The Deputy Director of Finance-Financial Control is a pivotal very senior member of the Chief Finance Officer's leadership team, supporting the delivery of the Trust's aims and improvements in quality, efficiency and effectiveness, deputising for the Director of Finance when required.

The post operates at a Strategic level, working with senior finance colleagues within the Trust and BOB ICS, representing the Trust at BOB ICS Deputies groups, communicating and negotiating financial settlements for the Trust, for which the post holder will have significant freedom to act. This requires expert knowledge of healthcare financial mechanisms, an ability to work at a high level of autonomy, exercising judgement and communications skills with freedom to act, in the best interests of the Trust.

The Deputy Director of Finance - Financial Control is responsible for aspects of the financial management of the Trust including financial strategy and management, investment of cash, financial risk and investment appraisal. The post holder will have responsibility for key teams within the Finance Department: Financial Accounts, Treasury, Transactional Services and Contracting.

In fulfilling the role, s/he will proactively work closely and in partnership with Chief Officers, Board members as well as leaders and managers across the Trust and beyond, providing strategic advice, as well as challenge to ensure the on-going financial health and long-term sustainability of the organisation and system

Main duties of the job

Strategy

Ensure the financial objectives for the Trust are clearly defined and understood across the organisation and fully meet the compliance requirements of the NHS England.

Financial Reporting and Budgetary Control

Responsible for accurate and timely completion of financial planning returns to BOB ICS, representing the Trust at BOB ICS Financial planning group and liaising with senior ICS colleagues on an ad hoc basis, building strong working relationships across the ICS.

Financial Control and Systems

Provide comprehensive financial services to the Trust including the provision of accurate and timely information/advice and compilation of monthly management returns and end of year accounts for statutory and/or regulatory purposes.

Chair the Trust Business Case Group, ensuring effective scrutiny of business cases and that cases are transparent and critical appraisal is sought from all areas of the Trust.

Statutory Accounts and Returns

Ensure statutory accounts and accounting returns are properly produced from accounting records in accordance with NHS and statutory requirements, including the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in accordance with published timescales.

Asset Management and Capital Investment

Lead the Trust Capital Investment Group, ensuring robust appraisal from across the Trust of fund requests and thorough review of implementation of investment projects against plan, providing reports to Finance & Investment Committee as required.

About us

The key purpose of this role is to deliver a 'world class' service to the Trust and the job holder will be expected to deliver this level of service through personal conduct , personal responsibility and the following key characteristics:-

• Aligned with business needs. The directorate takes its tone and direction from the business needs of the organisation.
• Right first time. It focuses on the elimination of waste and unproductive time that occurs as a result of not getting matters right first time.
• High customer satisfaction. This refers to both internal and external customers and emphasises the need to understand and meet customers requirements such that they are comfortable working with the directorate.
• Well established metrics. Performance needs to be measured to enable weak spots to be identified and worked upon.
• Cost effective. A world class infrastructure offers service at competitive rates and has well documented costs of service.
• Lean processes. Promoting and implementing lean processes in the Directorate and the Trust
• Personal responsibility. Demonstrates the highest standards of professionalism and ethical behaviour in all aspects of work. Provides assistance to patients / clients / relatives in the course of any incidental contact.

This job description is not exhaustive but is intended as a guide to the principal duties and responsibilities of the post. It will be subject to periodic review in association with the postholder.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Strategy

Be a role model for the Finance Matters Finance strategy.

Provide strategic and operational leadership for finance across the organisation and help strengthen its contribution to the Trusts activities.

Ensure the financial objectives for the Trust are clearly defined and understood across the organisation and fully meet the compliance requirements of the NHS England.

Lead the financial management of the Trust overseeing financial risk, investment appraisal, debts and other financing, compliance with financial covenants, cash flow management and financial compliance.

Maintain strong working relationships with external professional advisers including but not limited to the Trusts lawyers, auditors, tax advisors and management consultants

Financial Reporting and Budgetary Control

Responsible for accurate and timely completion of financial planning returns to BOB ICS, representing the Trust at BOB ICS Financial planning group and liaising with senior ICS colleagues on an ad hoc basis, building strong working relationships across the ICS.

Take responsibility for the preparation of timely and high quality reports for Audit and Risk, Finance and Investment Committees and to attend these committees as required.

Accountable for the delivery of departmental budgets within the scope of the role

Financial Control and Systems

Provide comprehensive financial services to the Trust including the provision of accurate and timely information/advice and compilation of monthly management returns and end of year accounts for statutory and/or regulatory purposes.

Chair the Trust Business Case Group, ensuring effective scrutiny of business cases and that cases are transparent and critical appraisal is sought from all areas of the Trust, whilst ensuring support to authors of cases.

