Business Unit Accountant

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Development opportunities

Employee benefits

Staff support programmes

Job summary

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Business Unit Accountant to deliver high quality financial support to budget holders and operational management across multiple sites, with some home working.

You will produce regular budget reports, forecasts and variance analyses, advise on business cases, and contribute to finance improvement programmes while influencing senior managers and clinicians.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant or substantial relevant experience.
• Experience of working within a large and highly complex organisation.
• Delivery in core financial management and performance, including analytical review, commercial awareness and process improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide holistic financial support and guidance to budget holders and operational management.
• Lead on proactive forecasting with engagement from operational stakeholders.
• Lead monthly end reporting in line with Trust requirements and analyse data to identify trends.”
• Support development of junior team members and participate in financial planning for business units.

Skills

Financial management

Education

CCAB qualification

Job description

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust

Business Unit Accountant

The closing date is 01 November 2026

An opportunity has arisen for an enthusiastic, self-motivated individual to join the finance team at University Hospitals of Derby and Burton.

The Business Unit Accountant will provide high quality financial support to the Trusts budget holders and operational management. The post-holder will produce regular budget reports, forecasts, and comprehensive variance analysis to tight deadlines, ensuring that financial issues are pro-actively addressed as well as provide financial support to wider Trust financial initiatives. The role also involves provision of financial advice on business cases and improvement projects along with an active involvement in the finance and procurement improvement programme.

Highly professional and resourceful individuals are sought with a customer focused attitude alongside the ability to balance competing priorities. Highly developed communication skills are essential with the ability and confidence to influence Senior Managers and clinicians across the Trust.

The teams are equipped to work flexibly across the five sites, with the two main bases being at Royal Derby and Burton Hospitals with some home working. Travel between sites is required as and when is needed for meetings.

The successful candidate will be welcomed into our Future Focused Finance accredited level 1 team with a strong focus on wellbeing, collaboration, reflection and continuous improvement. We pride ourselves on the relationships with our stakeholders and adding value.

Main duties of the job

As a key member of the finance team, you will:

• Provide holistic financial support, advice & guidance to a range of different stakeholders.
• Be the first point of call for any finance queries and therefore understand the whole finance function.
• Lead on a pro-active approach to financial forecasting, ensuring that operational stakeholders are fully engaged in the forecasting process.
• Lead on the production of all month-end reporting in line with the Trust's requirements.
• Conduct detailed analysis of a wide range of data, in order to identify key trends and drivers of cost or income.
• Review reporting processes with a view to continuously improve.
• Support the development of junior members of the team.
• Play a key role in the financial planning process of the business unit(s), with a detailed understanding of the relationship between income & expenditure plans.

To be considered for this role, you must be a qualified accountant or have substantial relevant experience. You would have experience of working within a large and highly complex organisation. You will need to evidence your delivery in core financial management and performance, incorporating analytical review, commercial awareness, and process improvement.

Closing date of applications: 1 November 2026 Interview date: 13 November 2026

About us

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

In return we will offer:

• Development opportunities, both professional and leadership development
• On-going support from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
• Staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes

Key Facts:

• We see on average 4810 OP appointments a day.
• We are the 4th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England - an average of 2077 per week.
• An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&Es across our network every day - 3rd largest in the country.
• Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
• Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
• We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
• We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.
• UHDB is a research active University Hospital with a large and varied portfolio of clinical trials and research opportunities for all staff.

Job responsibilities

UHDB is committed to fair and transparent recruitment. We welcome authentic applications that reflect your own skills, experience and motivations for the role. While we understand that candidates may use AI tools for grammar, formatting or accessibility purposes, applications that appear to be substantially AIgenerated may be subject to additional review. If this applies to your submission, we will let you know and may ask for clarification. Please ensure your application accurately represents your experience and is written in your own words.

Your application (for shortlisting purposes) is assessed based on the Person Specification in the job advert (below).

Skilled worker: Health and Care Visa

Read about the Health and Care Visa for employing overseas nationals (excluding Irish citizens) under the points-based immigration system.

Important visa information:Due to UK Home Office immigration rule changes effective from 22 July 2025, applicants sponsored under Occupation Code 6131 (Nursing Auxiliaries and Assistants) may not be eligible to bring dependants under the Skilled Worker route if their Certificate of Sponsorship is issued on or after this date. Applicants are responsible for understanding how these rules apply to their individual circumstances. The Trust cannot provide immigration advice. Further information is available on theSkilled Worker visa: Your partner and children - GOV.UK

Person Specification

Knowledge and experience

• Experience of Financial Management
• CCAB Qualification

Analytical & judgement skill

• Can demonstrate analysis of complex finances
• Can demonstrate analysis of complex finances in a NHS or comparable organisation

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust