Assistant Director - Value Improvement

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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Assistant Director - VIP is an instrumental role to support the drive and delivery of recurrent efficiency schemes within the context of the annual and longer-term financial plan.

The key areas of responsibility include:
• Championing PMO practices to ensure consistency in the development and design of programme governance.
• Internal leadership to drive the Trust's cost improvement programme, known as the 'Value Improvement Programme.'
• Leadership and delivery of financial transformation and change programmes.
• External engagement in financial implications of major service change processes and related cost benefit analyses.
• Leading the development of innovative ways of working to support improving the financial position.

The post holder will also have a key leadership role in the development of the following: programme design and project initiation documentation, financial plans (efficiency plans, work-streams), financial reports (efficiency delivery and assurance).

In fulfilling this role, the post holder will interpret highly complex NHS policy and its application within the Trust and establish goals and standards to be achieved from a corporate financial perspective, reflective of issued guidance.

The post holder will have a solid understanding of NHS provider issues, including operational planning and forecasting, with a good understanding of regulatory / legal requirements within which providers operate. The role will also require the post holder to work with system wide colleagues, requiring a good understanding of the dynamics within the overall health and care sector.

The post holder should provide knowledge and advice on several issues including:
• Programme management approaches
• Financial risk management
• Future operational finance issues
• Financial planning
• Financial assurance mechanisms

The post holder must be adaptable and flexible. Given the nature and role, there may be a requirement to react quickly to external influences and events and support others as directed.

The post holder will be expected to establish and develop policies and processes in support of the Trust efficiency programme and to work autonomously using own initiative, drawing on extensive specialist knowledge of operational management, finance and programme management.

The post holder will work closely with colleagues on the delivery of annual financial plans and will lead on the establishment of required CIP targets.
• Lead and develop the Trust's Efficiency Programme as a centre of excellence for portfolio, programme, and project management.
• Co-ordinate, support and oversee the Trust's Efficiency Programme and the key change portfolio across the organisation aligning it to priorities across the wider health and care system.
• Takes specific responsibility for overseeing and supporting the delivery of the Trust's change portfolio alongside the wider transformation of services, on a short or long-term basis, working with internal and external partners.
• Ensure that robust and effective governance systems and processes are in place to provide assurance for the efficiency and benefits realisation aspects of the Trust's portfolio, both at corporate and Divisional level, as well as Trust and systems level is effective and delivering.
• To ensure regular audits are carried out in order to ensure the Programme is on track and any shortfalls can be addressed
• Regular travel to various locations will be required in order to attend meetings and communicate with stakeholders
• Escalate to the Chief Operating Officer any significant areas of concern or risk that could compromise delivery of key efficiency / transformation programmes plans.
• Ensure that programme plans reflect the Trust's short, medium, and long-term sustainability priorities, around all the key transformation programmes and to ensure that the Trust is benefiting from shared learning and opportunities to transform from across the health and care system.
• Utilise highly complex performance data to ensure the Trust Board are presented with reports and regular briefings that assures them the Trust's efficiency portfolio is delivering.
• Provide specialist input into complex operational planning and transformation to ensure compliance with strategic objectives.
• To be a specialist resource to the Care Groups in supporting them to develop their capability regarding efficiency programme and project management, working within the Trust's guidance and practices, to ensure alignment.
• Support and where relevant lead on the production of business cases that support service change, transformation, and development at a corporate and network locality level.
• Enable programmes and projects to deliver sustainable outcomes for patients that are based on sound business intelligence, advanced specialist knowledge, underpinned by theory and experience and robust planning within a rigorous programme and project management framework.
• Work with Business Intelligence and Performance teams, to ensure the programme and project plans are supported and underpinned by robust and reliable intelligence and data, using benchmarking tools and platforms where appropriate, to provide the necessary assurance around delivery.
• Use analytics and business intelligence to identify potential opportunities to improve operational efficiency, drive operational excellence and help clinical and service teams deliver transformation across a wide range of services.
• Use strong people skills to be able to communicate sensitive, complex, and contentious information in a diplomatic way to a range of internal stakeholders (including both clinical and non-clinical colleagues) interpretation and analysis of national guidance to propose and create a shared vision for the trust in an environment where views may strongly differ.
• To use insights from performance analysis and stakeholder discussions to troubleshoot operational issues and improve operational processes.
• Ensure the Trust's corporate policies regarding operational, performance and programme management matters are aligned with the national policy requirements.
• Support the Chief Finance Officer by leading on the review and development of key policies within this remit.
• Line manage the Head of Performance and Emergency Planning Lead
• To undertake any other duties or project relevant to the role as directed by the Chief Operating Officer, which will include being part of the Trust on call.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Degree level education, or equivalent career experience
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Project Management
• Higher level degree (e.g. Master's, MBA, fully qualified CCAB / CIMA, or post-graduate level management Business / Financial focused discipline qualification)
• Managing Successful Programmes

