NHS Finance Strategy Consultant — Turnaround & Cost Improvement

Firm: PA Consulting

Location: London, United Kingdom

Employment: Full-time

Industry: Healthcare

We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future. As strategies, technologies, and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity. Our teams of interdisciplinary experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results.

About the team

Our Economics and Investment Strategy (EIS) healthcare team supports NHS trusts and systems on their biggest financial challenges: financial recovery, cost improvement, productivity and long‑term financial sustainability. We work directly with Boards, CFOs and executive teams to identify drivers of deficit, design credible and deliverable recovery plans, and support the NHS to build enduring financial capability. Much of our work is delivered on an outcomes‑linked basis, reflecting the confidence our clients place in our teams.

Experience Includes:

• Identifying and validating £1bn+ of excess costs across NHS systems.
• Designing and supporting delivery of some of the largest and most complex CIP and turnaround programmes in England.
• Developing multi‑year financial recovery strategies for distressed trusts and systems.
• Supporting NHS organisations to move from ‘grip and control’ to sustainable financial improvement.
• Acting as strategic delivery partners to CFOs during periods of intense pressure and scrutiny.

What We’re Looking For:

We are looking to recruit market leading NHS finance professionals and consultants, who combine strong analytical capability with real world delivery experience. Hybrid working - our approach is to be in the office or on client site a minimum of 2 days per week. However, the actual time you spend and where you spend it will vary by role or assignment, including up to 5 days per week on a client site.

Qualifications:

• NHS financial improvement and recovery.
• Designing and delivering cost improvement programmes (CIP), financial recovery plans, and deficit reduction strategies.
• Understanding and diagnosing drivers of excess cost across workforce, clinical services, estates and corporate spend.
• Translating financial analysis into practical, owned and deliverable actions.

NHS finance and data:

• Strong working knowledge of NHS finance frameworks, ledgers and management accounts.
• Experience working with ESR, workforce data, and service‑level financial information.
• Confidence working at detail (ledger, run‑rate, scheme level) and at strategic horizon (multi‑year planning).

Financial modelling and strategy:

• Building and using financial models to support short term recovery and long term sustainability.
• Owning financial diagnostics, counterfactuals and scenario analysis.
• Supporting CFOs and executive teams to make difficult trade offs and prioritisation decisions.

Delivery and leadership:

• Leading complex NHS programmes, often under time pressure.
• Working credibly with Finance Directors, clinical leaders and operational teams.
• Coaching, developing and upskilling client teams and junior consultants.

Backgrounds We Would Expect To See:

• NHS finance leadership (e.g. Trust or System finance teams).
• Consulting roles focused on NHS financial recovery, improvement or productivity.
• Accountants or senior analysts with deep NHS experience and a strong delivery track record.

Security Clearance Requirements:

Please be aware that some of our UK roles at PA Consulting require a UK security clearance. All PA people are required to undergo background checks and to achieve the Baseline Personnel Security Standard; however, some UK roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting, where applicants must have at least 5 years of continuous residency in the UK. We therefore ask that you only apply if you meet the residency requirements (i.e. you are a British citizen or have been resident in the UK for the past 5 years), as this is the prerequisite for a security clearance. If you’re unsure about your eligibility, we encourage you to review the UK Government’s guidance on security vetting before applying.

Benefits:

• Health and lifestyle perks accompanying private healthcare.
• 25 days annual leave (plus a bonus half day on Christmas Eve) with the opportunity to buy 5 additional days.
• Generous company pension scheme.
• Opportunity to get involved with community and charity‑based initiatives.
• Annual performance‑based bonus.
• Tax efficient benefits (cycle to work, give as you earn).

Equality Statement:

We’re committed to advancing equality. We recruit, retain, reward and develop our people based solely on their abilities and contributions and without reference to their age, background, disability, genetic information, parental or family status, religion or belief, race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity (or expression), political belief, veteran status, or any other range of human difference brought about by identity and experience. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups.

Adjustments or Accommodations:

Should you need any adjustments or accommodations to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us.