Assistant Director of Financial Management

NIASHR- 37.5 PW

JOB SUMMARY

The Assistant Director of Finance (Financial Management) will lead, in conjunction with the Director of Finance on the production of a Financial Strategy and the development of associated financial plans which will form the basis for the annual budget setting process and monthly financial performance reporting.

He/she will influence strategic decision making within the Trust through the provision of business and financial advice and support to Directors, Senior Operational Managers and Budget Managers.

He/she will be responsible, in conjunction with the Director of Finance, for the development of the Capital Investment Strategy, its implementation and monitoring.

He/she will be responsible for monitoring financial performance management, efficiency programmes, Value for Money and benchmarking.

He/she will be responsible for developing a financial framework for business cases and their evaluation.

He/she will lead on the development of a Costing and Financial Appraisal System to provide timely, accurate, accessible information based on organisational requirements.

He/she will lead on negotiating with Commissioners on the annual Service & Budget Agreement and producing an annual Financial Plan and associated budgets.

He/she will be a member of the Senior Finance Team which is responsible for determining the strategic direction of the Finance Department and will deputise for the Director of Finance across a range of responsibilities as and when required.

He/she will ensure all staff are developed in line with the organisation's and directorate's needs.

Financial Strategy and Planning

• Develop, implement and maintain appropriate financial management controls to support the Trust in its statutory duty to 'break even'

• Lead in the development of recovery / contingency plans in conjunction with Directors and Budget Managers as and when required

• Develop and maintain a robust financial management framework which includes the early identification of financial risks.

• Lead on the implementation of devolved budgetary control and the development of the necessary reporting arrangements to ensure that budget management is devolved as widely as possible

• Lead on the production and submission of regular and ad hoc returns as requested by DoH / SPPG re monitoring against the Trust's financial strategy and plans.

• Provide expert advice to develop the key elements of the Trust Delivery Plan and Corporate Plan

• Contribute to the Trust's corporate planning process as a member of the Directorate Senior Management Team and ensure that the Trust's objectives and decisions are effectively communicated

• The postholder will have discretion to use their initiative and act independently, and to interpret overall health service policy and financial standards in order to establish clear operational goals, policies and standards for use by others within the Finance Department, and the Trust as a whole. The postholder will also need to ensure that staff across the organisation are aware of and abide by these policies.

Financial Management and Reporting

• Provide a complete Financial Management Service to the Trust including the full production of monthly accounts and budget statements in accordance with Trust and DoH timetables, policies and procedures.

• Provide consolidated financial monthly performance reports and forecasts analysing income, expenditure and activity trends and variances to provide a full appraisal of the financial position of the Trust including a risk analysis to identify any corrective action required and issues to be addressed by the Trust Board, Executive Team or Senior Managers as appropriate.

• Lead the implementation of rigorous financial control protocols for expenditure and on developing Trust policy to achieve effective budget management including the budgetary control training of the Trust Budget Holders.

• Provide expert specialist advice on the identification and formulation of recovery plans, cost pressures and the implementation of management control mechanisms.

• Provide the financial framework and guidelines for Directorate's annual plans and budgets consistent with the Trust's long term strategy and objectives. Manage the overall Trust budget setting process ensuring it clearly links to the financial planning processes.

• To develop and implement fully devolved budgets in line with the Trust budget management policy and contribute to the development of a more commercially focused culture in the Trust.

Capital Investment

• Be the financial lead for all business cases within the Trust which will include agreeing costing input and robust review of all financial aspects.

• Ensure that the revenue consequences of any capital investment are accurately quantified.

• Liaise as necessary with Commissioners / DoH / SPPG in relation to business cases.

Costing

• Lead on developing expert financial models for planning and performance necessary to meet increasingly challenging strategic cost improvement and efficiency targets. To provide expert specialist advice on the implementation of National policies and ensuring systems comply with all rules and guidance set out by the Department of Health.

• Lead on the development of a Costing and Financial Appraisal System to provide timely, accurate, accessible information based on organisational requirements.

• Ensure that the long-term corporate objectives adhere to costing methodologies and are consistent throughout the Trust.

• Contribute to the preparation of Trust plans to reflect activity and other targets with a focus on capacity, activity and budget allocation.

Financial Performance Management

• Ensure that robust benchmarking is carried out through collaboration with colleagues across HSC and other ambulance service providers.

• Lead on the development of financial performance indicators and work with operational managers to develop areas for non-financial performance indicators to identify areas where the use of resources could be improved.

• Lead on the efficiency and value for money programmes for the Trust.

• Take joint responsibility (with Director of Finance) for the provision of finance training to non-finance staff within the organisation.

• To lead on the budgetary control and management training of the Trust's Budget Holders and the programme to delivery this.

• To lead on the development of planning and performance financial models to meet current and future strategic targets; these must recognise the changing financial framework the Trust is required to operate within.

People Management

• Provide clear and strategic leadership to a diverse range of professional staff both within the Trust and externally to ensure the provision of high quality services.

• Contribute to good industrial relations within the Trust by ensuring effective communication and working relationships with all staff for whom he/she is responsible as well as relevant trade unions/staff organisations.

• Ensure that management structures and practices within the directorate support a culture of effective team working, continuous improvement and innovation.

• Develop the skills and knowledge of staff in the Trust to enable Financial Management, Financial Accounting and Financial Services to meet the changing needs of users.

Participate in the selection and appointment of staff in accordance with Trust