Job summary
East Kent Hospitals is a large and complex NHS Foundation Trust with a substantial financial deficitto be addressed alongside continued improvement required in performance and quality metrics ofpatient care and services. This critical role will support the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) in influencingand driving the strategic and operational development of the Trust. Reporting to the CFO, theDeputy Chief Finance Officer - Governance role will play a vital leadership role in ensuring we cansteer a financially sustainable course in the coming months and years.
The Deputy Chief Finance Officer - Governance will support the CFO in the delivery of financial governance and assurance. The role will include leadership of Financial Services and Capital and will work closely with the Deputy Chief Finance Officer - Performance across the Finance portfolio.
As a senior member of the Finance leadership team, delivery against the Trusts corporate objectivesis expected, in particular the Trust's objectives to achieve financial sustainability.
Main duties of the job
o The post holder will contribute towards the Trust's strategy, improvement plan and Trust- widechange projects operating outside your primary area of responsibility, ensuring the effective use ofresources so that this is achieved without compromising standards in your own area.
o The Deputy Chief Finance Officer roles will have a strong track record of delivery, be able to managemultiple projects and drive change. The postholder will be able to lead and motivate teamseffectively as well as building strong relationships with a range of stakeholders and partners.
o The postholder will play a key role in engagement and communication of the financial agenda bothwithin the organisation and in the ICBs, building strong relationships with a range of stakeholdersand partners.
o The post holder will work with the Deputy Chief Financial Officer - Performance to provideleadership across the Finance Team.
o The post holder will work with the Deputy Chief Financial Officer - Performance to provideleadership across the Finance Team.
o The post holder will assist the Chief Finance Officer to provide strategic leadership and professionalfinancial advice to the Trust to ensure its long-term financial success.
About us
We are one of the largest hospital trusts in England, with five hospitals and community clinicsserving a local population of around 800,000 people. Our vision is 'great healthcare from greatpeople'. Everything we do is guided by our values: 'People feel cared for, safe, respected andconfident that we are making a difference'. We have a new way of working at East Kent Hospitals,called 'We care'. It's about empowering frontline staff to lead improvements day-to-day. We'relooking for compassionate people to be part of our improvement journey for the patients, familiesand carers we care for every day.
Please note that if you require a Certificate of Sponsorship to work in the UK you must declare thison your application form, even if you currently have a certificate of sponsorship or a work permit foranother role and are already working in the country. Please note we are only able to sponsorcandidates on a Skilled Worker Visa applying for roles Band 5 and above.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Role specific duties
Accountability Jointly responsible with the Deputy Chief Finance Officer - Performance for ensuring the integrityof the general ledger, giving assurance to the Chief Finance Officer that the financial informationsupplied is accurate and in accordance with professional accounting standards. Ensuring that thegovernance arrangements for finance are robust and sit clearly within the Trust overall governancearrangements. Lead the development of Financial Services ensuring delivery of statutory financial duties includingthe submission of the annual consolidated accounts and take responsibility for ensuring that arobust control environment is in place and that corporate governance procedures are complied with. Overseeing the financial accounting framework, ensuring that the financial accounting teamprovides a full accounting service to the Trust, its charity and subsidiaries. This will require up to daterelevant knowledge of accounting standards and NHS accounting practice including IFRS, CharitySORP, UK FRS102 PFI, VAT legislation and Managed Equipment Services (MES) accounting. Provide leadership with regards to the Trusts processes that are in place to prepare and monitorthe Cash, Financing, Capital and Working Capital Management elements of the organisations annualand longer-term plan. Management of Capital Reporting including reporting on the associated major capital projectsthrough the Trust infrastructure of meetings. Leading the delivery of high standard of financial services to the Trust in terms of invoicepayments, cashiering and treasury management. Providing overall leadership of the Financial Services and Capital teams so they are responsive andflexible to the Trusts needs with resilient staffing structures and cost-effective services. Ensuringthey are a high performing team by encouraging autonomy, innovation, and best practice ineverything they do. Direct accountability to the Chief Financial Officer for the successful delivery of the Trusts strategicand operational financial objectives through the effective management and operation of internal financial controls, policies and processes. Ensuring the Trusts financial position is reported accurately internally and externally, includingmeaningful analysis, evaluation and advice, suitable for non-financial stakeholders, to support robustdecision making. Lead the preparation and submission of the Trusts Annual Accounts through to completion andsign off by External Audit and the Trust Board. Acting as an ambassador for the Trust, ensuring that the needs and views of the Trust are fairlyrepresented in external (including national) forums. Ensuring the Trust receives high quality financial services, including ensuring the maintenance ofrobust financial controls and systems, rigorous working capital, cash flow management and effectivefinancial reports of historic and prospective financial performance information. Responsible for ensuring the Trust obtains best value for money from its financial systems andservices and provides professional support to all financial services and control departments. Ensuring the Trust has sound financial management processes in place such that the Trusts assetsare safeguarded and it is able to achieve its income and expenditure targets, thereby supporting theChief Financial Officer in the delivery of the Trusts annual objectives. Developing and leading the Trusts Finance Department Improvement Plan and its delivery acrossthe department; actively seeking examples of best practice and alternative ways of working in orderto drive change including taking advantage of further opportunities to digitise, automate and explorethe application of AI to enhance processes. Acting as the strategic and operational lead in the Trust wide, commissioning and contractingprocesses. Overseeing the Group accounting structures, ensuring strong relationships with the wholly ownedsubsidiaries, ensuring robust financial monitoring and strong financial challenge. Ensure all planningand reporting timetables include the group members. The postholder will support the exploration and development of commercial opportunities andprojects across the organisation, to drive diversification of our income streams outside core NHSfunding approaches. Deputising for the Chief Financial Officer, as required. Undertake projects or tasks outside stated responsibilities on behalf of the Chief Finance Officer,as required.
