Job summary
- Main area
- Finance
- Grade
- Executives / VSM: Executives / VSM
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 349-MRI-8025978-RL4
- Employer
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Manchester Royal Infirmary
- Town
- Manchester
- Salary
- Attractive Remuneration Package
- Closing
- 15/06/2026 23:59
Employer heading
MRI Director of Finance
Executives / VSM: Executives / VSM
Job overview
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is seeking an exceptional Director of Finance for Manchester Royal Infirmary (MRI), one of the NHS’s most significant and complex acute hospitals.
Reporting to the Clinical Group Chief Executive, with professional accountability to the Group CFO, this is a high-profile executive role within one of the UK’s largest provider Trust.
MRI provides Major Trauma services across Greater Manchester. It is a hub of internationally recognised clinical and research expertise, and a key partner in the Oxford Road academic campus.
Serving a diverse and complex urban population, MRI delivers major tertiary services, large-scale emergency care, and complex operational activity alongside world-class research.
The MRI is entering a critical phase of redevelopment and transformation, focused on operational performance, clinical pathways, and financial sustainability. Over the past year, a new Senior Leadership Team has driven significant improvements in performance, engagement and organisational stability.
The next phase will prioritise financial sustainability, productivity and long-term strategic development.
This role offers a rare opportunity to join an organisation with strong momentum, ambitious leadership and highly engaged clinical teams.
Ideally suited to an ambitious NHS finance leader seeking senior executive exposure, complex operational challenges and a strong platform towards future CFO roles.
Main duties of the job
As Director of Finance at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, you will:
-
Provide strategic financial leadership as a key member of the MRI Senior Leadership Team.
-
Lead the development and delivery of robust financial recovery and sustainability plans.
-
Support the organisation’s transformation agenda, including major redevelopment and service redesign programmes.
-
Work closely with operational and clinical leaders to strengthen financial accountability and operational decision-making.
-
Provide high-quality financial analysis, forecasting and strategic insight to support organisational performance and long-term planning.
-
Drive financial improvement, productivity and efficiency initiatives across MRI services.
-
Support the development of business cases, transformation programmes and investment planning.
-
Lead and develop the embedded finance function, creating a high-performing, collaborative and operationally engaged finance team.
-
Contribute actively to wider MFT financial leadership and organisational priorities.
-
Act as a visible and credible senior leader across the organisation, contributing beyond traditional finance responsibilities.
Working for our organisation
| Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is the largest provider of specialist services, and our Oxford Road Campus in Manchester, the largest health academic campus in Europe. We are an ambitious organisation, serving over 1 million patients and users annually through our 10 hospitals and extensive community services. With a workforce of 30,000 plus, we are a driving force for innovation, clinical excellence, and system leadership across Greater Manchester. As a senior leader at MFT, you will shape strategy and transformation at scale, working alongside a diverse, high-performing executive team. Our £3bn plus turnover and leading-edge digital infrastructure, including the Hive EPR, enable us to deliver integrated, patient-centred care and drive continuous improvement. We are committed to fostering an inclusive, values-led culture where your expertise, vision, and leadership will directly influence organisational direction and population health outcomes. You will have the opportunity to lead complex change, champion research and innovation, and develop future talent in a supportive, collaborative environment. Join us to make a lasting impact—on our Trust, our communities, and the future of healthcare. |
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
| To find out more about the key responsibilities and the specific skills and experience you’ll need for this role, take a look at the Job Description & Person Specification attachments under the ‘Supporting Documents’ heading. Explore ‘Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place’ To help you feel confident, prepared and fully informed before you apply, we invite you to explore Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place. This welcoming one-stop hub gives you a real sense of who we are — what we stand for, how we reward and support you, and the many ways we care for you as you care for others. You’ll also find practical hints and tips for submitting a great application, along with the essential information you need to know before you apply. To access ‘Inside MFT – Your Candidate Place', simply click on the relevant PDF document under the ‘Documents to download’ section and once opened, you can either scan or click on the QR code. Closing vacancy listings early We welcome applications from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences. To help us manage applications fairly and give each one the time it deserves, our adverts may close early if we receive a high level of interest. Early applications are therefore encouraged. Diversity Matters MFT is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, celebrating and valuing diversity and eliminating any form of unlawful discrimination across our workforce, ensuring our people are truly representative of the communities we serve. All individuals regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation are encouraged to apply for this post. As an inclusive employer, we are here to support you. If you have any special requirements to help you with your application, please contact the manager named below. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in your application Here at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, we’re proud to be ALL HERE FOR YOU—for our patients, our communities, and each other. As part of our commitment to fairness, transparency, and personal integrity, we ask all applicants to ensure that their job applications reflect their own experiences, skills, and motivations. While AI tools can support spelling, grammar, or formatting, we expect that the content of your application—especially personal statements and responses to role-specific questions—is written by you. This helps us get to know the real you and ensures that our recruitment process remains equitable and meaningful for everyone. Thank you for helping us uphold the values that make our Trust a place where people belong, grow, and thrive. We look forward to receiving your application. |
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- Fully qualified accountant with a recognised chartered accountancy body
- Unblemished record with the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB) / Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
- Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
- Evidence of recent and relevant continuous professional development
- Formal management or leadership qualification.
Desirable criteria
- Additional post-graduate degree or equivalent experience.
Skills/Abilities
Essential criteria
- Ability to effectively present highly complex financial information to large groups, in particular, those staff not from a finance background
- Ability to work effectively with clinical colleagues and teams in a collaborative manner.
- Ability to deal positively and promptly with colleagues’ concerns and personal problems, challenge colleagues on any inappropriate behaviours or poor performance and investigate and deal with complaints as required.
- A high level of political awareness.
Experience
Essential criteria
- Extensive senior level leadership and managerial experience within a finance function in an acute NHS Trust (or comparatively large and complex multi-disciplinary organisation). Statutory and non- statutory organisations, senior managers, colleagues and their representatives.
- A successful track record in a senior finance role delivering challenging financial plans within a complex environment or sector, preferably within an acute NHS Trust.
- Experience of developing and operating the systems, processes and procedures which are appropriate to ensure the smooth operation of a finance function of an acute NHS Trust.
- A clear appreciation of the context of acute healthcare provision within the modern NHS and understanding of NHS financial frameworks.
- Extensive knowledge of clinical governance systems and (financial) risk management.
- Experience of developing and implementing financial strategy and business planning, supported by appropriate financial modelling and scenario planning.
- A successful track record of consistent delivery against NHS financial expectations and sustainable bottom- line delivery through sound financial and operational management.
- Highly motivated, hard-working and self-confident individual with a drive to deliver and commitment to excellence across all areas. Inspires others and leads by example.
Desirable criteria
- A strong understanding of how MFT fits into the wider health and social care system
- Evidence of leading or implementing high profile initiatives underpinned by the national research and innovation agenda.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post will require a submission for Disclosure to be made to check for any unspent criminal convictions.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Will Griffiths
- Job title
- Recruitment Partner
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 07818 693596
- Additional information
This is a rare opportunity to join one of the NHS’s most strategically significant acute organisations at a pivotal point in its transformation journey.
The successful candidate will gain exposure to:
-
large-scale operational leadership,
-
financial turnaround and sustainability,
-
major strategic transformation,
-
and executive leadership within one of the UK’s most complex provider environments.
If you are seeking a visible, ambitious and career-defining finance leadership opportunity, we would welcome your application.
For an informal and confidential discussion, please contact:
Will Griffiths – Recruitment Partner
07818 693596
Interviews will be held week commencing 22 June 2026.
-
List jobs with Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust in Administrative Services or all sectors