An exceptional opportunity has arisen to provide business and finance leadership within the purpose built Medicines Manufacturing Centre (MMC). Based in Seaton Delaval, Northumberland, the MMC will produce sterile injectable medicinal products in line with MHRA Good Manufacturing Practice on behalf of the North East and North Cumbria Provider Collaborative. The post holder will act as the Finance and Business Manager.
The Finance and Business Manager will provide senior leadership, strategic management, and commercial acumen for the company as they evolve and go through a period from start up to significant growth.
The post holder will drive the delivery of well-managed budgets and ensure the financial viability of the Company. Rigorous contract management, bona fide checks of customers and suppliers, robust delivery of agreed KPIs and project management will also be a key feature of the role. The post holder will have direct accountability to the Board and will be required to attend meetings of the MMC Board of Directors, as well as leading the Finance and contracting group with representatives from all partners discussing delivery of SLAs for services delivered into and out of the organisation.
Please note we reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the closing date once the required number of suitable applications have been received.
This role will sit on the senior management team, will provide line management duties to the purchasing and procurement team and report into the Managing Director of the MMC. The post holder will influence and support the strategic vision and will be responsible for the development and delivery of strategic objectives, oversight of performance and risk, use of resources, and delivery of services to deliver high quality products.
The MMC is in the late stages of design, with the facility build phase planned through to September 2025. This presents an exciting opportunity to be involved in the design and build of a new facility, the development of new production process and contribution to establishing a functional PQS for the facility.
Staff will be employed by Northumbria Healthcare Foundation NHS Trust until the formation of the Medicines Manufacturing Centre Legal Liability Partnership (LLP) is formed as a legal entity, after which TUPE regulations will apply.
Regionally circa 4 million injectable products are produced per annum. Projected to deliver in the region of 1.3 million products across chemotherapy, ready to administer antibiotics, and over labelling by 2026. The aggregate 10-year revenue budget is expected to be circa £750 million. THE MMC will employ circa 150 staff across various roles including: Production, Quality Assurance/Quality Control, and Warehousing, as well as Corporate/Support services including Purchasing, IT, HR, Training and Business Management.
We manage three major locality hospitals at North Tyneside, Wansbeck and Hexham, plus a number of smaller community hospitals and clinics from Tynemouth to Berwick on Tweed, in addition to our state-of-the-art Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital, the first of its kind in England. We also care for people in their homes and provide services from facilities in local communities such as health centres. We give people greater choice and control over their care to help them to live independently at home and avoid hospital admission where appropriate. High quality patient care is at the heart of everything we do and we strive to ensure every single patient and service user has an exceptional experience with us. We have one of the most extensive patient experience programmes of any trust in England.
Responsible for providing robust financial leadership, strategic management, expert, and specialist strategic financial and business planning advice to the organisation, ensuring financial controls are maintained in line with Corporate Governance requirements
Provide expert advice to the subsidiary Board of Directors on all financial issues.
As a Finance and Business Manager, the post holder is responsible for ensuring the achievement of financial sustainability & performance management along with the key strategic objectives including the development and coordination of key performance indicators
As a Finance and Business Manager, the post holder is responsible for ensuring that all raw materials and consumables have been procured from bona fide suppliers, as per MHRA regulatory requirements.
Relevant bona fide checks on all customers are required before initial supply and on an ongoing basis, the Finance and Business Manager must ensure systems are in place to ensure these checks are performed before initial supply and on a periodic basis.
As a Finance and Business Manager, the post holder has responsibility for oversight, and delegated responsibility for leading on Strategic Risk Register, MMC insurances, Internal Audit Programme, Property transactions, Pensions transactions, contracts and leases
Responsible for the leadership, management, and performance of a Finance function, in providing a professional, high quality financial management service, ensuring effectiveness and business focus of financial systems and processes. The post holder will need to establish effective working relationships with the contract lead and those delivering services for accounts payable and receivable ensuring payments are made in line with required deadlines supporting the cashflow management of the MMC
Investigates and advises on highly complex issues and sensitive financial issues
Ensure compliance with statutory and legal requirements, including ensuring statutory accounts & returns are accurate and meet agreed timescales and legal requirements, interpreting these where necessary
Contribute to the development of the 5 year and annual planning cycle
Represent MMC in external forums
Play a key role in ensuring there are effective working relationships between the MMC, partner trusts and external partners.
Lead and manage contract negotiation, contract performance monitoring and contract management, including mitigation against under performance.
Devise supporting financial plans, including financial forecasts, charging policy, value for money, investment plans and capital plans.
Meet agreed targets and objectives and deliver within defined costs, timescales, and resources
To evaluate business opportunities and risks - and lead on bids development and business case production.
Apply rigorous generally accepted commercial disciplines and techniques in assessing viability of investment proposals.
Ensure value for money through reviews of the MMC operation and by ensuring effective procurement arrangements.
Responsible for ensuring there is a robust and sound system of internal control.
Develop effective budgetary control systems.
Manage the development and delivery of management accounts, monthly financial reports to Board, and annual accounts.
Maintain stringent liquidity controls through a process of tight and cost-effective cash management procedures to minimise the utilisation of credit facilities.
Responsible for financial and contract governance, including the reporting of key information to the Board.
Ensure that both internal and external deadlines are met for all financial
monitoring information requirements.
Effectively manage financial agreements between the MMC and key stakeholders to ensure appropriate recovery of cost

Please refer the Job description for details