Chief Finance Officer

Job overview

We are recruiting a Chief Finance Officer (CFO) to join East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust. The role is vital to supporting the Trust’s ambitious plans for operational performance, financial sustainability, digital transformation and service improvement across our four sites.

The CFO is a statutory Executive Director and a member of the Trust Board.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing strategic leadership across Finance, Planning, Performance and Business Intelligence.
• Ensuring robust financial stewardship, operational delivery and strategic decision‑making with high‑quality information and analysis.
• Acting as a trusted adviser to the Chief Executive and Board on financial sustainability, investment decisions, commercial opportunities, productivity improvement and organisational performance.
• Shaping organisational culture, strategic direction and system relationships beyond traditional finance boundaries.
• Modelling Trust values and supporting the development of a high‑performing organisation focused on outstanding patient and community outcomes.

• Professionally qualified accountant (e.g., CCAB, ACCA, CIPFA).
• MBA or other relevant postgraduate qualification.

• Board level experience as an Executive Director of Finance in a large, complex organisation.
• Deep understanding of the NHS and the healthcare sector.
• Experience of major capital development programmes (e.g., PFI) with a track record of on‑time, on‑budget delivery.
• Demonstrable record of negotiating large contracts and leading financial improvement programmes.
• Proven senior leadership, both within finance and as a corporate board member.
• Experience improving financial departments, modelling, reporting and change management.
• Experience implementing effective service line reporting models.

• Strong professional accountability and external representation capability.
• Commercial and business acumen with stakeholder influence skills.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational management.
• Innovative managerial style, clear vision communication and change leadership.
• Collaborative approach, knowledge sharing and proactive issue understanding.
• Results focus and passion for qualitative service improvement.
• Deep knowledge of techniques for interpreting and presenting financial and non‑financial data.
• Credibility to inspire internally and represent the Trust regionally and nationally.
• Experience with improvement methodologies (e.g., Virginia Mason).

• Meet the fit and proper person criteria.
• Evidence of engagement and support for equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Role model Trust values consistently.

Applicants must hold appropriate UK professional registration. The postholder will be subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exemptions) and may require disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Equal opportunities – We are an equal opportunity employer and provide an inclusive work environment for all applicants.