Finance Manager - Productivity & Costing

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South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust is one of the top performing organisations within the NHS. Our staff think this is a great place to work and we hope you will agree. We have recently been rated as 'Outstanding' by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) following our most recent inspection.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the whole county. This includes our Community Teams in North Warwickshire.

We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity. Over 6000 people work for the Trust and many of them have been here a long time. People find they don't need to go elsewhere to find a fulfilling career in healthcare.

The first thing you will notice about us is how we take our values seriously. We believe that our values underpin everything we do. If you are interested in a role with us you need to make sure our values match your own.

Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are 'Trusted to provide inclusive, safe, effective and compassionate care'. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn't matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.

Probationary Period

All new staff to the Trust will be subject to a standard 6 month probationary period, the details of which will duly follow in your contract of employment.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust is committed to creating and sustaining a positive and inclusive working environment for all our employees. Our aim is to ensure that employees are equally valued and respected and that our organisation is representative of all members of society. We define diversity as valuing everyone as an individual - we value our employees, job applicants, students, patients and visitors as people. This is reflected within our values of being Inclusive, Safe, Effective, Compassionate and Trusted.

Agile and Flexible Working

All our staff will have a work base. However the Trust operates as an Agile Working Team therefore staff may be working from home on a regular basis as required by the service. However, occasionally travel around Warwickshire and into your base will be required so access to your own transport would be helpful.

The Trust also welcome staff to work flexibly and we would welcome the conversation at interview regarding flexible working.

Staff Benefits

The Trust offer a wide range of additional benefits to staff. Anyone who joins us on a substantive basis can assess things such as the Lease Car Scheme, Electronics Scheme, Discounted Leisure and Travel, Cycle to work scheme amongst many others available.

Car Parking

The Trust have recently completed the construction of a multi-storey car park at our Warwick Hospital site which has allowed us to reduce waiting times for car parking passes.

To keep up to date on our latest recruitment activity follow us on twitter @swftrecruit or look us up on Facebook (Recruitment - South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust).

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen within South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust. We are looking to recruit a Band 8a Productivity & Costing Finance Manager to join our Finance team. The successful candidate will assist the Senior Finance manager to provide accurate, timely and meaningful financial information and advice to a range of individuals.

Staff are the most important asset of our organisation. The success we continually achieve is built on their passion and commitment. Our strong foundation of engaged and highly motivated staff, combined with a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, enables the trust to drive productivity, deliver high quality care, and support partners across health, social care, and the voluntary sector.

The productivity agenda is high on the Trust's and NHS as a whole's agenda. Sitting within the Financial Information Team, this new post will bring together data and people to embed an understanding of productivity, cost and activity data across the Trust, supporting staff to deliver continuous improvement and innovation.

The successful candidate will have strong Excel and costing skills, an understanding of the complexities of NHS finances and how operational practices link to financial and activity date, great communication skills, heaps of enthusiasm and a passion to make a difference.

Main duties of the job

Taking on this new role sitting within the Financial Information team, you will be responsible for:

Utilising and providing highly complex, sensitive data, contained in various IT systems.

Managing production of national and system returns (including the National Cost Collection submission and NHS England Provider workforce and agency returns) with a high degree of autonomy.

Writing papers for the Finance & Performance Executive & other Executive & board level meetings with regard to the development and improvement of costing & productivity opportunities within the organisation.

Providing analysis and narrative to advise directors regarding complex issues (e.g. business implications in the review of services).

You will:

Be a qualified accountant with a proven track record of working collaboratively with senior, multi-disciplinary individuals on both an internal and external basis.

Have ability to analyse and interpret highly complex and highly sensitive data and communicate complex financial analysis and interpretation to non-finance colleagues.

Have competency to negotiate and influence staff and overcome barriers to accepting the analysis provided.

To gather, produce, interpret and report upon highly complex and sensitive financial and activity information:

Utilise and provide highly complex, highly sensitive and sometimes highly contentious data, contained in IT systems and provided by Finance colleagues, the Information Department and other departments within the Trust.

Working for our organisation

Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further. In addition our staff survey results have placed us 4th in the country for recommended place to work.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity.

Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are 'Trusted to provide safe, inclusive, effective and compassionate care'. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn't matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

Service Line Reporting (SLR) / Patient Level Costing Information Systems (PLICS)

To be responsible for the production and dissemination of information that can be reliably used to make management decisions regarding services.

This involves receiving and providing highly complex, highly sensitive and sometimes highly contentious data and analysis.

To be responsible for the periodic production of SLR/PLICS data for the organisation. This requires the utilisation of advanced costing techniques such as those incorporated within professional accountancy qualifications.

To write papers for Finance and Performance Executive regarding the development and improvement of costing within the organisation and with detailed project plans extending beyond the current financial year.

To manage the maintenance and develop the costing model used for producing SLR/PLICS data. The post holder will be responsible for maintaining and developing documentation describing processes and data sources used. This information will also form part of the audit process.

To maintain and improve the analysis used as the basis for the apportionment of costs within the costing model. The post holder will be responsible for leading the programme of works to continually review and improve the basis for the apportionment of costs. This requires extensive knowledge of all parts of the NHS business and operational environment, their cost drivers and income streams.

The role will also utilise advanced software and the associated keyboard skills with frequent periods of intense and detailed analysis.

To liaise with the Information Department regarding the production, processing and input of activity data used in the costing model.

To maintain and develop the reporting software used for the dissemination and benchmarking of SLR/PLICS / productivity data.

To engage with clinical and operational leads in respect of obtaining and understanding information for the production and interpretation of SLR/PLICS /productivity data.

To engage with senior clinical and operational colleagues with respect to the dissemination and utilisation of SLR/PLICS/ productivity information for understanding cost drivers, the profitability of services and decision-making.

In many instances there may be significant reluctance to accept the findings in the data and analysis provided. The role therefore requires highly developed influencing and interpersonal skills.

To network with other organisations to share good practice and keep up-todate with developments in this emerging field.

The post holder will provide training and advise in respect of SLR/PLICS information systems implemented, understanding and interpreting the data and analysis provided.

To maintain awareness of Payment by Results issues and developments and the impact these may have on Service Line Reporting.

The post holder is expected to be the Trust's expert with regard to costing.

National Returns

To plan and manage the programme of work for the production of the annual National Cost Collection ensuring that national deadlines are met. This requires an extensive and detailed project plan with inputs from many sources.

To maintain complete and auditable logs and workings used in the production of national returns.

To maintain an advanced level of knowledge of guidance and plans for costing and national returns and to formulate plans for the Trust to comply. The role is expected to be the Trust's expert in this regard.

To liaise with peers from other organisations in sharing good practice and developing knowledge and skills in costing in the NHS.

To work with internal and external auditors as required regarding outputs of the national cost collection Finance lead on Trust-wide projects incorporating complex costing

As appropriate, to be responsible for leading for Finance on Trust-wide projects incorporating complex costing. This will involve researching and understanding highly complex care pathways and the associated costs and income drivers. There may be multiple options resulting in highly contentious discussions.

The ability to anticipate financial risks and business issues for the Trust is essential.

Being the finance lead for the Trust in negotiations with commissioners and other providers, requiring developed interpersonal skills.

The post holder will often be asked to provide analysis and narrative in order to advise directors regarding complex issues (e.g. business implications in the review of services).

Other Duties

To support engagement events with the wider organisation, bringing the finance goals and strategies alongside clinical and operational plans.

To lead on the development of costing data used to set prices for private and overseas patients treated at the Trust.

Development of the role

This job description covers the major tasks to be carried out and the level of responsibilities to which the post-holder will work. These may be revised and changed from time to time. Discussions will take place with the post-holder.

Knowledge Training and Experience

A highly developed and advanced specialist knowledge across the range of work procedures and practices associated with costing principles and techniques is essential. A highly advanced understanding of the NHS business environment and guidance (including that produced by NHS England, the Healthcare Finance Management Association (HFMA) and the Department of Health) is also required. This advanced theoretical and practical knowledge is likely to have been gained through extensive experience and through a combination of short courses and/or structured self-study and by relevant practical experience.

Analytical and Judgemental Skills

The ability to work closely with clinical and operational colleagues (including very senior clinicians and managers) is an essential element within the role. The ability to interpret large volumes of data is essential and the ability to gain intelligence from the operational and clinical divisions is also required.

The role requires highly developed analytical and interpersonal skills to identify all relevant cost drivers and income streams associated with a care pathway. Judgements will involve highly complex facts or situations which will require the analysis, interpretation and sometimes conflicting information where the post holder is expected to be the expert in their field.

Planning and Organisational Skills

The ability to plan and organise a broad range of complex activities and programmes, some of which will be ongoing and require the formulation and adjustment of plans.

Physical Skills

The role will also utilise advanced software and the associated highly developed keyboard skills with frequent periods of intense and detailed analysis. A high degree of precision and speed is essential.

Responsibilities for Patient/Client Care

To assist patients//clients only during incidental contacts.

Responsibilities for Policy and Service Development Implementation

The post holder will have overall responsibility for policy implementation for the identification of productivity opportunities and the costing service which will be applied trust-wide and for its practical implementation. The post will develop policy in adherence to National and Regional cost, productivity and SLR guidance, and develop the Trusts submissions. A major element will be to discuss and advise the wider Finance Team and Clinical Business Units on new policies to ensure the Trust is able to collate information in a manner which correlates to the guidelines. This will ensure that the post holder will be able to devise and develop reports which meet national criteria.

Responsibilities for Financial and Physical Resources

A major element of the post is to contribute to and then to monitor the departmental/service budgets Trust-wide. They will be heavily involved in the implementation of cost improvement programmes.

The post holder will be responsible for advising on change for the Trust based on the output reports from costing and other productivity data. The ability to communicate at Director of the outcomes is paramount to ensure that correct decisions are made.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• CCAB qualified or equivalent skills/experience identified
• Educated to GCSE (Grade C or above) or equivalent for Maths and English
• Educated to Degree Level or equivalent skills/experience identified
• Competent in Microsoft office applications and with advanced Excel and associated keyboard skills

Experience

Essential criteria

• Experience of producing National Cost collection, Service Line Reporting or Patient Level Information Costing information

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in a range of NHS finance functions eg; Costing / Financial Management / Income

Skills

Essential criteria

• Advanced Microsoft Excel and associated keyboard skills
• Ability to analyse and interpret highly complex and highly sensitive data
• Ability to communicate complex financial analysis and • interpretation to non-finance colleagues
• Ability to plan and lead projects to a successful conclusion
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Desirable criteria

• Use of costing software application designed for the NHS
• Relational database skills such as SQL or Access
• Knowledge of NHS costing guidance and NHS plans for costing in the future

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria

• Ability to plan and manage own workload
• Ability to manage conflicting demands and to work well under pressure
• Ability to assess and resolve problems
• Enthusiastic and motivated with the ability to motivate others
• Ability to negotiate and influence staff and overcome barriers to accepting the analysis provided
• A professional and ethical approach to work
• Flexible and innovative
• Friendly and co-operative
• Attentive to detail
• Team player

Other

Essential criteria

• Willing to attend occasional meetings/ training at other Trusts/locations

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Sometimes we get a lot of applications for our roles. On those occasions we might close the job early. If you don't want to miss out we recommend submitting your application as early as possible.

The Trust use an Applicant Management System called TRAC which helps us manage the recruitment process. All communications regarding your application will come via TRAC (even if you applied via NHS Jobs).

Please check your TRAC account regularly and ensure your email is set up to accept messages so they don't go into your junk/spam folder.

We aim to shortlist all vacancies within 2 days of the vacancy closing, we will get back to all candidates ASAP.

Please ensure all sections of the application form are completed fully. Please particularly ensure that you provide full details of all referees including business email address, telephone contact details and postal address.

South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust is an equal opportunities employer who is committed to Equality and Diversity and does not tolerate discrimination or harassment on the grounds of any protected characteristic as defined by the Equality Act 2010.

All South Warwickshire University NHS Foundation Trust sites are smoke free. We feel it's a great way to help our patients, visitors and staff stay healthy.

The Trust is part of a 'Foundation Group' through a strategic alliance with Wye Valley NHS Trust, George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. This partnership is great for the sustainability of all four organisations and allows us to share learning and maximise opportunities to ensure the delivery of high quality health and care services for our local populations.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Documents to download

• JD FM Productivity & Costing (PDF, 336.6KB)
• PS Productivity & Costing (PDF, 56.7KB)
• Occupational Health Functional Requirements Form (PDF, 207.6KB)