Senior Finance and Contracts Manager (NIHR) (XN07)

Job Summary

Are you passionate about health and care research? The NIHR is looking for two Senior Finance and Contracting Managers with experience in finance and contract management in the public sector and/or working in a research environment to join our teams providing financial management (monitoring budgets, business planning processes) for NIHR programme funding.

The NIHR enables and delivers world-leading health and social care research that improves people’s health and wellbeing and promotes economic growth.

Successful applicants will be flexible, proactive, responsible, have great communication skills, and be able to work as part of a team to ensure delivery of the relevant portfolio of work.

This position offers a great opportunity to work as part of an enthusiastic and skilled multidisciplinary team to provide excellent finance and contract management support to colleagues across the NIHR Academy, playing a pivotal role in attracting, training and supporting the best health and care researchers to tackle the complex challenges of the future.

This is a great time to join NIHR as we look to expand many of our activities and deliver an excellent experience for those developing their health and care research careers.

Please note that a hybrid-working arrangement is in place where successful candidates can work a large percentage of their time from home. There are also other flexible working arrangements available on request.

Main Duties of the Job

Successful candidates will be responsible for the provision of financial management and high-quality analytical review across all NIHR Academy Programmes (Domestic and Global).

They will support the Assistant Director Finance and Business Support (AD FBS) in delivering financial and contract management for the NIHR Academy Service Level Agreement and the NIHR Academy research programmes; identifying key issues from financial and other business information to ensure effective financial management in line with general finance best practice and the requirements of DHSC/NHSE; and be involved in other diverse areas of work as required to deliver the NIHR Academy organisational business requirements.

The Post Holder Will Work With Colleagues From The NIHR, The Department Of Health And Social Care And Other Stakeholders To Ensure Proactive And Effective Delivery Of NIHR Finance And Contract Management. They Will:

• Provide evidence and analysis to support the development of financial strategic plans and help decision making.
• Provide visible leadership across NIHR on matters related to finance and contract management.
• Support a culture of positive collaboration and engagement.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation, ensuring best practice and meeting the requirements of DHSC for assurance and audits.

About Us

Expected Shortlisting Date:
07/03/2025

Planned Interview Date:
21/03/2025

The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has a mission to improve the health and wealth of the nation through research. The NIHR plays a pivotal role in attracting, training and supporting the best researchers and complements the additional NIHR investment in world-class research facilities and a skilled research workforce.

This role is hosted by the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT) and delivers the work of the NIHR, leading on policy, strategy and delivery in respect of academic training in England and working closely with other NIHR centres and the Science Research and Evidence (SRE) Directorate at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).

Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying ‘at risk’ members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our 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.

Date Posted:
05 February 2025

Pay Scheme:
Agenda for change

Band:
Band 7

Salary:
£46,148 to £52,809 a year

Contract:
Permanent

Working Pattern:
Full-time, Flexible working

Reference Number:
C9298-MDI-0139

Job Locations:
NIHR Academy Executive
21 Queen Street
Leeds
LS1 2TW

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

Duties

The post holder will be line managed by Assistant Director – FBS; however, there is a requirement to work flexibly across the organisation as the portfolio of programmes and schemes are likely to vary over time. The balance of duties undertaken by the post holder will vary according to annual cycles, but will include the following:

• Taking a lead role alongside the other Senior Finance Managers in ensuring the information systems are in place to track and monitor NIHR Academy awards finances.
• Taking a lead role alongside the other Senior Finance Managers in the Annual Finance review of specific functions (award areas) and the reporting of year on year trend analysis.
• Leading the preparation of the quarterly finance report to DHSC on specific functions (awards).
• Provide financial expertise to the Senior Programme Managers and other senior managers responsible for analysing funding recommendations for new competitions.
• Leading the finance team on setting up new award contracts and supporting the review of finance requests within new contracts.
• Leading finance contract monitoring, including payment profiling, maintaining schedules and forecasting.
• Supporting with the costing of business cases.
• Supporting with the due diligence and assurance activities for all NIHR Academy Global Health Research contracts in partnership with Senior Programme Managers.
• Ensuring effective financial management in line with ODA requirements e.g. desktop audits and risk assessments.
• Maintaining detailed financial reports of normal adjustments to ensure the underlying trend analysis and year on year comparisons can be clearly reported to senior management.
• Ensuring the integrity of the relevant finance systems and reporting issues.
• Implementing Standard Operating Processes and work instructions within finance which may impact policy proposals across NIHR Academy and NIHR coordinating centres.
• Ad-hoc support to finance management and any other reasonable tasks required including deputising for the Assistant Director FBS alongside the other Senior Finance Managers when required.

