Finance manager
Our finance managers make sure that our frontline staff have the resources they need to be able to deliver the treatment and care our patients need.
Managing the finances of an NHS organisation, whether it is a large hospital trust, ambulance service trust or clinical commissioning group, is like running the finances of a large company. As a finance manager, you’ll be responsible for ensuring that the funds for these organisations are allocated and spent appropriately for the good our staff and patients.
Working life
In financial management, your role will incorporate managing budgets and deciding on resource allocation.
It will include:
- payroll and pensions - ensuring staff get paid
- accounts - paying for goods and services, collecting income
- financial systems - the Information Technology (IT) systems that track all financial activity
- management information - gathering and interpreting the financial data required to make day-to-day and strategic management decisions
- reporting - preparing annual financial reports and co-ordinating with the Inland Revenue, VAT collection and other authorities
- financial audit - checking expenditure and income.
Roles in financial management
There are a variety of job roles and job titles in financial management. Here are some examples:
In this example, you would work closely with the head of finance and:
- establish systems and processes to enable the timely and accurate delivery of monthly management accounts and budget information
- be involved in the annual budget setting process
- provide ongoing support and direction for the budget holders
- investigate and report on variances
- be involved in ad hoc projects and reports (eg contributing to the five-year business planning processes)
Here, you will be:
- working for an NHS trust or clinical commissioning group
- providing a financial planning service to commissioning acute services
- providing the financial data to support local delivery plans and the Service Level Agreement process.
In this type of role, you will be
- responsible for financial planning and control for a specific organisation (eg working in an NHS trust, supporting the needs of over 3 million people and employing 7,100 staff on two main and two smaller sites
- integral in managing a budget to improve health care provision (eg a £270 million scheme to modernise the trust, including moving the majority of acute facilities onto a single site hospital)
- a key member of the Finance Senior Management team, with main areas of responsibility to lead the maintenance and development of finance systems and formulate business cases to develop and modernise the trusts services.
- providing a comprehensive financial service in relation to the Trusts Corporate Governance Agenda.
Working within an NHS trust or clinical commissioning group and in this example, you’ll have responsibility for the financial leadership of the information communication and technology programme across a number of NHS organisations to ensure that all statutory financial requirements are met.
There are opportunities to work in finance in non-managerial roles.
Find out more about non-management opportunities in finance
Who would I work with?
You could be working with, human resources managers, clinical managers and staff woking in strategic management.
Want to learn more?
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Most jobs in the NHS are covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales. This pay system covers all staff except doctors, dentists and the most senior managers. Staff in the NHS will usually work a standard 37.5 hours per week. They may work a shift pattern.
Your career in financial management within the NHS would typically start at Agenda for Change band 5 – for example as a team manager. Finance section managers would typically be on band 6, department managers on band 7 and principal finance managers on band 8a. Senior director level posts would be paid on the Very Senior Managers pay system.
Terms and conditions of service can vary for employers outside the NHS.
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With further training and/or experience, you may be able to develop your career further and apply for more senior managerial roles.
Progression for those with ability is typically via operational management in a large healthcare provider. Relocation for promotion is common.
More diverse routes are now opening up, for example, jointly-funded posts between health and social services.
Graduates from the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme who specialise in financial management are expected to gain rapid promotion into senior financial positions.
Management qualifications, such as a Master of Business of Administration (MBA) may be an advantage for some posts.
When you’re looking for jobs in financial management, there are a number of sources you can use, depending on the type of and level of work you’re seeking.
Below are just some of the current vacancies in finance on the NHS Jobs website.
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Assistant Director of Finance - Financial Management
Ashton-under-lyne, OL6 9RW
- Salary :
- £76965.00 to £88682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
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Deputy Head of Finance: Projects
Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
-
Finance Team Leader - Financial Accounting
York, YO30 4RY
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Senior Finance Business Partner - Financial Management
Preston, PR2 8DY
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust
-
Finance Manager
Newbury, RG14 1JU
- Salary :
- £39600.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Strawberry Hill Medical Centre
-
Finance Manager
Bedford, MK40 2TX
- Salary :
- £45000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Primary Care Careers
-
Finance Manager
Liverpool, L9 7AL
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Finance Manager
Fairfield Industrial Estate, LN11 0LS
- Salary :
- £33000.00 to £40000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Lincolnshire And District Medical Services (LADMS)
-
Finance Manager
Nottinham, NG5 1PB
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trusts
-
Finance Manager
Northallerton, DL7 8AE
- Salary :
- £66164.00 to £68493.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- North Yorkshire Council
-
Director of Finance
Runcorn, WA7 6EP
- Salary :
- £56745.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Halton Haven Hospice
-
Commercial Finance Manager
Northampton, NN4 9BS
- Salary :
- £70000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Avery Healthcare Group Ltd.
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Deputy Finance Manager
Leeds, LS11 0DL
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Leeds Community Healthcare NHS Trust
-
Finance Manager-SWLP
Tooting, SW17 0QT
- Salary :
- £56276.00 to £63176.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Assistant Finance Manager
Chelsea, SW3 6JJ
- Salary :
- £56276.00 to £63176.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
-
Senior Finance Manager
Shepton Mallet, BA4 4LP
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Practice Plus Group
-
Band 8b Deputy Head of Finance- Group Clinical Support Services
Birmingham, B15 1NT
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
-
Executive Director of Finance
West Bromwich, B71 4HJ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS Trust
-
Executive Director of Finance
Newcastle upon Tyne, NE3 3XT
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and wear (CNTW) NHS Foundation Trust
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Finance Manager - Maternity Cover
Maidenhead, SL6 6EL
- Salary :
- £15.00 to £18.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- The Symons Medical Centre
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Finance Manager – Productivity and CIP
London, NW1 2PG
- Salary :
- £64156.00 to £71148.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Income and SLR Finance Manager
Croydon, CR01EA
- Salary :
- £53751.00 to £60651.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Croydon Health Services NHS Trust
-
Finance Manager - Much Birch Surgery
Hereford, HR4 0DG
- Salary :
- £33874.54 to £38245.45
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Taurus Healthcare Limited
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Charity Grants and Finance Officer
Saltaire, BD18 3LD
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Senior Finance Manager - Fixed Term Contract
Crowborough, TN6 1XP
- Salary :
- £48000.00 to £55000.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Horder Healthcare
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Executive Director of Finance and Contracting
Warrington, WA1 1QY
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- NHS Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board
-
Deputy Director of Finance and Procurement
England, LS1 4AP
- Salary :
- £91342.00 to £105337.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- NHS Resolution
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Head Strategic Finance
Worthing, West Sussex, BN11 2BW
- Salary :
- £76965.00 to £88682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)
-
Financial Accountant - Treasury Management, Payables & Receivables
Stevenage, SG1 2EF
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- East and North Hertfordshire Teaching NHS Trust
-
Finance Business Partner – Strategic Finance
Worthing,, BN11 2BW
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)
-
Senior Financial Accountant
Cambridge, CB2 0QQ
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cambridge University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
-
Assistant Management Accountant
Shrewsbury, SY2 6FG
- Salary :
- £31049.00 to £37796.00
- Type :
- Secondment
- Employer :
- Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust
-
Management Accounts Assistant
Inverness, IV2 7GG
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Barchester Healthcare
-
Finance Officer
Grimsby/Hull, DN33 2BA
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust
-
Finance Officer
North Shields, NE29 8NH
- Salary :
- £24937.00 to £26598.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust
-
Finance Officer
Pontypridd, CF37 1LB
- Salary :
- £27898.00 to £30615.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
-
Finance Assistant
Colchester, CO4 9YQ
- Salary :
- £26000.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Aria Care
-
Finance Analyst
London, NW1 2PG
- Salary :
- £56276.00 to £63176.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
-
Finance Assistant
Bakewell, DE45 1ED
- Salary :
- £14.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Peak and Dales Medical Partnership
-
Assistant Management Accountant - PCN
Hereford, HR4 0DG
- Salary :
- £33874.54 to £38245.45
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Taurus Healthcare Limited
-
Band 6 Assistant Financial Accountant
Birmingham, B15 1NT
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust
-
Director Commercial Finance
London, SE5 8AZ
- Salary :
- £117645.00 to £134103.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
-
Chief Finance Officer
Bury St Edmunds, IP33 2QZ
- Salary :
- Negotiable
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust
-
Finance Business Partner
Kettering, NN15 7PW
- Salary :
- £55690.00 to £62682.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Northamptonshire Healthcare Foundation Trust
-
Assistant Service Manager - Planned Care
LONDON, SW10 9NH
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
-
NHS Wales Financial Management Graduate
Cardiff, CF15 7QZ
- Salary :
- £39263.00 to £47280.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
-
Assistant Finance Business Partner
Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 9RW
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Assistant Finance Business Partner
Cardiff, CF15 7QZ
- Salary :
- £56514.00 to £63623.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
-
Senior Finance Business Partner
Manchester, M23 9LT
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust
-
Head of Treatment Planning (Radiotherapy Physics)
Reading, RG1 5AN
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust
-
Assistant Head of Core Accounting Team
Carmarthen, SA31 3HB
- Salary :
- £48527.00 to £55532.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Hywel Dda University Health Board
-
Head of Business Administration & Accounts Receivable
London, W2 1NY
- Salary :
- £64156.00 to £71148.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust
-
Finance Officer (Book-keeping & Payroll)
Lewes, BN7 2LU
- Salary :
- £16.00 to £17.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Foundry Healthcare Lewes
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Senior Assistant Finance Business Partner
Multiple, BN11 2DH
- Salary :
- £38682.00 to £46580.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)
-
Finance Administrator (GDOC) Quayside House
Gloucester, GL1 2TZ
- Salary :
- £12.82
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- G DOC Ltd
-
Head of NCA Emergency Planning, Resilience & Response
Oldham, OL1 2EY
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Northern Care Alliance NHS Foundation Trust
-
Head of Financial Reporting and Business Partnering
Pontypridd, CF37 5YL
- Salary :
- £65424.00 to £76021.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board
-
Head of Workforce Intelligence, Systems, Planning & Analysis (WISPA)
Saltaire, Bradford, BD18 3LD
- Salary :
- £64455.00 to £74896.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
-
Senior Account Manager Contracts and Stakeholder Relationships
Morden, SM4 5DX
- Salary :
- £53755.00 to £60504.00
- Type :
- Fixed-Term
- Employer :
- Merton Health Limited
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District Nurse Caseload Manager - Planned Care - City & South Locality
BRADFORD, BD18 3LD
- Salary :
- £47810.00 to £54710.00
- Type :
- Permanent
- Employer :
- Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust
Showing 6 of 60 results
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For further information about a career in financial management, please contact
- Association of Accounting Technicians (AAT)
- Association of Chartered Certified Accountant (ACCA)
- Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA)
- Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)
- Consultancy Committee of Accountancy Bodies (CCAB)
- Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA)
- Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
- NHS Graduate Training Scheme