Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Finance Business Partner to join the ICB. Our Finance Business Partners play a key role within the directorate and across the organisation.
You will support a portfolio of budgets across the ICB, leading on areas such as Neighbourhood, Better Care Fund, Primary Care, Nursing & Quality or Medicines, as well as specific programmes budgets like cancer alliance or workforce. The business partnering team are the key people who support budget holders, project leads and senior responsible officers by providing the insight they need to meet objectives. Sharing and learning from each otherto shape forecasting, resource use, risk, mitigation, productivity and value opportunities. The team will be key to interpreting technical guidance and act as a conduit across finance, commercial teams and external partners.
Business Partnering is central to organisational decision making and performance management. The team works closely with the management accounting hub to ensure accurate monthly and annual reporting and effective cash flow management.
This role supports the NHS in driving transformation and achieving value for money in planning, commissioning and service delivery. It is designed to build subject matter expertise and technical skills, enabling the post holder to represent NHS needs in response to development growth and changing demographics.
Interviews will be held from 16 March 2026.
Main duties of the job
You will be CCAB qualified or qualified by suitable experience, and work closely with the hub for management accounting and financial services.
Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:
- Deliver strategic advice and operational guidance to support the development of appropriate solutions to underpin integrated care models and to ensure that digital enablers, best use of resources are included is plans.
- Develop processes and approaches to streamline the reporting period.
- Develop and contribute to the financial framework, ensuring synergy with ICS and NHSE planning.
- Use of complex health data sets, including those relating to performance across activity, finance and quality to inform decision making
- Analysis of complex qualitative and quantitative data relating to finance, demand and demographics.
- Turning analysis into useful insights that can be used to inform decision making
- Present highly complex data, information and insights, including qualitative and quantitative data, through clear and simple written and verbal briefings
- Use of Population Health Management methodologies and tools to inform projects and programmes that will improve outcomes for patients and sustainability of health services
See attached Job Description and Person Specification for more information regarding main duties and responsibilities.
About us
Mid and South Essex ICB is a statutory organisation responsible for planning and delivering local health and care services across Mid and South Essex. As part of changes to the NHS commissioning landscape, the ICB will transition to the new Essex ICB on 1 April 2026. This role will be appointed within the Essex ICB structure, working across the county to improve the health of local people. The organisations headquarters is Seax House, Chelmsford, and we operate a hybrid working model that includes working across Essex and from home. Essex ICB currently has offices in Brentwood, Harlow and Colchester, in addition to the Chelmsford HQ.
We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace that values diversity. We know that different experiences, ideas and perspectives help create a stronger and more innovative organisation that delivers better outcomes for patients. We welcome applications from all backgrounds, including people of all ages, disabilities, sex, gender identity or expression, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation or personal circumstances. Our policies ensure all applicants are treated fairly and consistently throughout the recruitment process, including consideration of reasonable adjustments for disabled applicants.
Please note that the organisation does not hold a sponsorship licence.
Job description
Job responsibilities
ROLE PURPOSE / SUMMARY
The proposed Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) will be a new organisation formed through the consolidation of three ICB areas in response to the NHSs ambition to deliver a more streamlined, strategic and cost-effective model of health commissioning. The ICB will oversee the commissioning of care for the approximately 2 million people who live in Essex. Operating within a reduced running cost envelope and aligned to the new requirements of ICBs in England, the proposed Essex ICB will focus on improving population health outcomes, health equity and smarter resource allocation.
By establishing clear and transparent funding arrangements, triangulated with activity and workforce within our system we aim to support our collective understanding of how resources are allocated across the system for both revenue and capital.
Our Finance Business Partners have a crucial role to play both within the directorate and across the organisation. The business partnering team, are the key people who support budget holders, project leads and senior responsible officers across the organisation to ensure they have the right insight to deliver their objectives. Sharing and learning from each other to shape forecasting, resource utilisation, risk, mitigation, productivity and value opportunities. The team will be key to interpreting technical guidance and will work as a conduit across the finance and commercial directorate, as well as with external partners where required.
