Job Summary
We are looking for a highly motivated and enthusiastic CCAB/CIMA qualified accountant for a minimum 12‑month fixed‑term role to provide maternity leave cover. The position offers an excellent opportunity to develop or continue your career in NHS finance, and is also suitable for candidates willing to take a secondment.
Why You Should Work With Us
Join our highly motivated, enthusiastic and inclusive team at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust – the largest single‑site cancer centre in Europe. We put patients at the heart of everything we do and aim to transform cancer treatments and improve outcomes. The Trust offers extensive training, mentoring programmes and study support.
Main Duties of the Job
* Provide high‑quality professional financial management advice and support as lead accountant and contact point for a range of clinical and non‑clinical divisions, ensuring divisions/directorates achieve financial balance and that financial pressures are highlighted early.
* Continue to develop financial reporting and planning to reflect the needs of the divisions/directorates and improve accountability.
* Provide specialist strategic, financial and business skill input into the planning of any service development, including strategic change within the division/directorate as appropriate, ensuring that divisional objectives are affordable within available resources consistent with the organisational financial strategy.
* Act as deputy for the Assistant Director of Finance and be accountable for specific team‑wide areas of responsibility, ensuring the ADoF is kept informed of divisional and team issues.
* Lead on and provide input to projects within finance or across the Trust as assigned.
* Coordinate the production of Trust/divisional monthly financial management information in line with agreed timetables and feed it into the Trust reporting framework to be reported to internal committees and externally.
* Coordinate the budget setting process for division(s)/directorates by establishing and maintaining systems and procedures and ensuring the production of working papers to enable the formulation of the Trust budget book.
* Interpret financial information and communicate variances from budget and any potential risk areas to senior managers, offering guidance and advice to enable action plans to be formulated which maximise the financial resources available.
* Proactively assist colleagues in managing budgets and continually promote financial control and stewardship to safeguard the use of funds and promote value for money.
* In conjunction with the division(s) and the Programme Management Office, proactively identify, monitor and evaluate schemes to ensure achievement of Cost Improvement Programme (CIP) targets and contribute to CIP working groups as the nominated finance representative.
* Accurately forecast the year‑end financial position of the division/directorates on a monthly basis to enable the year‑end position for the Trust/charity to be provided to the board.
* Act corporately, upholding the professionalism of the Finance Directorate, whilst also being an integral and trusted member of the divisional team(s).
* As a member of the divisional board(s), develop a close working relationship with other board members and divisional senior management team, presenting financial information to clinicians, managers and other staff to improve financial awareness and efficiency.
* As a senior member of the division(s), contribute to the effective operation of the division(s), leading on projects where appropriate.
* Provide the division with information on the links between the achievement of performance targets and the financial performance of the division, advising the board on Local Delivery Plans, cost and price implications of service changes and financial implications of changes to local tariff and payment by results.
* Link with the Income, Costing and Contracting team in the production of profitability reporting through division/directorate agreement of cost and income allocation and understanding of service contribution to the running of the Trust.
* Link with the Financial Services Manager to ensure accurate reporting of the Trust balance sheet and cash flow statement, and to ensure the Trust maximises its cash balance on a daily basis.
* Contribute to and, where appropriate, lead on identified corporate financial projects, for example the preparation of elements of the Annual Accounts process.
* Work co‑operatively across the finance function to ensure common accounting standards are maintained within the Trust and to share information and best practice to achieve more effective use of resources or enhance productivity. Attend and contribute to the weekly section meeting chaired by the ADoF.
* Act as authorised signatory for cheques and bank payment transfers, ensuring requests meet the Standing Financial Instructions and Standing Orders of the Trust.
* Exercise independent judgement and initiative when problems arise and take appropriate action to resolve areas of concern.
* Prioritise own work and that of specific sub‑team(s) within the divisional financial management team and, where appropriate, line‑manage sub‑team(s) including appraisals, training and development, sickness absence, disciplinary matters, recruitment and selection decisions, personal and career development and workload allocations.
* Lead on the provision of financial training to managers, clinicians and all budget holders within the division/directorates and the Trust.
* Lead on the development and implementation of policies, procedures and protocols for the provision of financial management information to ensure the trust complies with statutory and internal requirements, in conjunction with the ADoF.
* Provide cover for other financial management team members absences, including supporting other divisions.
* Work with the ADoF to agree Personal Objectives, a Personal Development Plan and keep up to date professionally through mandatory continuing professional development.
Job Details
* Posted date: 09 February 2026
* Pay scheme: Agenda for Change
* Band: Band 8b
* Salary: £64,455 to £74,896 a year pro rata per annum
* Contract: Fixed term
* Duration: 12 months
* Working pattern: Full-time
* Reference number: 413‑103097‑FB‑DA
* Job location: Financial Management – E00382, Manchester, M20 4BX
Person Specification
* Qualifications
o CCAB/CIMA qualified accountant
o Demonstrate Continuing Professional Development
* Essential Experience
o Extensive post‑qualification experience in a senior role, working as a senior manager within a complex finance department, with advanced understanding of financial management and accounting principles
o Experience in a multi‑agency and disciplinary environment
o Extensive experience of management accounting
o Experience of managing, motivating and developing staff, including professionally qualified staff
o Experience of computerised financial systems
o Experience of NHS finance and the NHS financial regime
* Desirable Experience
o Experience of working at a NHS Foundation Trust
o Experience of preparing the statutory annual accounts process
* Essential Skills
o Excellent analytical and reasoning skills
o Ability to prepare and present financial information to non‑financial people
o Planning, monitoring and influencing skills
o Excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills to people at all levels within the organisation
o Proficient in the use of computerised and manual financial systems, including spreadsheets and database packages, and ability to develop systems to maximum benefit to users
o Robust understanding of financial and activity systems and ability to extract, interpret, manipulate and present information in a meaningful way
o Ability to manage, motivate and develop staff, including professionally qualified staff
o Ability to work without supervision and deliver to deadlines
o Ability to be both a team leader and a team player
o Ability to lead change and have a positive influence on others
o Evidence of past achievements and ability to deliver
o Ability to lead and proactively contribute to business cases, providing an effective and professional financial input
* Essential Knowledge
o In‑depth knowledge of the NHS financial regime and its impact on Trust income
o Knowledge of the FT financial regime including understanding of the compliance framework
* Desirable Knowledge
o Understanding of the NHS Cancer Plan and Trust performance targets and ability to understand the impact that these have on the Trust
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such will be necessary to submit a Disclosure and Barring Service check to confirm lack of criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.
Employer Details
Employer: The Christie NHS FT
Address: Financial Management – E00382, Manchester, M20 4BX
Website: https://www.christie.nhs.uk/
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