Ensuring thorough and robust post implementation Business Case reviews are undertaken and reported to the Finance & Investment Committee.

Promote an environment of strong financial control within the Trust.

Ensure that the Trusts financing profile is effectively managed and that long and short-term requirements are satisfied.

Take responsibility for the maintenance and operation of a system to prevent and detect fraud on behalf of the Director of Finance, and in conjunction with the Local Counter Fraud service, acting as the Counter Fraud Champion.

Maintain stringent liquidity controls through a process of tight and cost-effective cash management procedures and forecasting in order to maintain agreed minimum liquidity levels.

Oversee all internal financial controls.

Ensure that strategic financial risks are identified and properly risk assessed and that adequate arrangements for managing them are in place.

• Ensure the Trust continues to implement national policies relating to finance including payment-by-results or alternative contract forms, in a way which maximises the financial benefit and stability of the organisation and system.

• Effectively manage financial agreements between the Trust and its counterparties to ensure appropriate billing and receipt of income and recording of costs and payment of liabilities, aligning with robust, timely contractual agreements between the Trust and its counterparties.

• Preparation and presentation of periodic reports to the Audit and Risk Committee

Statutory Accounts and Returns

Ensure statutory accounts and accounting returns are properly produced from accounting records in accordance with NHS and statutory requirements, including the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in accordance with published timescales. Work with the Trusts external and internal auditors and to ensure implementation of any audit recommendations.

Asset Management and Capital Investment

Apply accepted disciplines and techniques in assessing viability of investment proposals and advising accordingly.

Lead the Trust Capital Investment Group, ensuring robust appraisal from across the Trust of fund requests and thorough review of implementation of investment projects against plan, providing reports to Finance & Investment Committee as required.

Lead the Trust Capital planning process, bringing together relevant stakeholders to ensure an equitable prioritisation process.

Ensure the maintenance of an effective fixed asset register that provides control over Trusts assets.

Formally advise on surplus assets, divesting as appropriate.

Support the long term proposals for site redevelopment, working with others to progress the plans and business case completion.

Finance Directorate Leadership and Management

Provide professional leadership and management of the directly managed Finance Team and professional leadership, guidance and support to the Care Group Finance teams, maintaining close and regular liaison with them. Ensure that all direct reports and wider team members have up to date Personal Development Plans and appraisals and that all individuals are encouraged to maximise training opportunities available to them.

Help to shape the strategic positioning and development of the Finance function as a whole across the Trust to ensure a cohesive, consistent and streamlined approach to Finance in support of the delivery of safe, high-quality services to patients.

Work in collaboration with the Care Group Leadership Teams and Care Group and Central Finance teams to ensure the provision of high quality and timely financial services, maintaining Trust-wide professional standards ensuring consistency and facilitating the sharing of good practice.

Support the development of capacity and capability in Finance teams and for managers across the Trust.

Pro-actively promote a high-performance culture and positive customer service ethos in all Finance services, acting as a role model for collaborative working between Directorates.

Promote excellence in financial practice, ensuring that financial functions, processes and policies are fully compliant with all relevant legislation and support the provision of efficient and user-friendly operational Finance services.

Facilitate the Trusts digital strategy through the ongoing development and efficiency of digital financial systems to meet strategic business needs and to facilitate accurate and timely reporting and performance against key metrics.

7 Corporate and Communications

Attend Trust Board sub-committee meetings as required.

Represent the Director of Finance and CFO at meetings as appropriate.

Deputise for the Director of Finance in rotation with the Deputy Director of Finance Financial Performance

Develop system-wide partnerships and collaborate with other service partners and stakeholders as agreed and as appropriate to the role.

Represent the Trust at BOB ICS Deputies Group additionally at BOB ICS workstreams as required, providing the group with direction and solutions to problems on behalf of the Trust.

Provide clear leadership to Trust staff, ensuring that performance is appropriately managed, and that all staff have personal development plans, in order to ensure an efficient, effective and engaged workforce.

Act as a role model at all times, demonstrating and promoting the Trusts CARE values and expected behaviours

Ensure sound and prudent financial and resource management

Undertake ad-hoc projects as required.

10. There is a frequent requirement for prolonged concentration

11. There is a requirement to use Visual Display Unit equipment more or less continuously on most days.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

Essential

• Professionally qualified accountant eg. CCAB, ACCA, CIPFA, CIMA

Experi

Essential

• Significant post qualification experience at a senior level in a complex organisation
• A proven track record of strong leadership at a senior level, both within the financial brief and more broadly as a corporate leader
• Expert specialist knowledge of financial
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