Job Summary
As a highly visible leader and member of the Trust's Senior Leadership Team (SLT), the Associate Director of Financial Improvement oversees the development, delivery and reporting of the organisation's Cost Improvement Programme (CIP). The role provides assurance to the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) and the Executive Team through the Executive assurance governance structure. The post leads the DMO team to identify and develop a robust portfolio of financial efficiency schemes that deliver the Trust's annual CIP target, supports all divisions and corporate services to transform service delivery and realise recurrent financial savings, and oversees the Trust’s RPA programme and costing strategy.
Main duties of the job
* Monitor and report the Cost Improvement Programme and its component projects; work with partners and engage a wide range of internal and external stakeholders across public, voluntary and community sectors.
* Support Divisions and the Trust in identifying projects and programmes to deliver CIP targets; contribute as part of the SLT to drive priorities and enable operational change across partners to deliver CIP.
* Lead on the Trust's use and deployment of Patient Level Information & Costing System (PLICS), national cost collection returns and benchmarking.
* Provide oversight of the Trust's RPA programme, including contract management, pipeline development and delivery of agreed projects.
About Us
Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital and community services for East Cheshire and West Cheshire and Chester. We operate across Leighton Hospital, Victoria Infirmary and Elmhurst Intermediate Care Centre, with community services in 26 medical centres and schools in partnership with other organisations. We employ around 5,500 staff.
Following Integrated Care System (ICS) formation, the Trust collaborates with local systems to align strategic goals and is involved in national health initiatives.
Our mission is to inspire hope and provide unparalleled care for the people and communities of Cheshire.
Details
Date posted: 04 March 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for Change
Band: Band 8c
Salary: £76,965 to £88,682 per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Location: Leighton Hospital (hybrid role), Middlewich Road, Crewe, CW1 4QJ
Job Responsibilities
The Associate Director of Financial Improvement is responsible for leading, co-ordinating and managing the end-to-end delivery of the Trust's CIP programme, including oversight of all Divisional CIP programmes and Trust-wide initiatives. The role ensures alignment to Trust, ICS and national priorities and is responsible for identifying, developing and delivering sufficient programmes and projects to meet annual CIP targets of approximately £30m across Divisions and Trust-wide schemes.
* Lead the identification and development of key programmes that build improvement capability and drive cultural change, working with Continuous Improvement and Transformation teams to establish an integrated performance improvement function.
* Identify priority workstreams, investigations, projects and programmes that deliver measurable financial improvements, using detailed analysis of patient-level information to performance data and robust evidence bases for prioritisation with senior leaders.
* Maintain robust governance and reporting systems for CIP, providing assurance to the Trust Board and Executive Team on delivery, risks, mitigations and overall programme performance; escalate where delivery is off track.
* Escalate material risks or issues to the CFO and relevant Executives; exercise professional judgement to protect the Trust’s financial position.
* Interpret and present complex performance, operational and financial information to produce high-quality reports and briefings for the Executive Team; apply analytics to identify opportunities for improved efficiency and productivity.
* Provide specialist leadership and expert input into complex financial improvement schemes; ensure compliance with policies and sign-off governance documentation, including Quality Impact Assessments (QIAs).
* Act as a specialist Trust-wide resource to support Clinical Divisions in developing CIP programmes and strengthening continuous improvement capability.
* Lead the development and delivery of annual and medium-term CIP plans, ensuring alignment to local system priorities and national requirements and providing a credible path to financial recovery.
* Oversee the Trust’s RPA capability, including contract governance and delivery of automation projects, with benefits aligned to continuous improvement and transformation activity.
* Communicate complex information to a wide range of stakeholders with clarity and credibility, supporting constructive challenge and shared strategic vision.
* Provide senior analytical oversight of national productivity packs and translate productivity intelligence into divisional opportunities for CIP development.
Person Specification
Essential
* Qualified Accountant
* Experience of financial improvement
* PLICS/SLR leadership
Desirable
* RPA experience
Technical experience and interview
* PLICS/SLR deployment
* Interpersonal skills
* RPA experience - process redesign
Experience
* Experience of CIP delivery (minimum 2 years)
* CIP roll-out deployment
* Reporting and scrutiny of CIP accounting
Desirable
* CIP re-deployment
Other Information
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check required. This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975 and requires a DBS disclosure.
UK Registration: Applicants must have current UK professional registration.
Employer details: Mid Cheshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Leighton Hospital, Middlewich Road, Crewe, CW1 4QJ
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