Job summary
First Community is seeking an experienced, qualified, and forward-thinking
Senior Finance Business Partner to join its Finance team to provide
high-quality financial business partnering support across Clinical and
Corporate Divisions.
Reporting
to the Deputy Director of Finance, the postholder will play a critical role
in ensuring that financial management is closely aligned with operational
objectives, service delivery plans, and the wider organisational strategy.
The role requires a strong combination of technical financial
expertise, commercial awareness, strategic thinking, and leadership
capability to support c£33m budget portfolio.
Applicants must hold a recognised professional accountancy
qualification such as CCAB or CIMA and have sufficient experience in
financial management and business partnering.
They must possess strong analytical and commercial skills and
demonstrate a proven ability to provide customer-focused financial support.
The ability to interpret complex financial data and communicate
financial information clearly and effectively to both finance and non-finance
colleagues is essential.
The role requires someone who can build strong relationships,
influence decisions, and support managers in achieving their financial
objectives while maintaining a strong focus on governance and value for money.
Main duties of the job
The
successful candidate will be responsible for:
- Managing
and leading the Financial Management Team.
- Leading
the monthly and quarterly management accounts preparation and consolidated
finance pack for committees.
- Finance
business partnering, working closely operational and non-operational managers
in delivering the organisations financial strategy and meeting their
financial targets.
- Preparing
financial models and plans for new business initiatives and projects.
- Providing
sound financial management advice in procurement or tendering for new
services and initiatives.
- Maintaining
robust financial controls, processes and procedures.
- Supporting
the successful preparation and implementation of the annual budget and
financial plans.
- Providing
technical finance support and guidance on business as usual and project
activities.
- Coordinating
and delivering finance training to non-finance colleagues.
- Driving
continuous improvements in business processes and controls, alongside
developing team capabilities.
About us
Do you want to be part of an organisation recognised as
one of the top community providers to work for in the country, delivering high
quality NHS care? (2025 Staff Survey results)
First Community is a staff owned
social enterprise rated Good by CQC, which delivers NHS community services across
east Surrey and parts of West Sussex. We
are looking for individuals who share our values First-rate care, First-rate people,
First-rate value.
First Community is a great place
to work, everyone has a voice and is supported to develop their career to its
full potential. We offer all our staff: NHS terms and conditions, high quality
training and development opportunities, flexible working to enable a good work
life balance, an inclusive and friendly work environment, NHS pension,
flexible retirement options and various employee benefits.
Please talk to us before applying
or at interview about the flexibility you need. We may not be able to meet your
needs exactly, but we do promise to fully consider your request and meet your needs
where possible. Flexible working options may vary depending on the
role.
At First Community we welcome
applications from black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates, LGBTQ+
candidates and candidates with disabilities. All applicants are
treated fairly and consistently at every stage of the recruitment process,
including the consideration of reasonable adjustments.
Sustainability is integral to
First Community achieving the NHS Net Zero target.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder is
responsible
for ensuring that there are effective monitoring and reporting processes in
place for controlling the companys income and expenditure. Information needs
to be presented in a format appropriate to the intended audience, e.g. service
managers, the Executive Team and the Board.
The post
holder will also provide wider business support to the Executive Team and
Service Managers in the costing and pricing of existing and new services, and
in the preparation of tenders for new healthcare contracts.
The post
holder will ensure that effective procurement processes are in place across the
company to achieve the optimum balance of economy and efficiency in the goods
and services received by FCHC.
The post
holder will be required to ensure that effective contract monitoring processes
are in place for healthcare contracts held by the company, ensuring that we
meet our contractual obligations and achieve our financial targets.
The post
holder will also support corporate business development through the
identification of publicly advertised business opportunities and the
co-ordination of responses to these and other formal tender processes.
Critical to
the position are strong interpersonal skills, and effective communication both
verbal and written. The ability to lead a small team to achieve department and
business finance demands is fundamental as is understanding protocol when
interacting with management together with maintaining a high degree of
sensitivity and confidentiality.
The
ability to plan and prioritise workloads to meet deadlines is fundamental so
too is effective time management of workflow to meet deadlines. The ability to
work without Management direction, use initiative and possess a positive
attitude towards teamwork.
Please see document 'Job Decription and Person Specification' for more detail.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The post holder is
responsible
for ensuring that there are effective monitoring and reporting processes in
place for controlling the companys income and expenditure. Information needs
to be presented in a format appropriate to the intended audience, e.g. service
managers, the Executive Team and the Board.
The post
holder will also provide wider business support to the Executive Team and
Service Managers in the costing and pricing of existing and new services, and
in the preparation of tenders for new healthcare contracts.
The post
holder will ensure that effective procurement processes are in place across the
company to achieve the optimum balance of economy and efficiency in the goods
and services received by FCHC.
The post
holder will be required to ensure that effective contract monitoring processes
are in place for healthcare contracts held by the company, ensuring that we
meet our contractual obligations and achieve our financial targets.
The post
holder will also support corporate business development through the
identification of publicly advertised business opportunities and the
co-ordination of responses to these and other formal tender processes.
Critical to
the position are strong interpersonal skills, and effective communication both
verbal and written. The ability to lead a small team to achieve department and
business finance demands is fundamental as is understanding protocol when
interacting with management together with maintaining a high degree of
sensitivity and confidentiality.
