JOB DESCRIPTION

DIRECTORATE:

Finance

DEPARTMENT:

Finance

JOB TITLE:

Senior Finance Analyst

BAND:

BASE:

William Farr House/Halesfield 6

REPORTS TO:

Senior Finance Business Partner

RESPONSIBLE FOR:

Service Director

DISCLOSURE &
BARRING CHECK
REQUIRED:

YES

NO

Standard

Enhanced

Job Summary
The Senior Finance Analyst is a key role providing financial support services in the
Commissioning Support Unit. The role will be a key member of the embedded team
supporting our customers ensuring the CSU is a provider of market leading financial
support services and supplier of choice for its customers. The role will be
responsible for ensuring effective use of financial resources and people, consistently
delivering successful outcomes and helping to manage financial risk. The role is integral
to the operational delivery of financial support services to customers. The post will be
responsible for the line management of a Assistant/Finance Analyst, ensuring they are
developed in line with personal development plans.

Context of the role:

This role will be a fundamental part of a professional, high quality, effective and
flexible team delivering consistent services, products, functions and information to
the CCG customers we serve.
The post holder will contribute towards the CSU being a provider of market leading
Financial support services and supplier of choice for its customers. The role will be
responsible for contributing to an effective delivery strategy for contract
management support services provided by the CSU, ensuring effective use of
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agreed resources and people, consistently delivering successful outcomes and

helping to manage risk.
The role will support the operational delivery of the wider CCG customer agenda
through matrix working with colleagues and other key functional areas to ensure
support services and customer requirements are fully met.
The post holder is responsible for providing high level financial support and expert
technical advice within their areas of responsibility to ensure that the CCG meets
its financial targets, achieves value for money and maintains financial control.
This includes working autonomously when taking responsibility for the finance
elements in negotiation, interpretation and monitoring of contracts, variations,
schedules and SLAs providing integrated reports linking finance and
activity.

Job description:
Communication and relationship skills
o Work with the Contract Management team on all financial aspects of
CCG contracts - acute, non acute and third sector - including contract
variations, invoice query and resolution and analysing complex
activity information from providers, including over and under
performance.
o Provide necessary financial advice and support to budget holders and
managers to enable them to monitor the finances needed to meet
their service requirements.
o Work closely with other CSU teams to ensure delivery processes are
consistent.
This
includes
contributing
towards
continuous
improvement of high quality financial information, with focus on
efficiency and effectiveness.
o Actively contribute to a highly responsive stakeholder and customer
relationship management function which includes matrix working with
CCG colleagues on portfolios within CCG Finance team.
Technical skills
o Deliver complex financial information to assist CCGs to successfully manage
their financial position in accordance with an agreed financial timetable
o Responsible for the production of CCG monthly working papers for accountable
areas including analysis of variances to budget and forecast, the post holder
will advise the CCG on year to date position and forecast outturns, ensuring
queries on variances are presented to the CCG and resolved to a satisfactory
conclusion and negotiate the final position on accountable areas.
o Responsible for the production of elements of CCG financial returns including
working papers which detail sources of information, assumptions made, for
example, programme budgeting
o Integral role in delivery of the quarterly NHS agreement of balances exercise for
CCG customers, including supporting direct report to deliver key financial
information on Acute contracts.
o Produce cash management working papers and forecasting of the cashflow
requirements to support monthly cash drawdowns process.
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o Ensure robust financial systems are in place to monitor non contract

activity (NCAs) and challenge and resolve any charges for activity not
applicable to CCGs.
o Assist with annual budget setting process, producing working papers,
documenting and presenting risks and issues for CCG consideration
and decision making.
o Cost, develop and monitor budgets across the CSUs accountable areas,
advising & documenting issues that will impact cost outturn and
successful contract delivery.
o To assist in the preparation of CCG 5 year plans by analysing
accountable areas long term implications of funding shortfalls,
initiatives, redesign or contract variations.
o Provide detailed management and performance reports for inclusion
in the monthly reports for the CCG against key performance indicators
in a format that enables complex information to be understood by non
finance staff.
o To establish the recurring baseline of finance for each SLA across the
CCG commissioning portfolio and to ensure this information is
appropriately recorded in the financial ledger. (Subject to new Scheme
of Delegation / delegated authorities)
Management skills
o Responsible for the line management of the Assistant/Finance Analysts,
ensuring they are developed in line with personal development plans and CSU
policies and procedures.
The duties and responsibilities outlined in this document are indicative, and
not exhaustive. The post holder may be requested to carry out other tasks
that are necessary.
PERSON SPECIFICATION