Business Partnering, is key to our organisations decision making and overall performance management. The team will work closely with the hub for management accounting and financial services, ensuring monthly and annual financial positions are reported accurately, and cash flow is managed effectively. We want our Business Partners looking forward, working on trends and underlying positions, risks mitigations and productivity and efficiency opportunities They will achieve an excellent understanding of the commissioning function they are aligned to and will be as much a part of their team as ours.
The role supports the NHS in driving transformation as well as value for money in planning, commissioning and service delivery. The role is designed to build a combination of subject matter expertise and technical skills to enable the post holder to represent the impact and needs of the NHS in response to development growth and changing demographics.
As the ICB transitions to become a leaner, more focused strategic commissioning organisation the post holder will be expected to support the Head of Finance, in delivering on the three fundamental shifts set out in the NHS 10-year plan:
- From Treatment to Prevention: Embedding preventative, personalised and population based approaches to commissioning.
- From Hospital to Community: Championing care model redesign that supports community and neighbourhood health.
- From Analogue to Digital: Enabling clinically driven transformation through digital innovation, data analytics and evidence based improvement.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
To deliver on the job description set out above, the job holder will be expected to deliver on the requirements set out below:
Policy and service development
- Implement policy and / or service developments.
- Ensure compliance with relevant ICB policies
- Deliver strategic advice and operational guidance to support the development of appropriate solutions to underpin integrated care models and to ensure that digital enablers, best use of resources are included is plans.
- Develop processes and approaches to streamline the reporting period.
Strategy and analysis
- Contribute to setting long term strategy ensuring the aims and objectives of the ICB are embedded and progressively built upon within the setting of the strategy, as well as takingresponsibility for the implementation of one or more plans which align to this strategy
- Develop and contribute to the financial framework, ensuring synergy with ICS and NHSE planning.
- Use of complex health data sets, including those relating to performance across activity, finance and quality to inform decision making
- Analysis of complex qualitative and quantitative data relating to finance, demand and demographics.
- Turning analysis into useful insights that can be used to inform decision making
- Present highly complex data, information and insights, including qualitative and quantitative data, through clear and simple written and verbal briefings
- Use of Population Health Management methodologies and tools to inform projects and programmes that will improve outcomes for patients and sustainability of health services
- Support the evaluation of complex projects and to provide support to stakeholders to ensure development growth and mitigation opportunities are considered as part of strategic planning.
- Co-ordinate reporting external bodies, maintaining good communication across parties.
- Develop and maintain models to accurately and model information for production of plans
- Working with the management accounts hub to translate positions focusing on variance analysis, trends and forecasting.
- Ability to articulate complex financial scenarios and to play a problem-solving role within their area.
- Deliver budget holder training empowering colleagues to drive value for money and operate within the standards expected when managing public money.
- Lead year end close and planning for their area.
Planning and organisation
- Proactively identify opportunities for prioritisation across investments and efficiency
- Lead on planning and budget setting for an area of spend within the ICB.
- Lead the development of a true understanding of run rate and underlying positions for their area. Including methods to monitor and evaluate risk and opportunities.
- Manage delivery against agreed project plans, when necessary, ensuring appropriate governance, risk management, escalations and reporting
- Identifying financial efficiency opportunities and supporting the development of business cases where required.
Communications and Partnerships
- Work collaboratively, modelling inclusive, respectful and compassionate leadership
- Being the lead point of contact for their area on all matters related to the financial position. Including advice and guidance, budget holder training empowering colleagues to drive value for money and operate within the standards expected when managing public money.
