Overview
Job summary
An excellent short-term opportunity has arisen within the Income & Contracting team. Reporting to the Head of Income & Contracts, we are seeking an experienced individual with detailed knowledge of NHS payment systems to support the Trust in navigating, at pace, changes to the national payment scheme. This role will be instrumental in supporting delivery of the 2025/26 income position and preparations for the 2026/27 contracting round.
Income & Contracting is a highly specialised field requiring expert-level knowledge of NHS Payment Systems. Success in this role demands not only technical expertise but also a deep understanding of service-level operations and well-developed negotiation skills, underpinned by substantial experience in complex healthcare financial environments.
The interviews are to be held in person on Thursday, 13 November 2025.
Responsibilities
Job responsibilities
* To lead on key elements of the Trusts income and contracting strategy, taking responsibility for financially material and highly complex aspects of contract negotiations with commissioners and SLA partners. Ensure robust mechanisms are in place to identify, assess and manage both financial risk and opportunity across a range of contracts.
* To provide expert / detailed technical knowledge of the NHS Payment System. To analyse, interpret and communicate on large volumes of complex data, making informed judgements / recommendations that support the Trusts financial objectives.
* The post holder will lead on key elements of the Trusts income and contracting strategy and will work with operational colleagues to optimise contract specifications, monitor governance, and liaise with data and BI teams to ensure data quality and accurate forecasting.
* To operate with a high degree of autonomy, guided by interpretation and detailed understanding of organisational and national policy, and to demonstrate advanced analytical, judgement, and communication skills in all aspects of their work.
Contract Management & Negotiation
* Work collaboratively with the Head of Income & Contracts, alongside operational and financial colleagues at varying levels, to lead the drafting, negotiation, and management of service level agreements and NHS contracts with external parties.
* Maintain awareness of national, regional and local health economy guidance and priorities with respect to performance issues and objectives.
* Provide expert technical interpretation of the highly complex NHS payment system and contracting guidance to identify areas of risk and opportunity within the Trusts current income position, ensuring the Trust is positioned to respond effectively to current and emerging requirements.
* Use advanced analytical tools to interpret complex financial and activity data, assessing current income position and proposed contract offers to commissioners. Identify trends, variances, and gaps to make informed recommendations that mitigate risk and maximise income opportunities, ensuring all proposals align with nationally-prescribed parameters.
* Deliver income and contract briefings (written, verbal, or via presentation) to financial, operational, and clinical teams to support awareness and decision making. Clearly communicate complex and overlapping contract and payment system principles, including associated risks and financial impacts, to non-financial and executive audiences.
* Collaborate with service leads to champion strong contract governance and monitoring - essential for securing Trust income, enhancing service delivery, and optimising performance. Design and deliver targeted guidance and training for clinicians and operational colleagues, equipping them with the knowledge to effectively oversee, execute, and enforce contractual duties and remedies.
Strategic / Financial Planning
* Play a key role in delivering the requirements of the annual planning and contracting cycles, contributing to the formulation of medium and long-term financial strategy and associated plans with regard to income and contracting.
* Prepare and review operational plans to deliver income targets, adapting proactively to changes in guidance, contracts, and commissioning intentions.
* Ensure the Trusts income and contracting assumptions are robust, aligned with the Trust strategic objectives, and reflective of current and long-term NHS guidance.
* Deliver recommendations to senior leadership where the Trust income and contracting assumptions and wider Trust / National objectives may not be aligned, navigating differing or contentious opinions where applicable.
* Provide financial expertise and support for the implementation of complex changes in service models, including the redesign of patient pathways, ensuring alignment with evolving regional and national guidance and Trust strategy.
* Collaborate with clinical and operational teams to assess the financial impact of service model changes and advise on optimal approaches.
* Provide Senior support and guidance in the production of business cases. Develop system and modelling tools for use in advising operational managers and clinicians.
* Present risk and financial analysis to support business decision making in business cases where no precedent or incomplete information exists, and provide independent recommendations on complex healthcare issues.
Policy Development & Implementation
* Develop, document, and implement policies within the finance department and for divisions, ensuring compliance with Trust and NHSE standards.
* Lead the development of procedures, system documentation and controls within the commissioning function, and provide appropriate system development environments, standards and controls.
Additional Duties
* Maintain awareness of best practice and developments in relevant areas.
* To ensure that the Trusts standing financial instructions and codes of procedures are adhered to at all times.
* To utilise at a sufficiently advanced level all the relevant software required to successfully undertake this role, including Microsoft Office, with particular excellence in Excel and ability to work with Big Data. Experience in SQL and Business Intelligence reporting would be an advantage.
* To assist generally in the financial management of the Trust.
* Provide functional leadership to staff involved in income and contracting activities, setting direction, allocating work, and ensuring delivery of objectives, even though these staff may not report directly from a line management perspective.
* Contribute to the training and development of colleagues within the Income & Contracting team and the wider department, particularly those in earlier career stages or working at lower bands, by sharing expertise, offering guidance on financial and contractual matters, and supporting skills growth through informal mentoring and knowledge transfer.
* To take a lead role in the completion of routine and ad hoc returns which are required internally and externally, by the commissioners, NHS Improvement / England and the Department of Health.
* To represent the Head of Income & Contracts in various internal and external meetings as and when required.
* Any other duties as required.
Person Specification
Experience
* Essential
* Please demonstrate by giving examples of your experience of interpreting, summarising and applying highly complex guidance such as the NHS Payment System and National Tariff rules, including blended payments and outcomes-based models.
* Please demonstrate by giving examples of your experience of the annual business planning and contracting round in the NHS.
* Describe your experience in preparing and leading complex and contentious contract negotiations.
* Describe your experience and give examples around developing and analysing large datasets, interpreting complex financial guidance, and comparing options to determine optimal approaches.
Desirable
* Describe any experience you may have with:
* Wider NHS experience such as working across a range of Acute Trust, Commissioner and other provider organisations
* Experience of reviewing, challenging, understanding and implementing new Government and NHS guidance.
* Evidence of detailed specialist experience of working with Acute Hospital data and processing
Qualifications
* Essential
* CCAB Management or Accounting qualification, or equivalent.
* Evidence of continued professional development.
* Desirable
* Experience at CCAB level.
* Educated to degree level.
Skills & Knowledge
* Essential
* Give examples of your ability to assimilate and interpret highly complex and sometimes ambiguous information across a wide range of data.
* Give examples of your ability to summarise highly complex financial issues to both specialist and non-specialist audiences.
* Give examples of when you have managed competing priorities, worked autonomously e.g. to respond to rapid changes in Commissioner requirements and national payment rules.
* Give examples of instances when you have presented credible and compelling arguments to executives, senior management, peers, finance staff and commissioners.
Desirable
* Please describe your expertise, experience of Finance systems, including data warehouse tools, SQL and Excel.
Other Job Requirements
* Essential
* Improving Diversity and Inclusive Recruitment
* As part of the Trust's aim to improve diversity across the Trust, positive action is being taken and all applications for this post from BAME, Disabled and LGBT+ candidates can request to be considered under an expanded Guaranteed Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum criteria as specified in the person specification for this role. Here you can declare if you wish to be considered under this expanded Guaranteed Interview Scheme and this response would be visible to the Shortlisting Panel.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details
Employer name
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Address
Charles Hastings Way
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR5 1DD
Employer's website
https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
Additional Employer details
Employer name
Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust
Address
Charles Hastings Way
Worcester
Worcestershire
WR5 1DD
Employer's website
https://www.worcsacute.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)
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