The Opportunity

Why Should You Apply?

Could this be the perfect opportunity to make an outstanding career move that bring with it, an opportunity to benefit from one of the most attractive areas of the country that offers a magnificent array of outdoor activities, tourism, history and areas of natural beauty?

In this role, you will have the opportunity to make the most of your surroundings, though there is a challenging agenda ahead, especially since you will lead on the Trust’s FT application. As Director of Finance, Information & Procurement you will have a broad corporate remit working directly to the Chief Executive and Board. You will take the lead on all contract negotiations, provide robust financial reporting and information to the board whilst managing a procurement and informatics services across the health economy. This will test a range of skills, including leadership, negotiation, stakeholder relations, creativity and innovation.

You will work with fellow Directors to stimulate and pioneer new ways in which services can be delivered, balancing the need to move care closer to the community with ensuring the sustainability of the Trust. This will involve working collaboratively with a range of external stakeholders to achieve the best outcomes for patients.

Based over two sites in Carlisle and Whitehaven, you will be aware of the £100million capital investment secured from the Department of Health. The Trust is now working up the outline business case and plans for the new facility in Whitehaven and so you will be joining at an early stage where you contribution can have a physical impact on the future of healthcare delivery. Delivering this project will also challenge you professionally, strategically and politically. Being part of the team which delivers the new facility could raise your profile considerably.

Jonathan Wood, the current post holder, since joining the Trust has significantly enhanced the quality of the finance team and so you will inherit a high performing team across finance, informatics and procurement. The team are highly motivated and through the implementation of service line management and reporting have provided robust information which has informed planning and the achievement of tough cost improvement plans. For the first time for many years, financially the Trust’s position has returned a surplus and they are looking forward next year to improved ALE scores which reflect sustained financial improvement.

The Board and wider workforce mean business and this is supported by real determination amongst staff to achieve the very best for their patients. This is an ideal opportunity for you to make an enviable career move. For an existing Director of Finance, you will benefit from broadening your existing experience given the nature of this role. Alternatively, you may be seeking your first move into the board room after gaining substantial experience as a Deputy or Associate Director, and you will need to have the confidence and ability to withstand robust challenge from a highly talented and commercial board. Your experience could have been gained elsewhere in the NHS, wider public service or private sectors.

For any further information, or to arrange a confidential discussion with Simon Potts please contact Louise Griffiths on 01925 654 312

Job Description

Role: Director of Finance, Information & Procurement

Responsible to: Chief Executive for statutory duties and Deputy Chief Executive forclinical divisional responsibilities

Base: Cumberland Infirmary and West Cumberland Hospital (split site)

Salary: Circa £110k, plus lease car contribution

Job Summary

The Director of Finance, Information & Procurement is an Executive Director of the Trust Board and assumes equal responsibility with the other Executives.

To provide strategic financial advice and leadership to the Trust Board.
To fulfil the statutory responsibilities of preparing/completing the Trust’s annual financial accounts, including ensuring compliance with Controls Assurance requirements.
Be responsible for corporate service departments including all Financial Services, Contract Management, Procurement and Information Technology.
To lead the Trust’s application for Foundation Trust Status.

Role Profile

Corporate Responsibilities

As an Executive member of the Trust Board to participate in the overall corporate management of the Trust by:

Promoting effective leadership for clinical/non-clinical staff by empowering individuals to take appropriate decisions and supporting a teamwork approach
Taking responsibility for personal development and supporting performance management frameworks
Ensuring the development of partnership approaches with health related agencies and NHS organisations
Demonstrating achievement of objectives on a consistent basis within agreed timescales
Formulate policy and determine the overall strategy of the Trust
Develop the Trust as the major provider of health care within the North West Strategic Health Authority
Monitor the execution of policies and procedures
Ensure the Trust meets its statutory financial obligations
Develop and foster relationships with all agencies involved in health care and other partners outside of health (e.g. PFI company)
As a team player, establish the Trust’s corporate identity by leading by example
Maintain a portfolio of Trust-wide responsibilities as directed by the Chief Executive
Undertake specific projects as requested by the Chief Executive and Trust Board
Participate on the Executive/Senior manager on-call rota

