Finance Manager (NIHR) (XN06)

Leeds Teaching Hospitals; Leeds; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent healthcare institution is seeking a Finance Manager to oversee financial management for the NIHR Academy. The role requires experience in finance management within public sectors, analytical skills, and the ability to communicate effectively. Successful candidates will benefit from hybrid-working arrangements and flexible work options.

Benefits

Hybrid working arrangement

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Experience of working in a financial management environment.
• Understanding of NHS finance and accounting principles.
• Experience of managing staff.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial management and analytical review for NIHR Academy programmes.
• Support financial management for the NIHR Academy Service Level Agreement.
• Produce accurate financial monitoring information.

Skills

Flexibility

Proactivity

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Interpersonal skills

Education

First Degree or equivalent experience

Studying for professional CCAB qualification

Tools

Financial reporting software

Spreadsheet software

Job description

Areyou passionate about health and care research? The National Institute forHealth and Care Research (NIHR) is looking for a Finance Manager withexperience of finance management in the public sector and / or working in aresearch environment to join our teams providing financial management(monitoring budgets, business planning processes) for NIHR programme funding.

Thesuccessful applicant will be flexible, proactive, responsible, have greatcommunication skills, and be able to work as part of a team to ensuredelivery of the relevant portfolio of work.

Weencourage individuals who are considering applying to contact the office andhave a conversation with the hiring manager.

Pleasenote that a hybrid-working arrangement is in place where successfulcandidates can work a large percentage of their time from home. There arealso other flexible working arrangements available on request.

Expected ShortlistingDate

26/11/2025

Planned InterviewDate

08/12/2025

Main duties of the job

Thesuccessful candidate will be responsible for the provision of financialmanagement and high-quality analytical review across all NIHR AcademyProgrammes (Domestic and Global).

Theywill support the Senior Finance and Contract Managers and Assistant DirectorFinance, Governance and People in delivering financial management for theNIHR Academy Service Level Agreement and the NIHR Academy researchprogrammes; identifying key issues from financial and other businessinformation to ensure effective financial management in line with generalfinance best practice and the requirements of DHSC/NHSE; and be involved inother diverse areas of work as required to deliver the NIHR Academy organisationalbusiness requirements.

About us

TheNational Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) has a mission toimprove the health and wealth of the nation through research. The NIHR playsa pivotal role in attracting, training and supporting the best researchersand complements the additional NIHR investment in world-class researchfacilities and a skilled research workforce.

Thisrole is hosted by the Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust (LTHT) and delivers thework of the NIHR, leading on policy, strategy and delivery in respect ofacademic training in England and working closely with other NIHR centres andthe Science Research and Evidence (SRE) Directorate at the Department ofHealth and Social Care (DHSC).

LeedsTeaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk'members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job advertsare subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or removeadverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in theshortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while thisprocess is completed, and contact the named contact if you have anyquestions.

Job responsibilities

Thepost holder will be line managed by the Senior Finance and Contracts Managerhowever, there is a requirement to work flexibly across the organisation asthe portfolio of programmes and schemes are likely to vary over time. Thebalance of duties undertaken by the post holder will vary according to annualcycles, but will include the following:

• Deputisefor the Senior Finance and Contract Managers to design, manage and implementa portfolio of works to meet NIHR Academy business needs
• Producing timely accurate financialmonitoring information to keep a track of the financial impact of NIHRAcademy awards ensuring targets are met
• Analysing,investigating and resolving financial queries and discrepancies, makingrecommendations and liaising with internal and external stakeholders asnecessary
• Leadwith the production of reporting year on year trend analysis
• Producingcomprehensive robust accurate and timely monthly management financial reportsfor the NIHR Academy Service Level Agreement
• Supportingprogramme managers responsible for analysing funding recommendations for newcompetitions including identifying and developing procedural changes
• Workingwith managers in setting up new award contracts; advising, suggestingresolutions, supporting implementation and the review of finance requestswithin new contracts
• Contributingto the complexities of long term financial planning including supporting withthe costing of business cases and adjusting when assumptions change to meetbusiness needs
• Supportingwith due diligence of audit and assurance activities for all NIHR AcademyGlobal Health Research contracts in partnership with managers e.g. desk top audits and risk assessments
• Designreporting structures and maintain detailed financial reports to ensure theunderlying trend analysis and year on year comparisons can be clearlyreported in a complex environment
• Ensuringthe integrity of the relevant finance systems and reporting issues
• Providingaccurate guidance on finance related matters for awards to managers
• Implementingpolicies and procedures to support the effective financial management withinNIHR in line with DHSC policies Communication
• Effectivelycommunicating the outcomes of complex and contentious annual finance reviewsto award holders and hosts organisations, negotiating and providingreassurance to reach an agreement as appropriate
• Communicatingand working with a range of people nationally and internationally at alllevels of seniority both internal and external to the NIHR Academy Executive,in line with DHSC policies
• Developingand maintaining strong and positive working relationships within HigherEducation Institutions (HEIs), NHS Trusts and other health-relatedorganisations
• Contributingto briefings requested from Ministers offices and other governmentdepartments. This involves researching and reporting on research outputs.

Person Specification

Skills & behaviours

• Ability to work flexibly as part of a team, building and maintaining good working relationships
• Ability to tackle complex problems, identify solutions and implement them
• Manage a complex scheme of activities and priorities and able to work to tight and conflicting deadlines
• Effective liaison skills with the ability to deal tactfully with colleagues, senior academics, NHS managers, DHSC managers and various stake holders
• Confident and comfortable when communicating to others and dealing with complex, sensitive and contentious issues
• Identifying opportunities and approaches to achieve goals and improve results
• A willingness to work across discipline boundaries
• Experience of contributing to reports/papers

Experience

• Directly relevant experience of working in a financial management environment
• Experience of general ledger and financial reporting software packages
• Experience of financial and management accounting; monitoring budgets, business planning processes and forecasting
• Understanding of NHS finance and accounting principles
• Experience of managing staff
• Experience of drafting contracts
• An understanding of ODA funding
• Understanding of health and care research delivery
• Knowledge of the NIHR

Qualifications

• First Degree or equivalent experience
• Studying for professional CCAB qualification (or equivalent experience)

Additional Requirements

• Advanced working knowledge of word processing, databases, spreadsheets
• Advanced level oral and written communication skills and presenting financial information to non-finance managers
• Good interpersonal skills, including the ability to communicate effectively as an advocate for health services research and development
• Ability to negotiate
• Ability to work accurately with attention to detailand the ability to analyse, interpret and present complex information
• Accounting skills including being able to identify, articulate and evaluate key risks and assumptions in reaching conclusions
• Excellent interpersonal skills including the ability to communicate to all levels of non-finance staff across the organisation
• Values diversity and operates with integrity and openness
• Ability to maintain confidentiality
• Willingness to travel in UK, including occasional overnight absence

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.