Finance Business Partner

Job overview
Finance Business Partner

Agenda for Change Band 8A £50,952 to £57,349 PA

Do you have the passion, motivation and enthusiasm to work in the NHS and contribute towards ensuring that NHS financial resources are optimised, accurately reported and achieve the very best value for money for taxpayers and service users. Are you a CCAB Qualified Accountant with excellent planning, organisation and communication skills? Can you lead and manage a team? Do you want to work in a small professional experienced team with the opportunity to learn new skills? If the answer to these questions is yes, then we have a fantastic opportunity for you to join the Finance Directorate. This role is ideal to develop or further develop a career within NHS Finance.

The role will provide comprehensive financial management advice and support to managers at all levels in the Patient Transport, Resilience and Corporate Services Directorates, providing accurate monthly financial positions and outturn reports. The role will also include benchmarking, tenders, finance support to project implementations, annual budget setting and productivity and efficiency development and delivery. In addition, the post holder will contribute to reporting of the Trust level financial position, providing a great development opportunity for the successful candidate. 

Main duties of the job
As a leader of the Management Accounts team, you will support the development and continuous improvement of the department. This role will be supported by two Management Accountants and four Assistant Management Accountants.

The finance team operates agile working with staff working from home and the office, which is based in Ladybridge Hall, Bolton. The office is open Monday to Friday. Ability to travel across the Northwest is required for occasional face to face meetings.

Benefits include: 27 days annual leave, plus general public holidays, rising to 29 days after five years’ NHS service and then 33 days after 10 years’ NHS service; NHS pension scheme; Access to extensive learning and development; Blue Light Card, NHS discounts; Salary sacrifice schemes - car scheme, childcare vouchers, cycle to work and home electronics and Salary finance.

NWAS is committed to employing compassionate, inclusive and adaptive leaders.  We offer a dynamic recruitment process, enabling applicants to work together, be at their best to make a difference, in line with our trust values and leadership philosophy. 

Working for our organisation
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides 24 hour, 365 days a year accident and emergency services to those in need of emergency medical treatment and transport.

Our highly skilled staff provide life-saving care to patients in the community and take people to hospital or a place of care if needed.
We also provide non-emergency patient transport services for those patients who require non-emergency transport to and from hospital and who are unable to travel unaided because of their medical condition or clinical need.

Alongside the other emergency services, we also work to ensure the safety of the public and treatment of patients in the event of a major incident.

We also deliver the NHS 111 service in the North West. NHS 111 replaced NHS Direct in 2013. This service was introduced to make it easier for people to access local NHS healthcare services in England. It provides non-emergency medical help fast, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Applicants are requested to be available on  Thursday 9th November 2023 for the selection process.

Location: The role is based at Trust HQ in Bolton. The agile working policy allows managers and staff to agree frequency of home/office days.

For more information, or for an informal discussion, please contact: Victoria Glover victoria.glover@nwas.nhs.uk.

Person specification
Qualifications and Education
Essential criteria

• CCAB qualified with evidence of at least 2 years post qualification experience.
• Degree (Honours) or equivalent.

Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria

• Understanding of confidentiality with the ability to keep information confidential and exercise discretion.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to influence and negotiate complex situations.
• Excellent time management skills and the ability to plan tasks of the department and demonstrate flexibility in the completion.
• Ability to analyse complex information and solve problems, using different costing models to help support strategic decision making.
• Make use of available information to inform decision making and advise others on decision making.
• Develop staff by informal and formal methods.
• Ability to delegate to the correct level of staff to ensure work is completed accurately whist sharing own skills and knowledge.
• Strong staff leadership and motivation skills.
• Ability to prepare and provide financial information to enable the organisation to operate effectively and to make valid decisions about its future.
• Ability to work autonomously or as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Understanding and appreciation of equality and diversity.
• Coaching and values led leadership style.

Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria

• Experience of managing a team.
• Demonstrable recent CPD.
• Substantial experience of working in finance including knowledge, experience and expertise in a finance management role including budgetary control, forecasting and financial planning.
• Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Office products and a sound understanding of computerised ledger systems.
• To have an in depth and specialist knowledge of financial management and accounting procedures, understand and interpret financial legislation and DH/NHS specific policies.

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in NHS finance.
• Knowledge of current NHS accounting principles and procedures.
• Understand the NHS and identify opportunities to improve the services provided.
• Understanding of NHS Costing principals.

Values and Behaviours
Essential criteria

• Working together – demonstrate collaborative and inclusive working and challenge behaviour that is not inclusive or acceptable.