Main duties and responsibilities

To provide strategic financial advice to the Trust Board.
To lead the Finance Department in the provision of advice and central finance services to departments and senior managers.
To fulfil the statutory responsibilities of preparing/completing the Trust’s annual financial accounts, including ensuring compliance with Controls Assurance requirements.
To contribute to the implementation of the financial aspects of the Trust’s Strategic and Business Plans.
To lead on the Trust’s Information Strategy.
To advise the Chief Executive and the Trust Board on the overall financial performance of the Trust against statutory duties, and advise on corrective action necessary.
To be responsible for the provision of financial advice to the Trust Board, Trust Management Committee, the Executive Team and the Divisions.
To provide the financial input to the negotiation of Service Agreements with Commissioning Authorities and the Pay Bargaining process with Trade Unions.
To ensure that financial systems and procedures are in accord with Standing Orders and Standing Financial Instructions.
To provide payroll services, including systems management and co-ordination across North Cumbria health organisations and the line accountability of the Employment Services Bureau.
To provide financial services for the payment of creditors, receipt of income and accountancy services. To develop cash plans including schedules of Income and Expenditure incorporating overdrafts, investments of resources paid or received to maximise the potential of the Trust’s cash balance.
To ensure Losses and Compensations are recorded and monitor Clinical Negligence Claims.
To ensure the provision of an Internal Audit function from the North Cumbria Consortium, ensure a satisfactory standard of internal control, and that appropriate arrangements are in place for the prevention and detection of fraud. To liaise with the external auditors and ensure that audit recommendations are brought to the attention of the appropriate officers.
To provide overall financial plans for the Trust, including revenue expenditure, anticipated income, capital expenditure plans and public dividend capital and the effect on the external financing limit and capital resource limit.
To prepare the annual accounts and report on the Trust’s Charitable Funds. To ensure effective management and utilisation of Charitable Funds and obtain appropriate advice on the management of investments.
To manage the Finance Department, provide professional leadership and advice, and ensure training and career development of Finance staff.
To advise, support and co-ordinate financial aspects of Divisional Business Planning to ensure a consistent approach.
To co-ordinate, prioritise, monitor and review the work of the management accountants, audit and financial services sections, to ensure the provision of efficient effective services.
To ensure the timely and accurate presentation of management accounts which permit control of cash flow, income and expenditure against agreed budgets, so as to maintain liquidity and financial stability.
To review and, if necessary, change financial systems and procedures to ensure that they reflect the needs of the department they service.
To contribute to the development and implementation of information systems which support the activities of the Divisions, the Trust Management Committee and the Trust Board.
To ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act within the Trust.

Information Management and Technology

Responsible for the overall strategic development and management of IM&T for the Trust, in accordance with national and local priorities. In addition, the Director of Finance, Information & Procurement will fulfil the role of Senior Information Risk Officer, in accordance with the requirement of the Information Governance Toolkit.

Procurement

Responsible for the management and direction of the procurement function within the Trust. Delivering value for money through effective procurement processes.

Personal Capacity

Leadership

Working and being able to take the role of ‘leader’, inspiring others to achieve more than they ever thought was possible.

Building and Using Relationships

Wanting to build bonds with others, recognising and valuing cultural and other differences and using them for positive service outcomes.

Drive for Success

The drive to succeed against exacting standards of excellence. At the highest levels this involves taking calculated risks to make step changes in service delivery and performance.

Initiative

A bias for action, to think and act ahead of time, to take advantage of opportunities and to address problems.

Organisational Awareness

The ability to read and understand the power relationships within the Trust and key forces in the external environment (e.g. key opinion formers, regulators, patients/client groups).

Impact and Influence – Taking Others With You

The desire and ability to persuade, convince, influence or impress others to get them on your side (developing the ‘how we can’ culture).

Rigorous Analysis

The drive to bring rigorous analysis to data and situations, to see cause and effect, to make objective judgements and understand financial and service implications.

