Job summary
Join us as we reshape Financial Services across Northampton and Kettering General Hospitals. We're seeking an inspiring finance leader to drive integration, modernisation and strong financial control across UHN.
As Assistant Director of Financial Services, you'll lead teams delivering financial and technical accounting, audit coordination, treasury, cashflow, AP/AR and year-end reporting. You'll champion automation, strengthen governance and provide expert financial insight to support strategic decision-making.
We're looking for a CCAB/CIMA-qualified NHS finance professional with strong technical skills, experience of leading change, and the confidence to influence senior leaders.
Be part of a collaborative, ambitious finance leadership team committed to compassion, accountability, respect, integrity and courage. Travel between sites is required.
If you're ready to lead a high-impact Financial Services function and drive meaningful change, we'd love to hear from you.
Main duties of the job
- Lead, develop and motivate Financial Services teams across UHN, ensuring strong performance, supervision, succession planning and a positive, psychologically safe culture.
- Oversee integration and efficiency of Financial Accounting, Accounts Receivable, Treasury and Cash services, driving modernisation and continuous improvement.
- Lead technical accounting, ensuring compliance with IFRS, NHS reporting standards, and complex areas such as PFI, leasing and VAT.
- Deliver Annual Accounts and contributions to the Annual Report; ensure robust year-end processes, reconciliations, financial controls and audit compliance.
- Act as key contact for internal/external audit; coordinate audit actions and support Board and Audit Committee reporting.
- Maintain and strengthen financial control frameworks, governance, assurance processes and policy implementation across UHN.
- Oversee all transaction processing including invoice payment, income collection, debt recovery, supply chain accounting and cashflow forecasting
- Manage cash resources, optimise investment income, ensure compliance with the Better Payment Practice Code and maintain strong credit control.
- Support Medium-Term Financial Planning, maintain schemes of delegation and collaborate with payroll on financial impacts.
- Ensure high standards of confidentiality, statutory compliance, risk management, safety and mandatory training.
About us
Please submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close adverts once we have received sufficient applications
Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is on an exciting journey with all of our divisions committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered a Group Model with neighbouring Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN). As part of this collaborative approach, there may be a requirement for you to work across both the Kettering and Northampton hospital sites, depending on the needs of the service.
Our Excellence Values
- Compassion
- Accountability
- Respect
- Integrity
- Courage
We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across UHN and help to unleash everyone's full potential.
UHN encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.
We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Silver Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme.
We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for UHN.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For Full details and responsibilities of the role, please see attached job description and person specification
Job description
Job responsibilities
For Full details and responsibilities of the role, please see attached job description and person specification
Person Specification
Education, Training & Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Master's level education or equivalent level or equivalent experience working at a senior level in a complex organisation
- Professionally qualified accountant (e.g. CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA, ACA)
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Postgraduate management or other relevant postgraduate qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Significant post qualification experience at a senior level in a complex organisation in a healthcare setting (e.g. NHS Trust, NHS Commissioner, NHS England and Improvement)
- Significant and extensive expert relevant experience in financial accountancy including management of financial services, treasury management and capital
- Ability to develop and implement policy relating to finance which impacts on the whole organisation
- Ability to interpret health service policy on finance and apply to the development and change management of services in the Trust
- A record of achievement in leading significant change, managing and improving NHS financial services departments
- Ability to apply judgement to develop solutions to highly complex problems where there are conflicting priorities and there is no precedent
- Specialist knowledge of NHS technical finance, gained over a number of years' experience, and attendance at structured training events, covering the preparation of accounts, financial plans and the preparation of business cases in particular relating to capital investment
- A proven track record of strong autonomous leadership of financial services across an organisation, at a senior level
- Expert specialist knowledge of financial and accounting procedures including current legislation and NHS accounting policies
- Working across organisational boundaries in pursuit of shared objectives
Skills
Essential
- Strong communication skills, both orally and in writing
- Ability to present information clearly to a range of audiences including the public
- Able to influence and persuade others and inspire and motivate staff
- Diplomacy, assertiveness and tact in presenting highly complex, highly sensitive or contentious information
- Strong leader of change
- Excellent negotiation skills
- Ability to analyse complex information and determine an appropriate course of action
- Ability to solve complex, multi-dimensional issues
- Project management skills
- The ability to multi-task, re-assessing priorities, to ensure projects are managed and completed to timescales
- Ability to adopt an adaptive leadership style in a politically sensitive and complex environment. Ability to perceive impact of actions on the decisions and activity of others
- Experience and expertise in managing complex multi-stranded change programmes
- Business acumen and the ability to influence and manage commercial opportunities
- Experience in design, installation and use of complex and significant Trust wide finance systems
- Ability to work autonomously, liaise and coordinate the Management Team and to take appropriate action as necessary
- Responsible for own professional actions and have sufficient autonomy for the delivery of the role
- Able to interpret national and local guidance and to develop local policies to reflect these standards
- Able to concentrate for long periods i.e. checking documents and analysing statistics, managing conflicting priorities
- Confident, challenging and questioning and prepared to challenge traditional views using empathy, evidence and curiosity. Can constructively challenge and effectively manage conflict to reach a positive conclusion
- Strong and effective leadership and people management skills. Demonstrable success in building, leading, motivating and developing financial services teams as highly effective people manager.