- Listen effectively to a broad range of perspectives, including staff, patients and the public, to inform decision making
- Present information and training to large groups
- Build strong, trust-based relationships across the ICB, with NHS providers, local government, VCFSE partners and communities as needed
- Effective engagement with patients and the public as required
- Work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams to enable the collective ownership and delivery of projects that are seeking to improve outcomes, reduce inequalities and deliver a sustainable health and care system
- Share complex and challenging information which may relate to service performance or staffing
- Manage conflict, find compromise and build consensus where needed to drive progress in delivery
Financial and resource management
- Supporting the delivery of value for money across health care
- Support procurement of relevant services
Team management and capability building
- Support staff through ICB transition, including the development of teams to deliver on new ICB portfolios as agreed through transition
- Support the effective transition of relevant functions to new portfolios within or beyond the ICB to support the new NHS operating model, in line with the requirements of the Model ICB Blueprint
- Work collaboratively with partners to facilitate transitional arrangements
- Maintain a focus on quality, safety and affordability during transition
- Supporting effective Information Asset Management for the team
Other
- Use initiative and work with independency to deliver on requirements of the role
- Primarily desk-based work that requires use of visual display units, focused concentration and frequent participation in on-line or in person meetings
- Able to use software required to develop report, including ability to deliver high quality documents through Microsoft suite (word, power point, excel). Power BI and other financial modelling software as appropriate.
Flexibility and evolving responsibilities
As the ICB continues to evolve, portfolios may be subject to change to reflect the needs of the organization, the health and care system and national policy direction. This may include adjustments to areas of responsibility or realignment of reporting structures.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
The post holder will need to build constructive relationships with partners from across the health and care system. Key relationships will be with:
- ICB senior leadership
- Information Governance team
- Health & Wellbeing Board officers
- Local Authority partners
- NHS Providers
- NHSEI regional partners
- VCFSE sector, local health entrepreneurs, campaigns groups and social media influencers and local employers
- Lease holders, third party developers, landlords, PFI or LIFT company.
Job description
Job responsibilities
ROLE PURPOSE / SUMMARY
The proposed Essex Integrated Care Board (ICB) will be a new organisation formed through the consolidation of three ICB areas in response to the NHSs ambition to deliver a more streamlined, strategic and cost-effective model of health commissioning. The ICB will oversee the commissioning of care for the approximately 2 million people who live in Essex. Operating within a reduced running cost envelope and aligned to the new requirements of ICBs in England, the proposed Essex ICB will focus on improving population health outcomes, health equity and smarter resource allocation.
By establishing clear and transparent funding arrangements, triangulated with activity and workforce within our system we aim to support our collective understanding of how resources are allocated across the system for both revenue and capital.
Our Finance Business Partners have a crucial role to play both within the directorate and across the organisation. The business partnering team, are the key people who support budget holders, project leads and senior responsible officers across the organisation to ensure they have the right insight to deliver their objectives. Sharing and learning from each other to shape forecasting, resource utilisation, risk, mitigation, productivity and value opportunities. The team will be key to interpreting technical guidance and will work as a conduit across the finance and commercial directorate, as well as with external partners where required.
Business Partnering, is key to our organisations decision making and overall performance management. The team will work closely with the hub for management accounting and financial services, ensuring monthly and annual financial positions are reported accurately, and cash flow is managed effectively. We want our Business Partners looking forward, working on trends and underlying positions, risks mitigations and productivity and efficiency opportunities They will achieve an excellent understanding of the commissioning function they are aligned to and will be as much a part of their team as ours.
The role supports the NHS in driving transformation as well as value for money in planning, commissioning and service delivery. The role is designed to build a combination of subject matter expertise and technical skills to enable the post holder to represent the impact and needs of the NHS in response to development growth and changing demographics.
As the ICB transitions to become a leaner, more focused strategic commissioning organisation the post holder will be expected to support the Head of Finance, in delivering on the three fundamental shifts set out in the NHS 10-year plan:
- From Treatment to Prevention: Embedding preventative, personalised and population based approaches to commissioning.
- From Hospital to Community: Championing care model redesign that supports community and neighbourhood health.
- From Analogue to Digital: Enabling clinically driven transformation through digital innovation, data analytics and evidence based improvement.
KEY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
To deliver on the job description set out above, the job holder will be expected to deliver on the requirements set out below:
Policy and service development
- Implement policy and / or service developments.
- Ensure compliance with relevant ICB policies
- Deliver strategic advice and operational guidance to support the development of appropriate solutions to underpin integrated care models and to ensure that digital enablers, best use of resources are included is plans.
