Deputy Director of Finance - Financial Performance

The Deputy Director of Finance - Financial Performance is a pivotal very senior member of the Chief Finance Officer’s leadership team, supporting the delivery of the Trust’s aims and improvements in quality, efficiency and effectiveness, deputising for the Director of Finance as and when required. The post operates at a Strategic level, working with senior finance colleagues within the Trust and at BOB ICS, representing the Trust at BOB ICS Deputies group, communicating and negotiating financial settlements for the Trust, for which the post holder will have significant freedom to act. This requires expert knowledge of healthcare financial mechanisms and an ability to work at a high level of autonomy, exercising judgement and communications skills with freedom to act, in the best interests of the Trust.

The Deputy Director of Finance - Financial Performance is responsible for aspects of the financial management of the Trust including financial strategy and management. The post holder will have responsibility for key teams within the Finance Department: Corporate Management Accounts and Finance Systems and Costing. This post supports the Care Group Directors of Finance in successfully completing revenue budget setting in line with funding envelopes.

Responsibilities

• Strategy
  • Be a role model for the ‘Finance Matters’ Finance strategy.
  • Ensure financial objectives for the Trust are clearly defined, understood across the organisation and fully meet the compliance requirements of NHS England.
  • Work closely with BOB ICS senior finance colleagues to ensure Trust Finance strategy aligns with that of BOB ICS.
• Financial Reporting and Budgetary Control
  • Ensure the Board receives regular reports on the financial performance of the organisation in sufficient detail to enable it to fulfil its fiduciary responsibilities.
  • Ensuring that BOB ICS funding is negotiated in line with Trust financial strategy and financial risks and mitigations are accurately reported to BOB ICS.
• Financial Control and Systems
  • Provide comprehensive financial services to the Trust including production of budget proposals, development of effective budgetary control systems, the provision of accurate and timely compilation of monthly management returns.
• Statutory Accounts and Returns
  • Lead assurance that all Trust financial planning and forecasting returns as part of the ICS returns align with Trust and ICS expectations, reflecting Trust financial position, forecast, shares of ICS funds, risks and mitigations, in line with financial agreements negotiated with the ICS.
• Finance Directorate Leadership and Management
  • Provide professional leadership and management of the directly managed Finance Team and professional leadership, guidance and support to the Care Group Finance teams.

WAYS OF WORKING AND BEHAVIOURS

The job holder will display the agreed behaviours of the Directorate and the Trust as encapsulated by the performance management and personal development documentation, and in particular, the Trust expects all staff to comply with all relevant policies and codes of conduct and to display the values of the Trust. The key purpose of this role is to deliver a ‘world class’ service to the Trust and the job holder will be expected to deliver this level of service through personal conduct, personal responsibility and the following key characteristics:

• Aligned with business needs. The directorate takes its tone and direction from the business needs of the organisation.
• Right first time. It focuses on the elimination of waste and unproductive time that occurs as a result of not getting matters right first time.
• High customer satisfaction. This refers to both internal and external customers and emphasises the need to understand and meet customers requirements such that they are comfortable working with the directorate.
• Well established metrics. Performance needs to be measured to enable weak spots to be identified and worked upon.

This job description is not exhaustive but is intended as a guide to the principal duties and responsibilities of the post. It will be subject to periodic review in association with the postholder.