Job vacancy: Head of Group Finance, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry

Job summary

Main area: Financial Management
Grade: NHS AfC: Band 8b
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref: 218-AC-B8B-8292314

Employer: University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire
Town: Coventry
Salary: £66,582 - £77,368 per annum pro rata
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 22/09/2026 23:59
Interview date: 30/09/2026

Head of Group Finance

NHS AfC: Band 8b

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Provide support and advice to Groups during the production of business cases. This will include the application of recognised investment appraisal techniques to improve decision making. The Head of Group Finance should advise on financial risks and be able to articulate both long and short-term consequences to enable decision making.
The Head of Group Finance should ensure that the Associate Director of Financial Management is aware of financial consequences of business
cases being approved or in the planning pipeline.
Work with the Groups to ensure that benchmarking data provided from the Performance and Information Department is understood at an operational level and utilise this information together with value for money audits, to ensure best practice and optimal utilisation of resources.
The Head of Group Finance will be supporting the Clinical Group and provide overall financial leadership and strategic direction ensuring that finance delivers a high-quality customer focused service.
They will take overall responsibility for staff development and performance for the staff in the Financial Management Team that they lead.
They will take overall responsibility for the regular reporting of financial performance management information to the groups that they support and to the relevant Trust Committee’s/Board as part of the Integrated Finance Report.
They will ensure efficiency, effectiveness, integrity and business focus of financial systems and processes across the groups they support.
They will take a strategic lead for ensuring that the Group operational expenditure is fit for purpose for Service Line Reporting.
They will deputise for the Senior Head of Group Finance and the Group Management Team as and when appropriate.
They will be required to make decisions within their own interpretation and understanding of national policies and professional standards.

For further details please see the attached job description.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Professional Accountancy Qualification (CCAB/CIMA qualified or equivalent) • Evidence of CPD • Post qualification experience (as a Senior Finance Professional)

Experience

Essential criteria

• Proven track record of successful financial management • Senior experience with a large complex organisation • Experience of computerised accounting and financial systems. • Experience of investigation and analysis into financial issues, including evidence of detailed and precise report writing skills. • Business planning and capacity expertise linked to forecasting and budgeting. • Experience in the analysis, translation and communication of service line reporting/patient level costing system outputs to non-financial colleagues. • Evidence of extensive line management responsibilities, ensuring teams deliver to their maximum potential. • Experience in working with, influencing and building effective working relationships with staff at all levels across the Trust.

Desirable criteria

• Substantial post qualification experience covering a full range of responsibilities of a senior financial professional. • Significant experience preparing Budgets linked to Operational and Workforce plans. • Experience in translating complex data from various systems into a clear and comprehensive financial model. • Experience in using benchmarking information (including Model Hospital) to identify performance or productivity benefits.

Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Knowledge of the rules surrounding confidentiality, information governance and the Data Protection Act. • Expert Theoretical and practical knowledge of the NHS accounting. • Knowledge of the costing standards.

Desirable criteria

• NHS capital planning / approval processes • NHSE/I financial regime • NHSE/I Planning regime.

Skills

Essential criteria

• Microsoft Office. • Able to move easily between the detail and the big picture on issues. • Ability to clarify key points from complex sets of information. • Ability to concentrate on complex issues for prolonged periods. • Ability to work autonomously with the skills to make complex decisions independently where decisions are required urgently. • Ability to work under pressure and meet objectives with conflicting deadlines. • Able to plan and prioritise work of self and others. • Gives the team a sense that change is achievable and that their contributions matter. • Proven ability to operate and think strategically, reflecting wider organisational priorities and performance.

Desirable criteria

• Multi-discipline • Uses range of influencing strategies to bring about change. • Demonstrates the use of extended network of influence.

Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours

Essential criteria

• Must be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with the Trust’s values. (As detailed in UHCW’s Values in Action document below) • Applicants applying for job roles with managerial responsibility will be required to demonstrate evidence of promoting equal opportunities through work experience

To ensure that we provide world-class patient care, UHCW recruits people that can demonstrate the Trust’s Values and Behaviours in their everyday life. Therefore, if you are invited to interview, you will be undertaking a Values Based Interview/Assessment, which explores not only what you do but how and why you do it.
Before applying, we encourage you to review the Trust’s Values and Behaviours which can be accessed on the right side of this page under the job description.
The Supporting Information Section in your application should therefore reflect your understanding of the Trust’s Values and associated Behaviours. You will be expected to provide us with examples from work experience and/or personal life which demonstrate these values through your behaviour.

The Trust is committed to Equal Opportunities within the workplace. All vacancies will be considered for Job Share unless otherwise stated. All applicants who have a disability and who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be interviewed. Where a post has an overwhelming response, this Trust may use random selection in order to reduce numbers to interview, any disabled applicants will automatically be guaranteed an interview and will be exempt from this process.

In submitting an application form, you authorise University Hospital Coventry & Warwickshire NHS Trust to confirm from your previous or current NHS employer and other prior employers; previous NHS service details and personal data held about you, including Occupational Health data (inoculations and screening tests). This data will be transferred using NHS Electronic Staff Record and third-party systems via an automated process and only used for the purposes of obtaining and maintaining accurate employment records, should you be appointed to the post.

UHCW NHS Trust, by virtue of its Green Plan, is committed to ensuring that the way we provide services minimises the impact on the environment and the future health of the public e.g. zero waste to landfill, reducing our carbon footprint and increasing our recycling and reuse percentages.

If you are successful at interview you will receive a conditional offer of employment and we’ll ask you for information so that we can carry out pre-employment checks. You must successfully complete all pre-employment checks to progress to a final unconditional offer.

We must confirm the identity of our staff and their right to work in the United Kingdom. We will ask you to submit proof of your identity and right to work documents via a secure digital platform approved by the Home Office, named TrustID. Alternatively, you may be asked to attend our office with original documents.

Depending on you level of exposure with patients you may be required to undertake a Standard or Enhanced DBS. The cost of this check will be charged to you and will be deducted from your salary over the first 3 months of employment at the current rate.

All correspondence will be sent by email; please check your account regularly including your Junk/SPAM folders