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Job summary

Main area
Finance
Grade
Band 7
Contract
12 months (Fixed Term)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
364-A-8764-B
Employer
Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Thurrock Community Hospital
Town
Grays
Salary
£47,810 - £54,710 incl. Fringe HCAS
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
28/11/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust logo

Finance Business Partner - Commercial Planning and Costing

Band 7

Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk. 

We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.

You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive. 

The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.

We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years. 

We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.

We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.  

Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen in the Trust's Commercial, Planning and Costing team for an energetic and enthusiastic Finance Business Partner to join the team, providing high quality costing information, support and advice to the Trust's Business units

 

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant will actively support  the provision of financial        information and costings for the purposes of activities such as, but not limited to, National Cost Collections, Benchmarking, Service Line Reporting, commercial opportunities, including bids.

The role involves the production of timely and accurate management information, and requires both technical knowledge of accounting procedures and an understanding of the operational business of the Trust and costing standards.

Regular engagement with management accountants, the informatics team, and budget holders, to improve the quality of costing and benchmarking information is also required in this role.

Applicants should be CCAB (or equivalent) finalist or intermediate if qualified by experience, and must be self- motivated, enthusiastic, demonstrate an ability to work effectively in a small team and possess excellent communication skills. A strong working knowledge of costing systems and advanced Excel skills is essential.

The post holder will be responsible for managing, training, developing and inspiring a small team to deliver excellent financial services. This is an
ideal opportunity for someone looking to develop their skills in an exciting and dynamic environment

Working for our organisation

Valuing you. Recognising your dedication. At EPUT, we look after you. 

  • Receive supervision and support to help you fulfil your potential.
  • Join an inclusive EPUT community and connect with others through engagement events and equality or champion networks.
  • If you need help, we provide mental health and wellbeing services, occupational health advice and counselling.
  • We run recognition awards to recognise staff's hard work and dedication.

Benefits

  • 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 10 years’ service.
  • Excellent pension of up to14.5% of your pensionable pay.
  • Staff discounts include Blue Light Card, NHS discount offers, and staff benefits.
  • £8K relocation package if you move to Essex to join us
  • Season ticket loans are interest-free to cover the cost of travelling to and from work via tram, rail, or bus. 

Work that wraps around your needs

  • Work bank: You can use the opportunity to supplement your income and develop your skills by working bank shifts.
  • Flexible working: available from day one for most roles.
  • Job share: Applications for job shares are welcomed.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

·         Providing financial support for new business opportunities/ bids.

·         Undertake in-depth analysis of complex financial positions and exercise judgement against a range of options for further action

·         Support the development of costs, budgets and prices for both the short and long term across the Trust.

·         Undertake modelling and risk assessments and advise management on these, to ensure that financial risk to the Trust has been identified and can be considered and managed.

·         Attend relevant meetings with Directors, operational managers and commissioners as required.

·         Support the maintenance and development of the Trust’s Costing System.

·         Regularly review and update activity and cost allocations to services, ensuring accuracy of service costs and activity

·         Support the production of the costing submissions, for internal and external use, including but not limited to, National Cost Collection.

·         Provide financial information to internal deadlines as required by Freedom of Information requests.

·         Completion of the Benchmarking returns as required.

·         Developing of Patient Level Information and Costing System (PLICS).

·         Deliver Service Line Reporting and trading accounts in the Trust and to stakeholders

·         Support the development of the Mental Health Tariff and contract pricing.

·         Work closely with the Trust's Business Development team on the development of bid submissions for new business opportunities.

·         Support the development of Mental Health contract currencies through provision of  patient level and service line costs.

·         Communicate highly detailed financial information in a clear and concise way.

·         Responsible for the management of staff within their team, which includes assisting in any recruitment.

·         Responsible for the supervision of any direct line management responsibilities.

·         Deputise for the Senior Finance Business Partner as necessary

Person specification

Education/Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • • Membership of AAT, relevant degree or equivalent qualification
  • • CCAB or equivalent qualification finalist or Intermediate if part-qualified by experience
  • • Evidence of commitment to continuing and ongoing personal and professional development

Additional Qualities

Essential criteria
  • • Current full UK driving licence

Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Understanding of NHS costing return requirements and benchmarking tools
Desirable criteria
  • Expert knowledge of NHS finance regime
  • Good knowledge and understanding of current NHS issues and challenges
  • Comprehensive knowledge of NHS costing principles, Patient Level Information and Costing System and Service Line Reporting

Skills/Experience

Essential criteria
  • • Proficient in use of Microsoft Office including Excel, MS Access, Word, PowerPoint and Outlook, as well as use of SQL and VBA
  • • Good oral and written communication skills
  • • Extensive experience working in a finance department using computerised financial information systems
  • • Ability to clearly present and explain complex financial information and concepts to non-financial managers
  • • Ability to analyse and interpret information to assess issues, anticipate data problems and provide workable solutions.
  • • Experience of working with non-financial managers to identify service and cost improvements
  • • Track record of delivering excellent business partnering support.
  • • Experience of managing teams to deliver excellent services
Desirable criteria
  • • Technical experience of using costing software.

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria
  • • High degree of accuracy and excellent attention to detail, combined with the ability to extract key messages from complex analysis
  • • Ability to work under pressure
  • • Emotionally resilient and tenacious, willing to tackle difficult issues
  • • Ability to work as part of a team and contribute to the achievement of team objectives
  • • Ability to develop and motivate individuals and teams
  • • Confident and engaging presentation style

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria
  • • Shares the Trust’s Beliefs and models this in their attitude and behaviour
  • • Ensures that the organisational values of open, compassionate and empowering, are demonstrated by self and others every day, and that any matters of concern are addressed in a timely way, either directly; or raised with the relevant Line Manager; or through the relevant processes within the Trust as appropriate
  • • Ability to develop and motivate individuals and teams

Additional Qualities

Essential criteria
  • • Ability to travel across sites and across Trust boundaries to attend meetings, etc.

Additional Qualities

Essential criteria
  • • Fitness Analysis as appropriate

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Apprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderImproving working livesArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Essex Family Friendly Employers

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Boroji Nwaokolo
Job title
Acting Deputy DOF – Strategy & Commercial
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01375364502
Additional information

For further details/informal visits please contact Boroji Nwaokolo 

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