Experience

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable experience at a senior level in a complex organisation
• Experience of managing programmes and delivering them within agreed timescales
• Demonstrate the ability to develop and implement strategy, formulating operational plans including KPIs A successful track record of delivering projects/initiatives from inception to delivery using a collaborative approach
• A successful track record of implementing creative solutions and making data driven decisions
• Experienced in using management information and technology systems (e.g. finance, performance, programme tools) and reporting tools to to design solutions and propose recommendations
• Extensive experience of leading, collaborating, motivating, managing and developing diverse teams
• Extensive experience of negotiating, establishing and managing SLAs and contracts for healthcare and other services
• Experience of developing wider business proposals and pulling together commercial packages
• Extensive experience of financial management and related processes, including planning (e.g. annual, longer term) and monthly reporting
• Demonstrate the capability to maintain financial control whilst supporting a devolved style
• An experienced and successful negotiator
• Experienced in the analysis of performance data

Desirable criteria

• Operational management experience including project/change management
• Track record of stakeholder engagement

Skills

Essential criteria

• Skilled in the use of technology to manage and manipulate data, including Microsoft Excel (strong use of formulae to manipulate and / or combine and report on complex data flows)
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing with all disciplines and seniorities
• Proven ability to operate/think laterally
• Strong numeracy and analytical skills
• A high standard of general computer literacy.
• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Politically astute
• Ability to understand and interpret complex financial information
• Strategic thinking
• Ability to critically and rapidly prioritise within strict deadlines

Desirable criteria

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Access and Excel
• Knowledge of Power BI/ tableau reporting
• Demonstrate experience of delivering results using a range of levers in the absence of direct line management responsibility

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• An awareness of key NHS policies in England
• A good working knowledge of generally applicable legal requirements and best practices for team leaders or line managers

Desirable criteria

• An understanding of NHS targets
• An appreciation of the NHS financial regime (although full training will be given)

Other

Essential criteria

• Strongly proactive and solution-orientated
• Qualities of perseverance, flexibility, determination, and adaptability
• Evidence of strategic thinking and innovation
• Good personal organisation and planning
• Creative, innovative & inquisitive

Desirable criteria

• Project Oriented

The closing date for this post may be extended if there are insufficient applicants or brought forward if there is a high volume of applicants.

Application Information - If you have not heard from us within four weeks of the closing date, I regret that on this occasion your application will have been unsuccessful.

Sponsorship Information - We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the government website.

Pre-Employment Checks - To confirm your suitability for the role, we will carry out pre-employment checks in line with NHS Employment Check Standards. These include:

• Identity verification
• Right to work check
• Disclosure and barring service (DBS)/Criminal record check (dependent on role, payment of this will be the applicants responsibility)
• Professional registration and/or qualification check
• Occupational health assessment
• Employment history and reference validation

All applicants external to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust will be required to provide their HMRC employment history to cover the most recent three years employment. This information will used to validate employment history and references.

If you require sponsorship, we will assess your eligibility based on current government guidance. If the role is not eligible and you cannot demonstrate your right to work, your conditional offer may be withdrawn.

✓ If You're Offered the Role - you will be agreeing to The Christie NHS Foundation Trust transferring the information contained in this application to its preferred applicant management system. If you are offered a job information will also be transferred into the national NHS Electronic Staff Records system. Please note, all communication regarding your application will be made via email, please ensure you check your junk/spam folders as emails are sometimes filtered there.

The Inter-Authority Transfer (IAT) process is a critical and beneficial component of ESR and will form part of the recruitment process. In the event that you are successful following interview your previous NHS employment data, if applicable will be transferred from your current / most recent employer.

Sponsorship Information - We are an approved sponsoring organisation. Applications will be considered from applicants requiring sponsorship alongside all other applications. Please be aware, not all roles are eligible for sponsorship. You can review the list of eligible role and requirements on the government website.

No Smoking Policy - You should be aware the Trust operates a No Smoking Policy and therefore employees are not permitted to smoke at work.

Additional Information - We want to ensure that everyone who works at the Christie or uses our services is welcomed, valued and treated with dignity and respect. The Christie values diversity and is committed to ensuring equal opportunities for all and fair representation across the organisation at all levels. In support of these commitments, we particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority people and people with disabilities for this post. Appointment will be only on merit.

We are committed to creating a balanced and diverse workforce. As such we welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. Together we will foster inclusion and tackle inequity and health inequalities in cancer care.

As users of the disability confident scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the vacancy.

The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct and integrity in all our activities. We have a zero-tolerance approach to modern slavery in any of its forms, including slavery, servitude, forced or compulsory labour, and human trafficking. We are fully committed to acting ethically and with transparency in all our business dealings and relationships, and to implementing and enforcing effective systems and controls to ensure modern slavery is not taking place anywhere in our organisation or supply chains.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

• Job Description & Person Specification (PDF, 376.4KB)
• The Christie Values and Behaviours (PDF, 919.5KB)
• Strategy Brochure (PDF, 1.0MB)
• Travel to The Christie (PDF, 3.8MB)