Knowledge Training and Experience

required for the post

Essential
at
Recruitment

Developed
within the
role

How Assessed
A Application
I Interview
P - Presentation
T Test
C - Certificate

Qualifications
CCAB part qualified/finalist to the equivalent of
post graduate qualification

A,C

Experience
Significant finance experience in a wide range

of financial disciplines
Previously responsible for a budget, budget
setting and highly developed knowledge of
financial controls and processes

Significant experience of financial management

and working at a senior level

Extensive knowledge of contract management

Including activity analysis, contract performance
and variations.

A,I

A,I

A,I

Understanding of the background to aims of

current healthcare policy both at national and
local levels

A,I

Specific
knowledge
of
the
Operating
Framework, NHS Choices and NHS contracts
guidance

A,I

Demonstrable understanding of national targets

and priorities relating to NHS care

A,I

Negotiating/relationship building skills

experience of the commissioning process

A,I

Work Related Knowledge and Skills

Experience in complex spreadsheet modelling,
Microsoft office suite and financial accounting
packages.
Demonstrable communication and relationship
skills in terms of key stakeholders, experience
of dealing with finance and non finance staff at
varying levels.
Demonstrable analytical skills, reviewing
information,
presenting
findings,
stating
assumptions and risks, and influencing
outcomes.

and

Other
Car driver

Employment Acts and Codes of Practice

All employees are required to comply with employment legislation and codes of good
practice.

Equality and Diversity

We are an Equal Opportunities employer and will do all we can to make sure that job
applicants and employees do not receive less favourable treatment because of their
age, sex, marital status, faith, race, disability or sexual orientation, or for any other
reason that is not justified.

Health and Safety

In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and other supplementary
legislation, all employees are required to follow Trust Health and Safety policies and safe
working procedures, take reasonable care to avoid injury during the course of their work,
and co-operate with the Trust and others in meeting statutory requirements.
All employees must comply with Prevention and Control of Infection polices and attend
any related mandatory training.

Risk Management
Employees are required to report every incident where the health and safety of self or
others has been jeopardised (including near misses) and to carry out or participate in
investigations into such incidents as required.

Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults

All CSU employees and volunteers are required to act in such a way that at all times
safeguards the health and well being of children and vulnerable adults. Familiarisation
with and adherence to CUS and Lancashire County Council Safeguarding policies is an
essential requirement of all employees and volunteers, as is participation in related
mandatory training and safeguarding supervision.

Data Protection Act

All members of staff are bound by the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Rules, Regulations, Policies, Standing Orders and Financial Instructions

All employees are required to comply with the rules, regulations, policies, standing
orders and financial instructions of the Trust.

Research and Development Projects

Whenever you decide to undertake a piece of research, either as a Principal Investigator
or Local Researcher, or Assistant Researcher, you must comply with the principles of
Clinical Governance and the Research Governance Framework.

Development Review
Key performance objectives, development needs and compilation of a Personal
Development Plan will be discussed and agreed at Annual Development Review
meetings.

Training
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Postholders are required to attend any relevant and mandatory training for the post.

Outside Employment / Outside Interests

Any other work or outside interests must not conflict with the duties and responsibilities
of your attendance for work as an employee of the CSU. In accordance with legislation
on working time, it is a condition of employment that all staff must inform their line
manager before taking up any private practice, work for outside agencies or other
employers, other work for this CSU (including bank work) and / or voluntary work. This is
to ensure there is no conflict of interest with your NHS duties.

Review of Job Description

This is not intended to be a comprehensive description of the duties of the post. Due to
the Trusts commitment to continuous improvement it is likely that the post will develop
over time. These duties will be subject to regular review and any amendments to this job
description will be made in consultation and agreement with the post holder

The Trust operates a Smoke Free Policy

ACCEPTANCE OF JOB DESCRIPTION

I confirm I accept the duties contained in the above job description.
NAME: ...............

(PRINT)

Postholder Signature: Date:

Line Manager Signature: ...... Date: