Job overview

The NHS England North West Regional Finance Team provides financial leadership, oversight and assurance across a complex health system with an annual revenue budget of c.£24bn.

As Deputy Director of Financial Performance & Oversight, you will lead the regional approach to financial oversight, accountability and sustainability across providers and ICBs. You will combine strong financial management, forecasting and recovery expertise with a focus on productivity, operational performance, value and sustainable transformation.

Working with senior NHS leaders and national colleagues, you will identify risks early, provide appropriate support and challenge, and help organisations translate resources into better outcomes for patients and value for taxpayers.

We are a collaborative, supportive and inclusive team that values curiosity, innovation and continuous improvement. We invest in professional development, mentoring, CPD, study support and exposure to senior leaders.

This is a unique opportunity to influence decisions at scale, shape regional and national conversations, and help deliver sustainable, high-quality healthcare for the communities we serve.

Main duties of the job

As Deputy Director of Financial Performance and Oversight, you will lead assurance and oversight of financial performance across 30 NHS trusts and foundation trusts and 3 ICBs, supporting the Director of Finance to deliver the regional financial position and longer-term financial sustainability.

You will assure coherent and credible annual plans, monitor delivery, draw insight from complex financial and operational information and ensure timely, high-quality reporting and briefing. You will proactively identify and manage key risks and issues, agree mitigating action and make evidence-based recommendations on escalation, improvement support or regulatory intervention where required.

Working directly with Board-level leaders, you will use sound judgement, credibility and highly developed influencing and negotiating skills to provide constructive challenge, secure accountability and support delivery of agreed plans.

As a senior leader in the regional finance team, you will lead the Financial Performance, Oversight and Intervention team, build effective relationships across organisational boundaries, contribute to wider regional priorities and cross-directorate initiatives, and deputise for the Director of Finance as required.

This is a high-profile opportunity to influence decision-making at scale and improve value for patients and taxpayers.

Working for our organisation

NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.

Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms — enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.

In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department. 

If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR). This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

We cannot offer visa sponsorship for any vacancies.