Director of Finance in Yeovil

Symphony Healthcare Services Limited (a subsidiary of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust) are an ambitious NHS general practice organisation in Somerset, recruiting a commercially driven, forward-thinking and hands-on Finance Director. As Finance Director, you will play a central role in shaping the organisation's financial sustainability, estates strategy and data-driven decision making. Reporting to the Managing Director with a functional line into the Trust's CFO, you will be an integral member of Symphony's Director Team and will work closely with managers to support service transformation, growth and long-term resilience across Symphony's 21 business sites. This role offers a genuine balance of strategic influence and practical operational leadership, suited to an individual who thrives in complex, regulated environments and is motivated by delivering high-quality, value-for-money patient care.

You will be a credible and assured finance leader with significant experience (ideally within the NHS) and join Symphony with technical expertise, sound judgement and the ability to influence across multiple arenas. The nature of this broad-ranging role demands that you also operate at a very practical level working across all levels and disciplines within the business. Most importantly, you will be motivated by making a tangible difference and supporting frontline NHS services through strong financial stewardship.

Main duties of the job

As Symphony's Finance Director, you will have executive accountability for all financial, estates and data functions, providing professional leadership, assurance and insight at Board level and across the wider organisation. You will be a trusted advisor to the Managing Director, Board and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, with a clear mandate to drive transformational change across finance systems and processes, whilst improving overall efficiency.

• Provide executive leadership of the Finance Team and Data Hub, developing high-performing, resilient teams
• Lead the organisation's financial strategy, ensuring robust control, governance and compliance within NHS frameworks
• Oversee financial planning, forecasting and performance reporting, including detailed practice-level budgets and monthly variance analysis
• Prepare and sign off annual statutory accounts and lead interim and year-end external audits
• Deliver financial due diligence and financial leadership for practice integrations, service developments and growth opportunities
• Actively manage cash flow and liquidity, working closely with banks and other key stakeholders
• Provide strategic oversight of the organisation's estates portfolio, ensuring value for money, compliance and sustainability

About us

Established in 2016, Symphony Healthcare Services provides NHS primary care provision across 21 sites within Somerset, linked to 14 general practice contracts. The organisation cares for approximately 132,000 patients and employs around 600 staff. Symphony is a subsidiary of Somerset NHS Foundation Trust and manages its services through a central team (including HR, finance, corporate and operational governance). Providing NHS services is at the heart of what we do. Our vision is to be at the forefront of sustainable, high quality general practice, collaborating with our communities to improve experiences and health outcomes. We work closely with our practice teams to grow, enhance, and transform our services for the benefit of patients and staff.

Symphony welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds and underrepresented groups. When undertaking recruitment and selection for our services, Symphony is committed to equality opportunity for all. Symphony offers an NHS or NEST Pension, a fantastic range of employee benefits and salary sacrifice schemes, along with flexible working from day of employment and an agile approach to hybrid working (where applicable).

Job responsibilities

Working with a highly energetic and creative team, this role will suit someone of high intellect and energy, who can combine strategic thinking with operational delivery and commercial skills. They must be capable of handling simultaneous transactions, working to tight deadlines, able to take decisions without supervision and with strong technical and interpersonal skills.

Reporting to the Managing Director and a member of the Director Team, the Finance Director is responsible and accountable for all financial and property-related aspects including:

• Management and leadership of the Finance Team (3.4 WTE)
• Management and leadership of the Data Hub (4.6 WTE)
• Hands-on operational financial control and reporting
• Financial planning and analysis including preparation of detailed practice-level budgets and monthly variance analysis
• Preparation of annual statutory accounts
• Delivery of interim and final external audits in line with the parent company timetable
• Provide financial due diligence for potential new practice integrations
• Work closely with banks and other stakeholders to manage Symphony's liquidity
• Work closely with landlords and other third-party providers to manage Symphony estates
• Identifying cost saving opportunities within the growing organisation and the development of an effective procurement function
• Modelling the financial impact of new models of care including identification of cost savings or other efficiencies
• Liaising with the senior finance team and directors of parent company
• Oversee MIS capability of the business to measure performance and drive decision making
• Attend and contribute to Symphony Board Meetings
• Attend parent company Finance Committees where appropriate

Note: This job description is not exhaustive, and you will be expected to work within any area not specifically covered or referred to above, for the wellbeing of a practice/site, as and when required.

Person Specification

Knowledge & Skills

• Knowledge of primary care finances including complexity of funding streams
• Programme and project management skills
• Leadership skills with the ability to enthuse, motivate and involve individuals and teams, and for them to understand your performance expectations
• Excellent interpersonal, communications and influencing skills
• Ability to manage and deliver to deadlines and within resources
• Ability to develop a small team of skilled professionals, and build the capability of individual team members over time
• Excellent analytical skills, including analysis of data
• Ability to collaborate constructively with internal and external partners to create the conditions for successful partnership working
• Understanding of commercial real estate and operating leases

Qualifications

• Chartered accountant qualifying in a top 4 firm (or equivalent)
• Continuing professional development and advanced management education

Experience

• Up-to-date technical accounting knowledge and preparation of statutory accounts from Trial Balance
• Proven track record of financial management and change management in a growing organisation
• Experience of working with executive and non-executive directors
• Identification of issues and structural problems, leading quantitative and qualitative analysis and taking actions
• Creation and maintenance of a working environment that supports individual growth and high performing and loyal teams
• Demonstrable commitment to and focus on quality
• Values diversity and difference, operates with integrity and openness
• Actively develops themselves and others
• Demonstrative understanding of the legal process
• Exposure to and knowledge of corporate banking / financing

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

£62,317 to £93,075 a year - starting salary will be offered based on previous experience.

Contract: Permanent

Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working, Home or remote working.