Head of Financial Management

at  Liverpool Womens NHS Foundation Trust

Main Duties and Responsibilities Management Accounts Responsibility for ensuring completion of month end processes to a high standard and that the ledger is closed down on time each month, with an accurate financial position reported. Responsibility for ensuring that the correct position is reported and agreed with the Deputy Chief Finance Officer and Chief Finance Officer before it is reported to the Trust Board. Review and improve systems, procedures, guidelines, policies and timetables for Financial Management to ensure the efficiency, integrity and effectiveness of process and the delivery of key departmental and organisational objectives. Manage all budgetary control systems that are in place to enable the Trust to keep income and expenditure in balance, including control of reserves and virements.
Manage the team to provide timely and accurate information to comply with external and internal needs i.e. to enable budget holders to manage budgets and to enable the production of regular and ad hoc financial reports for key stakeholders. Lead on the development and implementation of the financial management aspects of the Operating Plan and SLAs on behalf of the Trust, working closely with the Head of Strategic Finance and the Deputy Chief Finance Officer. Lead and coordinate the annual budget setting process in conjunction with and in support of the approved Financial Strategy, the agreed Operating Plan and associated SLA(s) and in support of the required cost improvement plan.
Ensure all income is correctly accounted and and forecast, working closely with the Income and Contracts Team, including ensuring that co-ordinated plans and budgets are in place. Ensure the financial management team make best use of management tools including Service Line Reporting, Carter, Model Hospital metrics, GIRFT methodology and Reference Costs data. Oversee the financial management and reporting of Trust wide corporate functions and provide support and advice to the finance team and budget holders as necessary. Ensure robust reconciliations and reporting of centrally held reserves and deploy the reserves appropriately with full audit trails.
Lead the development of a robust and detailed financial forecasting process utilising technical resources to ensure that a timely and accurate projection is made each month and that the accountable budget holders are engaged in the process. Work closely with the Head of Financial Accounting to ensure the integrity of data content in all financial systems, with adequate training of staff with access to systems. 1. Finance Business Partnering Support and guide the Finance Business Partners to provide expect advice, and to become trusted members of their divisional boards.
Manage the Financial Management function to ensure high quality accurate financial information and advice is provided to support managers and the Board in effective decision making, including statutory returns to the NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care. Manage the co-ordination and delivery of effective financial management advice to Executive Directors, Senior Managers and all other budget holders within the organisation. Monitor and review the Trusts financial performance, highlight variances and work with budget holders and managers to make recommendations for dealing with short falls so that the agreed goals of the organisation can be achieved. Ensure divisional Finance Business Partners (FBPs) have a consistent approach in costing and monitoring Cost Improvement Programmes in the Trust, including supporting them to provide evidenced challenge.
Lead on the budget-setting process, working closely with the Head of Strategic Finance and the Deputy Chief Finance Officer, who will lead on the financial planning. Provide recommendations to the Deputy Chief Finance Officer regarding frameworks to ensure budgets and financial decisions are in line with safe and patient-focussed care, e.g. ward budgets meet safer staffing ratios. Ensuring the FBPs, management accountants and others provide a professional, stakeholder focussed service to clinicians, managers and budget holders throughout the Trust, so that the Finance function is highly regarded and helps the organisation to achieve its aims.
Work closely with the Head of Income and Contracts throughout monthly reporting to ensure that accurate income information is reported as part of the financial position and to divisions, and is aligned to expenditure reporting. 2. Reporting Responsible for accurate reporting of financial information, as well as linking to workforce, performance and operational/clinical reporting. Support the Deputy Chief Finance Officer in completion of financial reporting for the Trust Board and appropriate committees, reporting on a regular basis, and provision of any other ad hoc reporting as requested.
Responsible for completion of returns as required by NHS Improvement, NHS England, the Cheshire and Merseyside ICB, or other bodies, including workforce/WTE returns. Working with the Deputy Chief Finance Officer, Deputy Chief People Officer, Deputy Chief Operating Officer and Divisional Managers to drive improvements in reporting, ensuring this is fit for purpose and supports the business needs of the Trust. 3. Other Support for large business cases, tender applications, options appraisals etc, for example, those requiring significant organisational change, large value contracts or other complex cases.
This will include providing advice to the Deputy Chief Finance Officer and other senior managers. Provision of support, advice and education regarding business case completion to FBPs. Working closely with Nursing, Medical and HR colleagues to ensure budgets are aligned with workforce planning and safe staffing. Trust finance lead for large workforce projects.
Close partnership working with other Trusts and stakeholders. Responsible for ensuring contracts and SLAs are properly costed and accounted for, working closely with the Associate Director of Procurement. Ability to analyse and interpret conflicting or incomplete information and policy to deliver clear messages and the best results for the Trust (e.g. planning guidelines, Payment by Results guidance etc).
Personal credibility and ability to deliver difficult messages to large groups, some of whom will have differing views or challenge the information presented. Development and implementation of Trust-wide policies as related to Financial Management. Ensures close management and prioritisation of data requests for financial information from across the Trust. Ensure the smooth and efficient running of the Financial Management function including recruitment, appraisal, training, discipline and delegation as appropriate Deputise for Deputy Chief Finance Officer as required (within area of expertise).
Ensuring compliance with Information Governance rules, GDPR and other prevailing legislation. Lead for training and development, including provision of budget holder training

Please refer the Job description for details