Head of Financial Strategy in Pencoed

The Financial Planning and Delivery Directorate is seeking to recruit a Head of Financial Strategy & Improvement to play a lead role in providing financial support and challenge to NHS Wales organisations. The Financial Planning and Delivery Directorate's role includes:

• Monitoring and managing financial risk in NHS Wales, responding at pace where organisations are demonstrating signs of financial concern;
• Support the robust development and delivery of in-year and medium term financial and resource plans;
• Driving forward the efficiency agenda for NHS Wales, working with NHS Wales organisations to ensure maximum return from efficiency opportunities;
• Promote and embed best practice financial management and use of resources;
• Developing a Centre of Excellence for Financial Information and Intelligence, reflecting costing, benchmarking, resource allocation, and utilisation, to assist in driving improvements on both technical and allocative efficiency across NHS Wales;
• Lead research and identifying best practice in financial management and rapid adoption of proven practice and evidence in a consistent and comprehensive way across Wales.
• Support the development of Value Based Healthcare within NHS Wales as required.

We are looking for senior finance professionals with drive and ambition who can immediately provide practical insight and value to Health Boards and Trusts in Wales and provide intensive support to organisations to improve both their short term financial performance and their ongoing financial sustainability. Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading the Financial Planning and Delivery Directorate's monthly processes to monitor the financial reporting and financial performance of organisations across NHS Wales;
• Leading the assessment of the financial plans of organisations across NHS Wales and drive improvements in multi-year financial planning across the sector;
• Leading the development of the suite of products to enhance financial support and challenge processes within NHS Wales;
• Identifying evidence-based best practice across the portfolio and supporting its dissemination;
• Developing best practice in benefits realisation techniques and developing the Directorate's capability and capacity in relation to investment and option appraisal.

This is a permanent, full-time position. The successful candidate will join the team based in Bocam Park, Pencoed near the M4. Hybrid working arrangements will be available involving office attendance twice per week. If you are a highly motivated, experienced, and qualified finance professional with a strong demonstrable background in financial management, performance, intelligence, and delivery then we would be keen to hear from you and welcome your application.

Qualifications:

• Essential: CCAB / CIMA Qualified & Member of Professional body, Educated to Postgraduate level or equivalent, Evidence of Continuing Professional Development
• Desirable: Programme / Project Management qualification

Experience & Specialist Knowledge:

• Essential: Experience of working in a financial environment in a large complex organisation, Comprehensive understanding of the NHS financial regime including Capital, Record of effective contribution to the development of organisational financial plans, Experience of planning and implementing long-term development programmes, Proven experience of developing and delivering financial management services successfully for a large organisation, Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills, Demonstrable success in building and maintaining good working relationships within the team and with external stakeholders, Ability to influence at all levels and a strategic thinker.
• Desirable: Experience of supporting financial turnaround approaches and delivery, Demonstrates expertise in specific professional areas such as financial planning and strategy development, Expert knowledge of NHS Wales finance regime, including a thorough understanding of organisations financial duties, responsibilities and governance requirements, Good understanding of the concepts of Value Based Healthcare.

Personal Attributes:

• Essential: Appropriate attitudes with a high level of professional ethics and integrity, Ability to positively influence the actions of others, Ability to apply creative thought and research to develop and implement effective solutions to complex problems, Ability to develop strong working relationships inside and outside the team to achieve common goals, Enthusiastic, committed, proactive, and innovative.

Other Attributes:

• Essential: Must be mobile and able to travel locally and nationally, Emotionally Intelligent, Politically astute & high level of intuition, Work collaboratively & build relationships effectively, Resilience and reliability under pressure, Appetite for challenges, with a high level of personal integrity.
• Desirable: Ability to speak Welsh or willingness to learn and a full clean driving licence.

Skills:

• Essential: Highly developed analytical, interpretational, comparative and numerical skills, Capable of dealing with highly complex and sensitive information to support rational decision making, Excellent interpersonal, communication and presentation skills, Able to communicate excellently in writing in a manner that is clear, fluent and persuasive, Ability to present highly complex financial information in a logical and clear format identifying risk and opportunities as well as options, Demonstrable ability to negotiate work on multiple complex tasks simultaneously and produce high quality work within tight deadlines and within resource constraints, IT literate with practical computer application skills covering Oracle systems and Microsoft products including advanced level of excel spreadsheets, Ability to work autonomously and equally effectively as part of a team, Demonstrable project management skills including work planning, organisation and prioritisation, Demonstrate contribution to the development of financial plans and participation on management of complex projects, Ability to think innovatively and develop new ways of working, continually striving to improve systems and performance.
• Desirable: Ability and confidence to constructively challenge and support senior NHS staff and their teams, Ability and confidence to contribute to the Directorate's leadership across NHS Wales on driving improvements in financial planning and financial management.