Individual Responsibilities

The post holder is expected to adhere to Trust policies and procedures and relevant legislation, including the requirements of any relevant professional bodies
The post holder is expected to attend mandatory training, as identified by the Trust

Confidentiality

All Trust staff and contractors working for the Trust have both a common law duty and a statutory duty of confidentiality to protect patient (and indeed any personally identifiable) information and only use it for the purposes for which it was intended. The disclosure and use of confidential patient information needs to be both lawful and ethical
The post holder must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients, staff and Trust business in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and Caldicott principles

Health & Safety

All Managers have a general accountability for ensuring, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of the employees under their direction at work.

Each employee is responsible to take reasonable care for his or her own acts or omissions and the effect that these may have upon the safety of themselves or any other person
Every employee must use safety equipment or clothing in a proper manner and for the purpose intended
Any employee who intentionally or recklessly misuses anything supplied in the interests of health and safety will be subject to disciplinary procedures
Every employee must work in accordance with any health and safety procedures, instructions or training that has been given
No employee may undertake any task for which they have not been authorised and for which they are not adequately trained
Every employee is required to bring to the attention of a responsible person any perceived shortcoming in our safety arrangements or any defects in work equipment
All employees are under a duty to familiarise themselves with the Risk Management/Fire, Health & Safety Policies
The Trust will provide an annual update on Governance and Health & Safety issues to staff as a minimum.

Risk Management

You will ensure that you implement systems and procedures at local level to fulfil the requirements of the Trust’s Risk Management Strategy including local management and resolution of complaints and concerns, management of Untoward Incidents / Near Misses, and compliance with the Risk Profiling Programme
Your specific responsibility for Risk Management will be clarified to you by your Head of Department at your local induction
All staff must have a responsibility to report all clinical and non-clinical accidents, incidents or near misses promptly, and when requested, to co-operate with any investigations undertaken

Information Governance

The post holder is required to keep up-to-date with the requirements of Information Governance. They must follow Trust policies and procedures to ensure that Trust information is dealt with legally, securely, efficiently and effectively. The post holder must appropriately manage the records they create or hold during the course of their employment with the Trust, making the records available for sharing in a controlled manner, subject to statutory requirements and agreed security and confidentiality policies, procedures and guidelines. (eg Freedom of Information Act 2000, Caldicott guidelines).

Improving Working Lives

You will be expected to give a commitment to apply the principles of Improving Working Lives, and participate in any events and initiatives as and when appropriate.

Equal Opportunities

The Trust has adopted an equal opportunities policy and all employees must be aware of their obligations to abide by the spirit and nature of the policy to avoid direct and indirect discrimination.

Corporate Governance

You will be expected to familiarise yourself with the Trust’s Governance Strategy which outlines the Management and Committee Structures and Procedures for the Governance of the Trust’s activities.

You will have a duty to familiarise yourself with the relevant Policies and Procedures, i.e.
Health & Safety Policies
Risk Management Policies
Infection Control Policies
Data Protection and Confidentiality Policies

These must be complied with by staff at all times.

Additional Information

This job description is a guide to the range of responsibilities that may be required. These may change and develop to meet the Trust’s objectives and/or the development of the post holder.

Person Specification

Education

Qualified Accountant (CCAB) qualified) (Essential)
Graduate level education (Essential)
Track record of continuous professional and management development(Essential)

Previous Knowledge & Experience

Experience of planning and implementation (Essential)
Experience of working with sophisticated IT systems (Essential)
Experience of legal negotiations and negotiating commercial contracts (Essential)

Minimum of 3 years as a Finance Director or Deputy of a NHS Trust (Desirable)
5 years as a senior manager within Finance in a public sector setting (Desirable)
Experience of PFI schemes (Desirable)
Experience as a finance professional in a commercial organisation (Desirable)

Personal Attributes/Skills Disposition

Leadership and influencing skills (Essential)
Highly motivated, independent (Essential)
Political skills and justement (Essential)
Ability to give independent advice within a corporate environment (Essential)
Integrity (Essential)
Presentation and communication skills (Essential)
Multi-disciplinary and multi-sectoral player, including collaboration with other agencies (Essential)

Management & Organisation Development

Evidence of managing finances to support major change processes (Essential)
Track record of financial innovation (Essential)