Head of Strategic Finance: Analytics

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and motivated finance professional to join a high performing finance team. The focus of this role it to support the Trust to achieve its financial objectives, wider strategic objectives and commercial decision-making. It will require both analytical and interpersonal skills, as well as the ability to pick things up quickly and manage competing priorities. The role involves working closely with leading and innovative clinical and operational professionals at an organisation that is a global leader in oncology research and patient care.

Main duties of the job

The Head of Strategic Finance: Analytics and Insight is responsible for leading the Trust's strategic finance analytics, insight and modelling functions, ensuring that high-quality financial and operational intelligence is used to support effective decision-making at Trust, divisional and service level.
The postholder will provide strategic leadership for the development, integration and application of analytical insight across the organisation, bringing together financial, operational, workforce, activity, costing and performance information to support the delivery of the Trust's strategic objectives and long-term financial sustainability.
The role will lead the development and maintenance of the Trust's Long Term Financial Model, provide expert financial analysis and investment appraisal, and support major strategic initiatives, service developments and transformation programmes through robust modelling, evaluation and evidence-based recommendations.
A key responsibility of the role is to ensure that insight leads to action. The postholder will work collaboratively with divisional, clinical, operational, information and finance colleagues to identify opportunities for improvement, support productivity and efficiency programmes, assess strategic options and drive the implementation of change informed by data, analysis and financial intelligence.

Working for our organisation

The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust is a world-leading cancer centre. Our role is to offer our patients the best cancer care available anywhere in the world, and to continue to make a global contribution to finding better ways of diagnosing and treating cancer. We employ over 4,500 staff in a diverse range of careers including nursing, medical, science, radiography, pharmacy, occupational therapy, finance and administrative services. We have two hospitals – one in Chelsea, London, and one in Sutton, Surrey – as well as a Medical Daycare Unit in Kingston Hospital.

At The Royal Marsden, we deal with cancer every day, so we understand how valuable life is. When people entrust their lives to us, they have the right to demand the very best. That's why the pursuit of excellence lies at the heart of everything we do.

At the heart of the hospital is our dedicated team. We offer a stimulating and dynamic working environment, a wide range of staff benefits, learning and development opportunities and clear career pathways. There are opportunities to work flexibly across a range of areas and specialities and we welcome flexible working requests from point of hire to support employees work life balance. We are looking for employees who aspire to excellence, share our values and can play a crucial role in our on-going achievements.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For further information on this role, please see the attached detailed Job Description and Person Specification:

Key areas of responsibility
1. Provide expert advice, guidance and support to finance and non-finance colleagues, promoting the effective use of financial insight, analytics, modelling, costing, benchmarking and performance intelligence across the Trust.

2. Develop and communicate clear, concise and impactful reports, briefings and presentations that translate complex financial and non-financial information into meaningful insight and actionable recommendations for senior leaders, executive forums and Board committees.

3. Build and maintain effective relationships across the organisation and with external stakeholders, including Executive Directors, clinical and operational leaders, commissioners, partner organisations and national bodies, influencing decision-making and supporting the delivery of strategic objectives.

4. Act as an ambassador for the Strategic Finance function, promoting collaborative working, evidence-based decision-making and the effective use of financial intelligence to support organisational improvement and transformation.

5. Contribute to the development of a high-performing, innovative and forward-looking Finance Directorate, promoting strong analytical capability, effective governance and a culture of continuous improvement.

6. Maintain and develop the Trust’s long-term financial model.

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

• CCAB qualified accountant (or equivalent professional qualification) with substantial post-qualification experience.
• Evidence of continuous professional development relevant to strategic finance, analytics, leadership or organisational improvement.

Experience

• Extensive senior finance leadership experience within a large, complex organisation
• Demonstrable experience operating at a strategic level, influencing organisational direction and contributing to corporate decision-making.
• Experience leading strategic finance, analytics, business intelligence, performance, planning or organisational insight functions.
• Significant experience of developing and applying financial and operational insight to influence organisational decision-making and drive productivity, efficiency and service improvement.
• Experience leading complex transformation, productivity, efficiency or organisational change programmes and supporting implementation through robust analysis and evidence.
• Extensive experience developing, maintaining and applying complex financial models, including scenario planning and investment appraisal.
• Experience of advising Boards, Executive Directors and other senior stakeholders on complex financial and strategic issues.
• Experience of leading and developing high-performing professional teams.
• Experience of developing analytical, technical and professional capability across a finance function.
• Experience of producing and/or using PLICS and costing information within a healthcare environment.
• Experience operating within the NHS, healthcare sector or similarly complex regulated environment.

Skills Abilities/knowledge

• Advanced understanding of strategic finance, financial planning, investment appraisal and organisational performance.
• Ability to interpret, synthesise and communicate highly complex financial and non-financial information to a range of audiences.
• Ability to translate analysis, insight and evidence into practical recommendations and measurable organisational improvements.
• Highly developed analytical skills, including the ability to work with large and complex datasets and identify key themes, risks and opportunities.
• Excellent influencing, negotiation and relationship-management skills, with the ability to engage credibly with Executive Directors, clinicians and senior leaders.
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills, including preparation of Board-level reports and briefings.
• Ability to provide strategic leadership and direction within a professional finance function.
• Ability to lead organisational change, challenge existing practice and drive continuous improvement.
• Ability to develop collaborative relationships and work effectively across organisational boundaries.
• Knowledge of NHS finance, policy, regulation and the NHS Payment Scheme.
• Knowledge of costing methodologies, benchmarking and profitability analysis.

Leadership Behaviours

• Demonstrates behaviours consistent with the Trust values of Pioneering Change, Pursuing Excellence, Working Collaboratively and Showing Kindness.

The Royal Marsden values diversity and is committed to the recruitment and retention of underrepresented minority groups. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+ candidates and candidates with disabilities.

As a Disability Confident Employer, we are working to create a workplace that enables all staff to reach their full potential. We are committed to this because we know that greater diversity and inclusion will lead to an even greater positive impact for the people we serve.

Due to the high volumes of applications we receive, we reserve the right to close any adverts before the published closing date once we have received a sufficient number of applications. We advise you to submit your application as early as possible to prevent disappointment. Please ensure your information is accurate to avoid errors with processing your application

All applicants will be contacted by email to the address supplied on your application. Applicants are advised to check their email accounts regularly and to ensure that email filters are set to allow our emails.

Flu Vaccination – What We Expect of our Staff

At The Royal Marsden we have an immune compromised patient population who we must protect as much as we can against the flu virus. Each year, seasonal flu affects thousands of people in the UK. Occurring mainly in winter, it is an infectious respiratory disease capable of producing symptoms ranging from those similar to a common cold, through to very severe or even fatal disease.

The wellbeing of our staff and patients is of the upmost importance to us, and it is the expectation of The Royal Marsden that all patient-facing staff have an annual flu vaccination, provided free of charge by the Trust.