Communication and relationship The postholder will be visible and influential at director level within the Trust, with a strongcustomer focus and competent at achieving a balance of support and challenge. Provision of expert financial leadership, guidance, quality assurance, triangulation of data andproject management in support of Trust-wide day-to-day operations as well as planning andstrategy. Managing the key risks and issues in delivering the plans and ensuring appropriate actions aretaken to respond to issues as they arise, monitoring and establishing accountability for the progressand completion of plans within agreed timescales.
Planning and organisational Responsible for the co-ordination and management of processes to ensure the translation of Truststrategies and annual objectives (including continuing improvements in safety, effectiveness, patientexperience and efficiency) into strategic, robust and deliverable financial plans and annual budgets. Lead the annual budget setting (capital, cash and revenue) process, planning, organising and coordinating the work of the Finance department and staff across all areas of the Trust; ensureconsistency with the overall financial strategy of the Trust and wider ICS. The postholder will continually develop, refine and strengthen the Trusts approach to financialcontrol and financial services, developing financial systems to meet the changing needs of the Trust. Managing the Trusts working capital to maximum effect, including management of debtors,creditors and payments due from overseas visitors and private patient. Working with the Chief Finance Officer, take the lead in building a Financial Strategy for the Trust, linking in with other key strategies across the organisation. The strategy to be agreed and reviewed by the Finance and Performance Committee and Trust Board.
Responsibility for policy/service development The postholder will ensure the development and implementation of effective financial policies andprocedures that minimise financial risk and maximise use of resources by empowering effectivebudgetary planning and management. The postholder will ensure the preparation of statutory year-end accounts, estimates, and reportsas necessary for the Trust to carry out its statutory duties. The postholder will contribute effectively to the statutory responsibilities of an NHS Trust as setout in the Health and Social Care Act to ensure compliance with the financial management andgovernance of an NHS trust.