Communication

• Effectively line manage and support NIHR Academy colleagues.
• Collaborate effectively with NIHR Academy award programme leads working as a business partner when contracting, monitoring, reporting and forecasting for specific awards.
• Effectively communicating the outcomes of annual finance reviews to award holders and host organisations.
• Communicating and working with a range of people nationally and internationally at all levels of seniority both internal and external to the NIHR Academy Executive, in line with DHSC policies.
• Developing and maintaining strong and positive working relationships within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), NHS Trusts and other health-related organisations.
• Contributing to briefings requested from Ministers’ offices and other government departments on award expenditure.

Person Specification

Experience Essential

• Equivalent knowledge and experience to Professional Accountancy Qualifications plus knowledge, experience and expertise in a finance management role.
• Experience of monitoring budgets, business planning processes and forecasting.
• Experience of month end, quarterly and annual reporting.
• Experience managing and leading a team.
• Significant knowledge and experience of financial management, contract management and project management.
• An understanding of public sector health research and its management.
• An interest in health research and a willingness to work across discipline boundaries.
• Knowledge and experience of accounting and financial policies and procedures, which impact other areas of the NIHR Academy or external stakeholders.

Desirable

• Detailed Knowledge of NHS, DHSC or Research Finance Management and understanding of the public sector and health research capacity development.
• In-depth specialist knowledge of financial and accounting procedures, financial aspects of NHS legislation and NHS finance policies.
• Demonstrable experience in a healthcare environment.
• Experience of working within a finance department on grant management.

Qualifications Essential

• Educated to masters level or equivalent level qualification.
• CCAB qualification or equivalent knowledge and experience.

Skills & Behaviours Essential

• Ability to work as part of a team and build and maintain good working relationships.
• Ability to tackle complex problems, identify solutions and implement them.
• Ability to organise own workload effectively, working to multiple prioritised tasks, targets and deadlines.
• Effective liaison skills with the ability to deal tactfully with colleagues and stakeholders.
• Positive attitude to change.
• Adaptability, flexibility and ability to cope with uncertainty and change.
• Excellent time management, task management and organisational abilities with evidenced examples of working with conflicting deadlines.
• Commitment to quality and promoting high standards in all they do.
• Able to make a connection between their work and the benefit to patients and the public.
• Values diversity and difference, operates with integrity and openness.
• Evidence of Continued Professional Development.
• Understanding of and commitment to equality of opportunity and good working relationships.
• An ability to maintain confidentiality and trust.

Desirable

• Experience of accounting systems and processes.
• Experience of setting up and implementing internal processes and procedures.

Other Criteria Essential

• Excellent oral and written communication skills including the ability to present financial information to finance and non-finance managers offering advice when required.
• Ability to analyse, interpret and present highly complex issues where material may be incomplete, conflicting and/or drawn from multiple sources, making judgements on financial decisions and risk.
• Assimilate information quickly, and apply knowledge quickly and effectively to new problems.
• Able to produce highly detailed reports for senior management and key stakeholders.
• Ability to prepare and produce concise yet insightful communications for dissemination to a broad range of senior stakeholders as required.
• Numerate and able to understand complex financial issues combined with deep analytical skills and ability to work with an attention to detail.
• Knowledge of Financial Systems e.g. monitoring budget management, processing invoices and procurement.
• Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft/Google/word processing, databases and advanced Excel skills.
• Ability to negotiate and influence.

Employer Details

Employer Name:
Leeds Teaching Hospitals

Address:
NIHR Academy Executive
21 Queen Street
Leeds
LS1 2TW

Employer’s Website:
#J-18808-Ljbffr