Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Finance Manager to join the team at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The Trust’s services are rated as Good or Outstanding by the CQC and continues to be rated Outstanding for Well Led and Responsive for Core Services.
The role will allow you to broaden your experience across the service lines within the Trust, increase your commercial acumen and give you exposure to the senior leadership of the Trust.
The broad purpose of the post is to support the Director of Finance, the Chief Executive, General Managers, Clinical Directors and all Executive and Non-Executive Directors in ensuring that the Trust meets both its financial and performance targets.
Main duties of the job
Main roles include:
Ensuring the production of accurate and timely financial performance reports for the appropriate Directorates within a timetable agreed with the Director of Finance;
Monitoring financial performance of the Directorates and, where necessary, implementing corrective action with the relevant General Manager and budget holders to enable the Trust to meet its financial targets;
The annual budget setting of the Directorates;
The continuous development of Service Line Reporting, ensuring that the relevant General Manager and budget holders understand and use Service Line Reports
The Finance Team has over 50 members of staff working in Financial Accounts, Management Accounts and Contracting across the Bedford and Luton Site. It is a great place to work where we support learning and development of our staff. We have an excellent track record of supporting, developing and promoting our staff internally.
We are also proud to hold the following employer accreditations
ACCA Approved Employer Programme
CIMA Premier Partner
AAT Employer Scheme
Working for our organisation
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.
Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
JOB SUMMARY
Ensuring the provision of accurate and timely financial reporting and advice to the Trust. Support for the Director of Finance, Deputy Director of Finance and Financial Controller in respect of all issues of financial control for the Trust.
JOB PURPOSE
The purpose of the post is to support the Director of Finance, the Chief Executive, General Managers, Clinical Directors and all Executive and Non-Executive Directors in ensuring that the Trust meets both its financial and performance targets.
JOB OBJECTIVES
Directorate Services
To ensure the production of accurate and timely financial performance reports for the Directorates within a timetable agreed with the Director of Finance. This will be done in accordance with the Trust’s policies and procedures for financial management and governance.
To monitor financial performance of the Directorates and, where necessary, implement corrective action with the relevant General Manager, Clinical Directors and budget holders to enable the Trust to meet its financial targets.
To help develop and roll out Service Line Reporting, ensuring that the relevant General Manager, Clinical Directors and budget holders understand and use Service Line Reports
To ensure that Service Line Reporting remains up to date, reviewing recharges and internal linkages
To regularly review the linkages between finance, activity, HR and risk in order to maximise the overall performance of the Directorates
To play a pivotal role in the Directorates’ procurement strategy to minimise cost incurred.
To maintain a financial risk register for the Directorates, ensuring action plans are identified, within available resources.
To encourage and develop expenditure control processes within the Directorates and to proactively assist the Trust in meeting its financial targets.
To encourage and develop understanding of income within the Directorates and support business development opportunities
To be responsible for the annual budget setting of the Directorates in accordance with the format and timetable agreed by, and with, the Director of Finance
To support the business planning of the Directorates through the production of service costs for contracting, benchmarking and other performance management information such that the Trust is able to meet its annual service objectives.
To advise the General Managers & Clinical Directors in the management of the Directorates’ annual profitability target through manpower monitoring, virement control, forecasting and other policies adopted by the Trust.
To be responsible for maintaining strong systems of corporate governance within the Directorates, ensuring the implementation of Standing Orders, Standing Financial Instructions and Scheme of Delegation in accordance with Trust policies.
To contribute to the performance management of the services provided by the Directorates, in conjunction with other colleagues across the Trust, through the linking of financial and non-financial information.
To ensure the provision of training and support on financial issues to non-finance staff within the Directorates.
To provide as necessary, financial input and advice to the negotiations for service agreements with commissioners.
To support and help develop the Management Accounts team in the performance of their duties.
Corporate
To advise the Senior Finance Team regarding any issues of concern over corporate governance, reporting or control.
To provide financial reports and advice on all issues of financial control, financial planning and corporate governance in accordance with policies agreed within the Trust.
Responsible for the production of some sections of the Service Plan.
To implement national policies as they arise.
To manage the Trust’s compliance with statutory financial requirements.
To support the Senior Finance Team in the production of routine monitoring information for the Trust Board and other external bodies.
To provide other support on corporate financial issues to the Senior Finance Team as necessary.
To write and implement procedures for the use of finance and non-finance professionals.
To deputise for the Senior Finance Team where necessary.
Management and Organisational Responsibilities
The Finance Manager is managerially accountable to the Deputy Director of Finance, and professionally accountable for ensuring duties are carried out in accordance with statutory regulations, NHS financial directives, generally accepted accounting practice (UK GAAP) and the Trusts’ financial policies and procedures.
The Finance Manager is managerially responsible for the Directorate Accountants in their domain.
The Finance Manager is also a key member of the Directorates’ support team and is expected to establish effective working relationships with the senior divisional managers.
The Finance Manager is a member of the Finance Directorate Senior Management Team and will attend periodic meetings. All senior Finance staff are expected to contribute to the achievement of the directorate’s aims in respect of implementing a strong training and development culture and in implementing improved methods of working.
Develop the training and knowledge of managers throughout the directorate in the Trust SFIs and core financial and budgetary control procedures in conjunction with the rest of the Finance Directorate.
Ensure effective communication throughout the Directorate on the relevant and key issues for finance and contracting.
Responsible for the appraisal of own staff.
Responsible for absence monitoring.
Responsible for the management of the departmental workload, and for assessing priorities when there are conflicting deadlines.
Capable of dealing with intensely stressful situations and reducing tension in periods of difficulty.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
1. Education at degree level
2. Post-graduate qualification in accountancy or relevant experience
Experience
Essential criteria
3. Minimum 3-years post-qualification experience with demonstrable in-depth specialist knowledge of financial and accounting procedures
4. Senior NHS Management Accountancy Experience
5. Staff Management
6. Experience of working in a multi-disciplinary environment and of managing change
7. Experience of maintaining and adapting general ledger systems andability to adapt specific financial information systems to meet organisational needs
Desirable criteria
8. Agresso (Unit 4) Experience, Databases
Personal Skills and Knowledge
Essential criteria
9. Expert in using Excel/word
10. Adapt specific financial information systems to meet org needs
11. Time mgt, prioritisation, work under pressure and tight deadlines
12. Long term strategic thinking/business planning skills
13. Advance Analytical Skills
Other
Essential criteria
14. Ability to travel routinely around/within Bedfordshire as required for the role
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.