Job summary
Employer heading
Deputy Head of Finance
Band 8a
Job overview
The purpose of the post is to support the senior business unit teams. The post will provide in depth analytical support to their Head of Finance. The Deputy Head of Finance will represent the finance function at Management & Operational meetings and provide strategic financial and business planning advice in line with Trust objectives. The post holder is expected to interpret Trust policy and be skilled in presenting highly complex, and sometimes uncomfortable, information and make persuasive arguments for a course of action to a range of senior managers.
Main duties of the job
The Deputy Head of Finance will provide expert knowledge on financial issues in the context of NHS finance policies and will be experienced in financial management.
At all times the Deputy Head of Finance must ensure that statutory, NHS and other returns conform to national accounting standards to reflect a true and fair view and meet national and Trust timescales. The post holder must adhere to Professional Bodies’ requirement for Continuing Professional Development, maintain an understanding of changes in the NHS Financial Regime and, guided by national policy, develop implementation strategies.
The Deputy Head of Finance is expected to ensure that finance systems and processes are appropriate and efficient to meet the business needs of the Trust.
Working for our organisation
Our Trust
Cambridge University Hospitals (CUH) NHS Foundation Trust comprises Addenbrooke’s Hospital and the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge. With over 13,000 staff and over 1100 beds the priorities of the Trust focus on a quality service which is all about people – patients, staff and partners. Recognised as providing ‘outstanding’ care to our patients and rated ‘Good’ overall by the Care Quality Commissioner, is testament to the skill and dedication of the people who work here. CUH’s values – Together - Safe, Kind, Excellent – are at the heart of patient care, defining the way all staff work and behave. The Trust provides accessible high-quality healthcare for the local people of Cambridge, together with specialist services, dealing with rare or complex conditions for a regional, national and international population.
CUH is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive community - a place where we can all be ourselves. We value our differences and fully advocate and support an inclusive working environment where every individual can fulfil their potential. We want to ensure our people are truly representative of all the communities that we serve. We welcome applications for all positions in the organisation irrespective of people’s age, disability, ethnicity, race, nationality, gender identity, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity status or social economic background.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see the attached Applicant Information Pack (combined Job Description and Person Specification) for key duties and responsibilities.
Please note:- Internal applicants on permanent contracts can only apply for this post as a secondment and must have the approval of your current line manager before applying.
This vacancy will close at midnight on the 7th November 2024.
Interviews are due to be held on w/c 11th November 2024.
Benefits to you
At Cambridge University Hospitals, we want to do all we can to support good working days. We offer development opportunities and a wide range of benefits, including on-site leisure facilities, shopping concourse and day nurseries. Our good work programme currently includes providing reduced cost Stagecoach bus travel to and from Cambridge University Hospital site. Park and Ride bus journeys between Babraham Road and Trumpington sites are free, as is the route to and from Cambridge train station and our hospitals. We also subsidise the cost of parking on site for eligible staff.
On CUH campus, hot food is available 24/7 and at a reduced cost for colleagues. Recently we launched the first of our staff pod break spaces. Located in the Deakin Centre, we have a purpose-created colleague-only café, with free tea and coffee, a break space and private outside area for colleagues to rest, refuel and recharge. Just one of the ways we are working hard to support good working days at CUH.
CUH is committed to assisting employees in achieving a good work-life balance irrespective of role or personal circumstances. Flexible arrangements may include, but are not limited to, part-time working, job-share, term-time working and flexible start and finish times.
Please note if you would like to discuss the required hours of this role further, you should approach the contact given. In some cases, alternative working hours will be considered.
We welcome applications from the Armed Forces.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Completion of, or actively studying towards (with relevant experience), a Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) recognised accountancy qualification, or equivalent experience
Desirable criteria
- Degree level qualification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Advanced technical & personal skills and competencies acquired from experience across a range of accountancy functions at a senior level.
- Experience of motivating and developing a team to achieve desired objectives.
- Experience of staff performance management including undertaking appraisals and setting objectives.
Desirable criteria
- NHS or other public sector organisation experience
- Experience in a Commercial organisation
- Experience of budget setting software
- Experience of a large complex organisation along with an understanding of the operational aspects of the organisation
- Post-qualification experience in a Financial Management role
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- Advanced knowledge of, and competence in, the use of spreadsheets. Managing large volumes of data to create and develop models using advance spreadsheets techniques.
- Understand and be able to apply the concepts and techniques of: • Budgeting and financial planning • Costing and pricing • Variance analysis and financial reporting • The purpose of accounting accruals and provisions
Desirable criteria
- An understanding of NHS accounting and reporting issues and the application of these within a Trust like CUH
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to negotiate and influence so that efficient and effective performance is achieved and targets are met.
- Prepared to lead on department issues and to take responsibility, without supervision, for implementation of policy and annual objectives across the organisation.
- Developed level of interpersonal skills that enable complex, technical issues to be explained in clear and concise terms.
- Ability to develop good working relationships at all levels within the organisation.
- A willingness to accept responsibility and provide decisive leadership in a high pressure environment.
- Developed skills in analysing complex financial data and information and producing concise and understandable recommendations from it.
- Able to plan and co-ordinate the work of their team and of other departments inside and outside of Finance to meet business planning timetables.
- Experience of negotiating and agreeing deadlines, standards and quality of work with other departments.
- Able to work on a number of projects simultaneously to meet agreed internal and statutory deadlines, concentrating and focusing on a range of issues in particular during the monthly reporting and annual business planning cycles, whilst co-ordinating the workload of others.
Desirable criteria
- Ability to understand client needs in a diverse organisation
Additional Requirements
Essential criteria
- The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Sophie Grange
- Job title
- Personal Assistant to Senior Finance Team
- Email address
- [email protected]
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