Strategic Management Accountant – NHS Finance Lead

Senior Management Accountant - South West Provider Collaborative

The South West Provider Collaborative is an award-winning partnership of seven provider organisations, of which Devon Partnership NHS Trust is the lead provider.

The Collaborative is a national initiative designed to encourage different providers within geographical areas to design, commission and deliver services more closely together. Working together, the Collaborative improves the care pathway for people needing specialised mental healthcare in the South West.

The Senior Management Accountant (SWPC) will support the Associate Director of Finance (SWPC), working directly with senior managers across the Collaborative and within Devon Partnership to support and advise on highly complex issues, and provide strategic financial and business planning advice.

The post-holder will be required to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive and contentious information relevant to financial matters. Where appropriate the post-holder will deputise for the Associate Director of Finance (SWPC).

The post-holder will be required to analyse highly complex problems relating to financial management and business case production, requiring analysis, interpretation and comparison of a range of options. The role will involve having multiplicity of objectives and will be required to make judgements regarding allocation of finances.

The role will require the providing of comprehensive and high-level senior finance support and advice to senior managers, Directors, Clinical Directors, and working with the Management Accountants to ensure consistent and quality advice is given. The role will involve making judgements on financial issues, often where an element of risk exists and there is a number of options, sometimes conflicting.

The post-holder will contribute to the leading of the Trust’s Commissioning financial strategy, in particular advising on service level plans to meet the overall service objective.

The post-holder will be key in developing, monitoring and accurate reporting of the SW Provider Collaborative revenue expenditure (annually circa £175m 2025/26) on a monthly basis.

The role will manage the SWPC Assistant Management Accountant and be required to ensure personal and professional development.

Working directly with Senior Managers across the Collaborative, Trust and externally, to support and advise on highly complex issues, and provide strategic financial and business planning advice.

Provide the financial lead on the development of the financial planning for the area of responsibility, ensuring robust plans in place to ensure delivery of cost improvement programmes.

Responsible for the analysis, finalisation and presentation of the budget performance for area(s) of responsibility, ensuring Senior Managers are aware of reasons for any variance and will be instrumental in developing and supporting robust and timely mitigation plans to ensure financial balance.

Ensure, as appropriate, the Trust’s Statutory Accounts and relevant returns are accurate and meet financial timescales and legal requirements, interpreting these where necessary.

Responsible for the overall financial management and performance of specified Directorate area(s) and corporate area(s), which may change in line with business needs in the future.

Provide corporate reports and strategic and business planning advice to the Trust.

Working directly with the Business Case / Tender Lead, the post-holder will be a critical member of the business case / tender team (to be determined on a case by case basis) and will lead on the financial analysis and development of modelling and analysis of volumes, costs and benefits, including scenarios to create economic and financial evaluation of options to support the business case or tender at each stage.

To meet regularly with any designated Assistant Management Accountant support to ensure financial information is of a satisfactory standard and discuss improvements.

Lead on the final analysis and agreement of the monthly management accounts information, budget setting and year end accounts for the agreed area of responsibility that is reported to the Trust Board. This will include ensuring all relevant business investments, cost improvement plans and all other financial information have been incorporated within the budget position and a full review has been undertaken, agreeing necessary adjustments as required, before final presentation.

To support the Associate Director of Finance – SWPC, Deputy Chief Finance Officer and Chief Finance Officer as required.

• Full understanding of the principles of accounting
• Specialist knowledge of, and ability to apply and advise others of, professional accounting standards
• Detailed knowledge of computerised accounting systems and spreadsheet packages
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to transfer…