- Develop processes and approaches to streamline the reporting period.
Strategy and analysis
- Contribute to setting long term strategy ensuring the aims and objectives of the ICB are embedded and progressively built upon within the setting of the strategy, as well as takingresponsibility for the implementation of one or more plans which align to this strategy
- Develop and contribute to the financial framework, ensuring synergy with ICS and NHSE planning.
- Use of complex health data sets, including those relating to performance across activity, finance and quality to inform decision making
- Analysis of complex qualitative and quantitative data relating to finance, demand and demographics.
- Turning analysis into useful insights that can be used to inform decision making
- Present highly complex data, information and insights, including qualitative and quantitative data, through clear and simple written and verbal briefings
- Use of Population Health Management methodologies and tools to inform projects and programmes that will improve outcomes for patients and sustainability of health services
- Support the evaluation of complex projects and to provide support to stakeholders to ensure development growth and mitigation opportunities are considered as part of strategic planning.
- Co-ordinate reporting external bodies, maintaining good communication across parties.
- Develop and maintain models to accurately and model information for production of plans
- Working with the management accounts hub to translate positions focusing on variance analysis, trends and forecasting.
- Ability to articulate complex financial scenarios and to play a problem-solving role within their area.
- Deliver budget holder training empowering colleagues to drive value for money and operate within the standards expected when managing public money.
- Lead year end close and planning for their area.
Planning and organisation
- Proactively identify opportunities for prioritisation across investments and efficiency
- Lead on planning and budget setting for an area of spend within the ICB.
- Lead the development of a true understanding of run rate and underlying positions for their area. Including methods to monitor and evaluate risk and opportunities.
- Manage delivery against agreed project plans, when necessary, ensuring appropriate governance, risk management, escalations and reporting
- Identifying financial efficiency opportunities and supporting the development of business cases where required.
Communications and Partnerships
- Work collaboratively, modelling inclusive, respectful and compassionate leadership
- Being the lead point of contact for their area on all matters related to the financial position. Including advice and guidance, budget holder training empowering colleagues to drive value for money and operate within the standards expected when managing public money.
- Listen effectively to a broad range of perspectives, including staff, patients and the public, to inform decision making
- Present information and training to large groups
- Build strong, trust-based relationships across the ICB, with NHS providers, local government, VCFSE partners and communities as needed
- Effective engagement with patients and the public as required
- Work effectively in multi-disciplinary teams to enable the collective ownership and delivery of projects that are seeking to improve outcomes, reduce inequalities and deliver a sustainable health and care system
- Share complex and challenging information which may relate to service performance or staffing
- Manage conflict, find compromise and build consensus where needed to drive progress in delivery
Financial and resource management
- Supporting the delivery of value for money across health care
- Support procurement of relevant services
Team management and capability building
- Support staff through ICB transition, including the development of teams to deliver on new ICB portfolios as agreed through transition
- Support the effective transition of relevant functions to new portfolios within or beyond the ICB to support the new NHS operating model, in line with the requirements of the Model ICB Blueprint
- Work collaboratively with partners to facilitate transitional arrangements
- Maintain a focus on quality, safety and affordability during transition
- Supporting effective Information Asset Management for the team
Other
- Use initiative and work with independency to deliver on requirements of the role
- Primarily desk-based work that requires use of visual display units, focused concentration and frequent participation in on-line or in person meetings
- Able to use software required to develop report, including ability to deliver high quality documents through Microsoft suite (word, power point, excel). Power BI and other financial modelling software as appropriate.
Flexibility and evolving responsibilities
As the ICB continues to evolve, portfolios may be subject to change to reflect the needs of the organization, the health and care system and national policy direction. This may include adjustments to areas of responsibility or realignment of reporting structures.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
The post holder will need to build constructive relationships with partners from across the health and care system. Key relationships will be with:
- ICB senior leadership
- Information Governance team
- Health & Wellbeing Board officers
- Local Authority partners
- NHS Providers
- NHSEI regional partners
- VCFSE sector, local health entrepreneurs, campaigns groups and social media influencers and local employers
- Lease holders, third party developers, landlords, PFI or LIFT company.