Management responsibility The postholder will provide leadership to the finance teams, ensuring performance is appropriatelymanaged, and all staff have personal development plans, in order to ensure an efficient, effectiveand engaged workforce. Provide professional advice, training and support where appropriate to allstaff. Promote and develop a culture of continuous improvement across the Finance team. Build ateam of high performers through inspiring leadership, coaching and embedding the directoratesstandards and values. Provide strong, visible, and professional financial leadership across the Trust, fostering a culturewhich values continuing improvement in areas. Promote a culture and value set where staff feel empowered and accountable for serviceimprovement at a local level. Ensure the provision and ongoing development of training courses for all non-finance managers inthe Trust enabling them to carry out their duties as budget holders to raise financial awareness andappraisal to allow them to take responsibility and ownership of the finances in the organisation aswell as adherence to standing financial instructions. Participate actively in external finance manager training and accreditation schemes.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Role specific duties
Accountability Jointly responsible with the Deputy Chief Finance Officer - Performance for ensuring the integrityof the general ledger, giving assurance to the Chief Finance Officer that the financial informationsupplied is accurate and in accordance with professional accounting standards. Ensuring that thegovernance arrangements for finance are robust and sit clearly within the Trust overall governancearrangements. Lead the development of Financial Services ensuring delivery of statutory financial duties includingthe submission of the annual consolidated accounts and take responsibility for ensuring that arobust control environment is in place and that corporate governance procedures are complied with. Overseeing the financial accounting framework, ensuring that the financial accounting teamprovides a full accounting service to the Trust, its charity and subsidiaries. This will require up to daterelevant knowledge of accounting standards and NHS accounting practice including IFRS, CharitySORP, UK FRS102 PFI, VAT legislation and Managed Equipment Services (MES) accounting. Provide leadership with regards to the Trusts processes that are in place to prepare and monitorthe Cash, Financing, Capital and Working Capital Management elements of the organisations annualand longer-term plan. Management of Capital Reporting including reporting on the associated major capital projectsthrough the Trust infrastructure of meetings. Leading the delivery of high standard of financial services to the Trust in terms of invoicepayments, cashiering and treasury management. Providing overall leadership of the Financial Services and Capital teams so they are responsive andflexible to the Trusts needs with resilient staffing structures and cost-effective services. Ensuringthey are a high performing team by encouraging autonomy, innovation, and best practice ineverything they do. Direct accountability to the Chief Financial Officer for the successful delivery of the Trusts strategicand operational financial objectives through the effective management and operation of internal financial controls, policies and processes. Ensuring the Trusts financial position is reported accurately internally and externally, includingmeaningful analysis, evaluation and advice, suitable for non-financial stakeholders, to support robustdecision making. Lead the preparation and submission of the Trusts Annual Accounts through to completion andsign off by External Audit and the Trust Board. Acting as an ambassador for the Trust, ensuring that the needs and views of the Trust are fairlyrepresented in external (including national) forums. Ensuring the Trust receives high quality financial services, including ensuring the maintenance ofrobust financial controls and systems, rigorous working capital, cash flow management and effectivefinancial reports of historic and prospective financial performance information. Responsible for ensuring the Trust obtains best value for money from its financial systems andservices and provides professional support to all financial services and control departments. Ensuring the Trust has sound financial management processes in place such that the Trusts assetsare safeguarded and it is able to achieve its income and expenditure targets, thereby supporting theChief Financial Officer in the delivery of the Trusts annual objectives. Developing and leading the Trusts Finance Department Improvement Plan and its delivery acrossthe department; actively seeking examples of best practice and alternative ways of working in orderto drive change including taking advantage of further opportunities to digitise, automate and explorethe application of AI to enhance processes. Acting as the strategic and operational lead in the Trust wide, commissioning and contractingprocesses. Overseeing the Group accounting structures, ensuring strong relationships with the wholly ownedsubsidiaries, ensuring robust financial monitoring and strong financial challenge. Ensure all planningand reporting timetables include the group members. The postholder will support the exploration and development of commercial opportunities andprojects across the organisation, to drive diversification of our income streams outside core NHSfunding approaches. Deputising for the Chief Financial Officer, as required. Undertake projects or tasks outside stated responsibilities on behalf of the Chief Finance Officer,as required.
Communication and relationship The postholder will be visible and influential at director level within the Trust, with a strongcustomer focus and competent at achieving a balance of support and challenge. Provision of expert financial leadership, guidance, quality assurance, triangulation of data andproject management in support of Trust-wide day-to-day operations as well as planning andstrategy. Managing the key risks and issues in delivering the plans and ensuring appropriate actions aretaken to respond to issues as they arise, monitoring and establishing accountability for the progressand completion of plans within agreed timescales.
Planning and organisational Responsible for the co-ordination and management of processes to ensure the translation of Truststrategies and annual objectives (including continuing improvements in safety, effectiveness, patientexperience and efficiency) into strategic, robust and deliverable financial plans and annual budgets. Lead the annual budget setting (capital, cash and revenue) process, planning, organising and coordinating the work of the Finance department and staff across all areas of the Trust; ensureconsistency with the overall financial strategy of the Trust and wider ICS. The postholder will continually develop, refine and strengthen the Trusts approach to financialcontrol and financial services, developing financial systems to meet the changing needs of the Trust. Managing the Trusts working capital to maximum effect, including management of debtors,creditors and payments due from overseas visitors and private patient. Working with the Chief Finance Officer, take the lead in building a Financial Strategy for the Trust, linking in with other key strategies across the organisation. The strategy to be agreed and reviewed by the Finance and Performance Committee and Trust Board.