Key Competencies/Personal Qualities and Attributes
Essential
- Personal values aligned to the UHN values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Integrity and Courage
- A facilitative and inclusive approach to management.
- Assertive, confident and enthusiastic approach
- High level of emotional intelligence. self-awareness with the ability to keep calm in challenging situations. Able to perform confidently in pressured situations
- Self-motivated with a flexible and pro-active approach.
- Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users
- Stature and professional and personal credibility to inspire and lead internally
- s X Self-motivated with a flexible and pro-active approach. X Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users X Stature and professional and personal credibility to inspire and lead internally X A passion for making a qualitative difference to service delivery X Resilient with ability to work under pressure X A role model, sets an example in terms of excellent working standards and professional approach X F
- Ability to travel between the Kettering and Northampton Hospital sites and other sites across the Group and ICS
Person Specification
Education, Training & Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Master's level education or equivalent level or equivalent experience working at a senior level in a complex organisation
- Professionally qualified accountant (e.g. CIMA, ACCA, CIPFA, ACA)
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Desirable
- Postgraduate management or other relevant postgraduate qualification
Knowledge & Experience
Essential
- Significant post qualification experience at a senior level in a complex organisation in a healthcare setting (e.g. NHS Trust, NHS Commissioner, NHS England and Improvement)
- Significant and extensive expert relevant experience in financial accountancy including management of financial services, treasury management and capital
- Ability to develop and implement policy relating to finance which impacts on the whole organisation
- Ability to interpret health service policy on finance and apply to the development and change management of services in the Trust
- A record of achievement in leading significant change, managing and improving NHS financial services departments
- Ability to apply judgement to develop solutions to highly complex problems where there are conflicting priorities and there is no precedent
- Specialist knowledge of NHS technical finance, gained over a number of years' experience, and attendance at structured training events, covering the preparation of accounts, financial plans and the preparation of business cases in particular relating to capital investment
- A proven track record of strong autonomous leadership of financial services across an organisation, at a senior level
- Expert specialist knowledge of financial and accounting procedures including current legislation and NHS accounting policies
- Working across organisational boundaries in pursuit of shared objectives
Skills
Essential
- Strong communication skills, both orally and in writing
- Ability to present information clearly to a range of audiences including the public
- Able to influence and persuade others and inspire and motivate staff
- Diplomacy, assertiveness and tact in presenting highly complex, highly sensitive or contentious information
- Strong leader of change
- Excellent negotiation skills
- Ability to analyse complex information and determine an appropriate course of action
- Ability to solve complex, multi-dimensional issues
- Project management skills
- The ability to multi-task, re-assessing priorities, to ensure projects are managed and completed to timescales
- Ability to adopt an adaptive leadership style in a politically sensitive and complex environment. Ability to perceive impact of actions on the decisions and activity of others
- Experience and expertise in managing complex multi-stranded change programmes
- Business acumen and the ability to influence and manage commercial opportunities
- Experience in design, installation and use of complex and significant Trust wide finance systems
- Ability to work autonomously, liaise and coordinate the Management Team and to take appropriate action as necessary
- Responsible for own professional actions and have sufficient autonomy for the delivery of the role
- Able to interpret national and local guidance and to develop local policies to reflect these standards
- Able to concentrate for long periods i.e. checking documents and analysing statistics, managing conflicting priorities
- Confident, challenging and questioning and prepared to challenge traditional views using empathy, evidence and curiosity. Can constructively challenge and effectively manage conflict to reach a positive conclusion
- Strong and effective leadership and people management skills. Demonstrable success in building, leading, motivating and developing financial services teams as highly effective people manager.
Key Competencies/Personal Qualities and Attributes
Essential
- Personal values aligned to the UHN values of Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Integrity and Courage
- A facilitative and inclusive approach to management.
- Assertive, confident and enthusiastic approach
- High level of emotional intelligence. self-awareness with the ability to keep calm in challenging situations. Able to perform confidently in pressured situations
- Self-motivated with a flexible and pro-active approach.
- Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users
- Stature and professional and personal credibility to inspire and lead internally
- s X Self-motivated with a flexible and pro-active approach. X Passionate and committed to bring our Dedicated to Excellence values to life, improving the way we work with each other, particularly focusing on empowerment, equality diversity and inclusion of our staff, patients and service users X Stature and professional and personal credibility to inspire and lead internally X A passion for making a qualitative difference to service delivery X Resilient with ability to work under pressure X A role model, sets an example in terms of excellent working standards and professional approach X F
- Ability to travel between the Kettering and Northampton Hospital sites and other sites across the Group and ICS
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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