract management
The postholder will ensure that the Observatorys Business Support Unit:
- Develops and maintains good working relationships with contract managers in stakeholder organisations through regular contact ensuring any potential issues relating to contracts are identified and resolved at an early stage.
- Takes ownership of logging and filing all contract records and documents on the online contract management system, alongside separate tracking on the Contract Register (managed on Excel)
- Manages and processes contract variation as appropriate.
- Develops and maintains robust systems for contract review and performance monitoring against planned activity ensuring the reports contain up to date, accurate information.
- Use contract date to create performance reports as appropriate.
- Identifies and actions improvements to contracting processes.
- Develops and maintains a contract risk register/issues log, working with the Observatorys policy and programme leads.
Good governance
The postholder will:
- Have oversight of internal governance policies and procedures.
- Oversee the provision of proactive business support to the Chief Executive and wider team; establish and continuously improve the organisations information systems and procedures to ensure an efficient and effective service and undertake reviews of systems and procedures as necessary.
- Lead on secretariat to the RHO Board.
Risk management
The postholder will:
- Support the implementation of a robust issues/risk management programme for all programmes of work across the Observatory, providing updates on progress, risks to delivery and project report where required.
- Provide analysis on ad-hoc issues, queries and projects as required.
Leadership
The postholder will:
- Lead as a senior manager, with line management responsibilities, in line with the values of the organisation.
- Provide effective and values-based leadership to the Business Support Unit, providing coaching and support to ensure that staff have the skills and capacity to effectively deliver the requirements of the organisation.
- Develop the annual plan for the BSU that will ensure the services required by the business are delivered on time and on budget.
- Oversee the continual learning and improvement in the standards of the finance service.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of managing financial processes and contract management (note a formal finance/accounting qualification is not required as this level of financial support is provided by the NHS Confederation)
- Intermediate Excel skills (such as Pivot tables, VLookups)
- Budget management and forecasting experience.
- Strong understanding of procurement processes.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an ability to articulate financial information in a range of ways to a range of audiences including the board, senior managers, and staff.
- Ability to effectively lead teams and projects and willing to deliver any part of the Business Support Unit service if required.
- Demonstrable organisational and time management skills, with the ability of prioritising tasks and delivering results independently, even when faced with pressure and tight, frequently changing deadlines
- Strategic thinker with high analytical skills that deliver insight.
- Ability to deal with sensitive and contentious information with a high level of confidentiality at all times.
Desirable
- Understanding/experience of CRM systems (our contract management database is held on Microsoft Dynamics)
- Knowledge of contemporary health, race and equality policy, service delivery challenges and the wider NHS.
- Experience of leading a service delivery function through a period of change and transition
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of managing financial processes and contract management (note a formal finance/accounting qualification is not required as this level of financial support is provided by the NHS Confederation)
- Intermediate Excel skills (such as Pivot tables, VLookups)
- Budget management and forecasting experience.
- Strong understanding of procurement processes.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with an ability to articulate financial information in a range of ways to a range of audiences including the board, senior managers, and staff.
- Ability to effectively lead teams and projects and willing to deliver any part of the Business Support Unit service if required.
- Demonstrable organisational and time management skills, with the ability of prioritising tasks and delivering results independently, even when faced with pressure and tight, frequently changing deadlines
- Strategic thinker with high analytical skills that deliver insight.
- Ability to deal with sensitive and contentious information with a high level of confidentiality at all times.
Desirable
- Understanding/experience of CRM systems (our contract management database is held on Microsoft Dynamics)
- Knowledge of contemporary health, race and equality policy, service delivery challenges and the wider NHS.
- Experience of leading a service delivery function through a period of change and transition
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.