Responsibility for policy/service development The postholder will ensure the development and implementation of effective financial policies andprocedures that minimise financial risk and maximise use of resources by empowering effectivebudgetary planning and management. The postholder will ensure the preparation of statutory year-end accounts, estimates, and reportsas necessary for the Trust to carry out its statutory duties. The postholder will contribute effectively to the statutory responsibilities of an NHS Trust as setout in the Health and Social Care Act to ensure compliance with the financial management andgovernance of an NHS trust.
Management responsibility The postholder will provide leadership to the finance teams, ensuring performance is appropriatelymanaged, and all staff have personal development plans, in order to ensure an efficient, effectiveand engaged workforce. Provide professional advice, training and support where appropriate to allstaff. Promote and develop a culture of continuous improvement across the Finance team. Build ateam of high performers through inspiring leadership, coaching and embedding the directoratesstandards and values. Provide strong, visible, and professional financial leadership across the Trust, fostering a culturewhich values continuing improvement in areas. Promote a culture and value set where staff feel empowered and accountable for serviceimprovement at a local level. Ensure the provision and ongoing development of training courses for all non-finance managers inthe Trust enabling them to carry out their duties as budget holders to raise financial awareness andappraisal to allow them to take responsibility and ownership of the finances in the organisation aswell as adherence to standing financial instructions. Participate actively in external finance manager training and accreditation schemes.
Person Specification
Qualifications and training
Essential
- Educated to degree level
- Professionally qualified accountant (Member of CCAB approved body - CIPFA, ICAEW, CIMA) with 10 years post qualification experience.
- Evidence of relevant continued professional development.
Desirable
- MBA/Masters level qualification
Skills, knowledge and experience
Essential
- Significant post qualification experience at a senior level in a complex organisation.
- Knowledge of NHS and the acute sector
- Expert specialist knowledge of financial and accounting procedures including current legislation and NHS accounting policies
- Experience of annual report/account production
- Experience of the NHS planning process, contracting environment and payment by results
- Significant staff and budgetary management experience.
- Experience of representing and negotiating on behalf of a Trust.
- Extensive experience of collecting complex data from a number of sources, forming opinions, identifying options, making recommendations and presenting to diverse audiences.
- Solid experience of managing a programme of project work, including major organisational and/or service change.
- Experience of taking a finance team through transformational change to enhance the service provided to customers and stakeholders
Desirable
- Significant experience at Deputy Director of Finance level
- Significant experience within healthcare
- Acute provider experience
- Understanding of complex Group accounting
Personal/professional attributes
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills. Highly developed communication and written presentation skills
- Ability to work under pressure and be resilient in times of change
- Ability to gain the trust and confidence of very senior colleagues
- Ability to challenge and effectively manage and deal with highly contentious situations and issues
- A genuine team player competent at operating at all levels within an organisation
- Ability to lead, manage and mentor staff
- To be aware of and adhere to the Trust's Vision, Mission and Values
- Commitment to equal opportunities in employment and service delivery
- Highest degree of honesty, probity and integrity
Person Specification
Qualifications and training
Essential
- Educated to degree level
- Professionally qualified accountant (Member of CCAB approved body - CIPFA, ICAEW, CIMA) with 10 years post qualification experience.
- Evidence of relevant continued professional development.
Desirable
- MBA/Masters level qualification
Skills, knowledge and experience
Essential
- Significant post qualification experience at a senior level in a complex organisation.
- Knowledge of NHS and the acute sector
- Expert specialist knowledge of financial and accounting procedures including current legislation and NHS accounting policies
- Experience of annual report/account production
- Experience of the NHS planning process, contracting environment and payment by results
- Significant staff and budgetary management experience.
- Experience of representing and negotiating on behalf of a Trust.
- Extensive experience of collecting complex data from a number of sources, forming opinions, identifying options, making recommendations and presenting to diverse audiences.
- Solid experience of managing a programme of project work, including major organisational and/or service change.
- Experience of taking a finance team through transformational change to enhance the service provided to customers and stakeholders
Desirable
- Significant experience at Deputy Director of Finance level
- Significant experience within healthcare
- Acute provider experience
- Understanding of complex Group accounting
Personal/professional attributes
Essential
- Excellent interpersonal, influencing and negotiating skills. Highly developed communication and written presentation skills
- Ability to work under pressure and be resilient in times of change
- Ability to gain the trust and confidence of very senior colleagues
- Ability to challenge and effectively manage and deal with highly contentious situations and issues
- A genuine team player competent at operating at all levels within an organisation
- Ability to lead, manage and mentor staff
- To be aware of and adhere to the Trust's Vision, Mission and Values
- Commitment to equal opportunities in employment and service delivery
- Highest degree of honesty, probity and integrity
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).