The
ability to plan and prioritise workloads to meet deadlines is fundamental so
too is effective time management of workflow to meet deadlines. The ability to
work without Management direction, use initiative and possess a positive
attitude towards teamwork.
Please see document 'Job Decription and Person Specification' for more detail.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Expert knowledge of management accounting disciplines and budgetary control principles
- Strong knowledge of conducting or contributing to efficiency reviews
- Experience of setting up and managing programmes or projects
- Evidence of post qualification and continuing professional development
- Costing and Procurement experience
- Strong working knowledge of other Microsoft Office/Products with intermediate keyboard skills
Desirable
- NHS Finance and NHS Benchmarking
Experience
Essential
- Significant post qualification analytical financial management experience.
- Strong ability to provide advice and support from all accounting disciplines.
- Successful experience of managing teams including leading financial management teams.
- Experience of producing financial monitoring reports for Senior Management/Directors for large and complex organisations.
- Previously involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes in Public and Private Sectors.
- Experience of directly managing and developing a team.
- Exposure to commercial operations in public or private sector.
- Experience of benchmarking or equivalent and strong data analytics skills.
- Contract monitoring experience.
- Proven record of improving business processes, productivity, efficiency and adding value.
Qualifications
Essential
- CCAB Qualified or CIMA accountant and an active member of an accounting professional body.
- Expert knowledge gained through specialist training or experience.
- Evidence of maintaining and developing technical accounting expertise and of staying up to date with current accounting rules since qualification.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Manages team within the constraints of the strategic plan.
- Ability to work on own initiative and organise workload, allocating work as necessary.
- Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues
- An ability to maintain confidentiality and trust
- Used to working in a busy environment
- Flexible and adaptable team player with the ability to cope with uncertainty and change
- Commitment to continuing professional development
Skills
Essential
- Strong computerised accounting and reporting skills including cloud-based accounting systems.
- Advanced Excel skills.
- Ability to present financial information in a clear and concise manner.
- Strong verbal and inter-personal skills to facilitate constructive discussion with service managers.
- Strong leadership qualities and influencing skills.
- Ability to work as part of a team, making positive contributions while recognising the position of others.
- Strong organisation and planning skills with the ability to formulate and adjust plans to reflect changing circumstances.
- Good use of available information sources to enable efficient and effective planning.
- Effective time management skills with the ability to work under pressure and to tight and often changing deadlines.
- Skills for delivering results through managing through others and using a range of levers in the absence of direct line management responsibility.
- Skills for managing relationships with a range of different stakeholders.
Desirable
- Project management.
- Ability to negotiate with external parties and reach mutually acceptable positions.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Expert knowledge of management accounting disciplines and budgetary control principles
- Strong knowledge of conducting or contributing to efficiency reviews
- Experience of setting up and managing programmes or projects
- Evidence of post qualification and continuing professional development
- Costing and Procurement experience
- Strong working knowledge of other Microsoft Office/Products with intermediate keyboard skills
Desirable
- NHS Finance and NHS Benchmarking
Experience
Essential
- Significant post qualification analytical financial management experience.
- Strong ability to provide advice and support from all accounting disciplines.
- Successful experience of managing teams including leading financial management teams.
- Experience of producing financial monitoring reports for Senior Management/Directors for large and complex organisations.
- Previously involved in budget setting and working knowledge of financial processes in Public and Private Sectors.
- Experience of directly managing and developing a team.
- Exposure to commercial operations in public or private sector.
- Experience of benchmarking or equivalent and strong data analytics skills.
- Contract monitoring experience.
- Proven record of improving business processes, productivity, efficiency and adding value.
Qualifications
Essential
- CCAB Qualified or CIMA accountant and an active member of an accounting professional body.
- Expert knowledge gained through specialist training or experience.
- Evidence of maintaining and developing technical accounting expertise and of staying up to date with current accounting rules since qualification.
Other Requirements
Essential
- Manages team within the constraints of the strategic plan.
- Ability to work on own initiative and organise workload, allocating work as necessary.
- Ability to make decisions autonomously, when required, on difficult issues
- An ability to maintain confidentiality and trust
- Used to working in a busy environment
- Flexible and adaptable team player with the ability to cope with uncertainty and change
- Commitment to continuing professional development
Skills
Essential
- Strong computerised accounting and reporting skills including cloud-based accounting systems.
- Advanced Excel skills.
- Ability to present financial information in a clear and concise manner.
- Strong verbal and inter-personal skills to facilitate constructive discussion with service managers.
- Strong leadership qualities and influencing skills.
- Ability to work as part of a team, making positive contributions while recognising the position of others.
- Strong organisation and planning skills with the ability to formulate and adjust plans to reflect changing circumstances.
- Good use of available information sources to enable efficient and effective planning.
- Effective time management skills with the ability to work under pressure and to tight and often changing deadlines.
- Skills for delivering results through managing through others and using a range of levers in the absence of direct line management responsibility.
- Skills for managing relationships with a range of different stakeholders.
Desirable
- Project management.
- Ability to negotiate with external parties and reach mutually acceptable positions.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