Person Specification
Strategy and Analysis
Essential
- A good understanding of current health and social care national aims and policy, and other determinants that impact on healthcare provision
- Strong data analysis and interpretation skills involving highly complex data, including an understanding of analytical methods and how to use data to support Population Health Management
- Experience scoping and delivering effective evaluations of projects and interventions, including understanding relevant data and evaluation tools and methods for formal and informal evaluations
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working at a senior level in a relevant healthcare environment (NHS or other)
- Knowledge of the health, care and local government landscape, including relevant legislation, policies and guidance, and an understanding of the social determinants of public health
- Evidence of ability to set and manage budgets to deliver corporate requirements and within health and care financial frameworks
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level (relevant focus) or equivalent managerial experience
- Evidence of sustained commitment to continuing professional development
- CCAB qualified or qualified by suitable experience
Partnerships and Communities
Essential
- Experience working across organisational boundaries in the development and delivery of projects
- Experience working on projects that require cross-organisational collaboration, and an understanding of the concept and aims of whole-system working
- Strong influencing and negotiation skills, challenging within areas of responsibility and escalating appropriately where necessary
People and Culture
Essential
- Experience in building and maintaining high functioning teams, including recognising and promoting talent, as well as appropriately dealing with under-performance, when necessary
- Evidence of compassionate leadership and experience in promoting diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity
- A commitment to continuous improvement, organisation learning and achieving positive outcomes for all staff, patients, service users and carers working in line with the NHS People Promise
Personal Attributes and Values
Essential
- Personal commitment to the values of the NHS 10-year Plan, the NHS People Plan, the Nolan Principles, to championing equality, diversity and inclusion within the ICB and the wide health system
- Takes personal responsibility and works with a high level of integrity
- Able to work as part of a team and independently
Governance and Assurance
Essential
- Previous experience of leading projects that require collective decision-making and how to negotiate success in those situations
- A good understanding effective corporate governance and the route for decision making within the ICB
Person Specification
Strategy and Analysis
Essential
- A good understanding of current health and social care national aims and policy, and other determinants that impact on healthcare provision
- Strong data analysis and interpretation skills involving highly complex data, including an understanding of analytical methods and how to use data to support Population Health Management
- Experience scoping and delivering effective evaluations of projects and interventions, including understanding relevant data and evaluation tools and methods for formal and informal evaluations
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working at a senior level in a relevant healthcare environment (NHS or other)
- Knowledge of the health, care and local government landscape, including relevant legislation, policies and guidance, and an understanding of the social determinants of public health
- Evidence of ability to set and manage budgets to deliver corporate requirements and within health and care financial frameworks
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters level (relevant focus) or equivalent managerial experience
- Evidence of sustained commitment to continuing professional development
- CCAB qualified or qualified by suitable experience
Partnerships and Communities
Essential
- Experience working across organisational boundaries in the development and delivery of projects
- Experience working on projects that require cross-organisational collaboration, and an understanding of the concept and aims of whole-system working
- Strong influencing and negotiation skills, challenging within areas of responsibility and escalating appropriately where necessary
People and Culture
Essential
- Experience in building and maintaining high functioning teams, including recognising and promoting talent, as well as appropriately dealing with under-performance, when necessary
- Evidence of compassionate leadership and experience in promoting diversity, inclusion and equality of opportunity
- A commitment to continuous improvement, organisation learning and achieving positive outcomes for all staff, patients, service users and carers working in line with the NHS People Promise
Personal Attributes and Values
Essential
- Personal commitment to the values of the NHS 10-year Plan, the NHS People Plan, the Nolan Principles, to championing equality, diversity and inclusion within the ICB and the wide health system
- Takes personal responsibility and works with a high level of integrity
- Able to work as part of a team and independently
Governance and Assurance
Essential
- Previous experience of leading projects that require collective decision-making and how to negotiate success in those situations
- A good understanding effective corporate governance and the route for decision making within the ICB
