Senior Assistant Finance Business Partner

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust; Chester; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare trust in the UK is seeking an experienced finance professional to assist in financial management and business partnering. The ideal candidate will have a degree, an intermediary level professional accountancy qualification, and strong analytical and communication skills. Join us to support operational and corporate directorates in achieving financial performance objectives.

Qualifications

• Experience in a financial management role.
• Commitment to Continuous Professional Development.
• Thorough understanding of accounting principles.

Responsibilities

• Support financial performance management across directorates.
• Produce forecasts of financial performance for the Trust.
• Review monthly financial performance and report to stakeholders.

Skills

Financial analysis

Interpersonal communication

Budget management

Spreadsheets expertise

Analytical skills

Education

Degree level or equivalent

Intermediary level professional accountancy qualification

Tools

Oracle GL

Macros in spreadsheets

Job description

Overview

The post holder will be assisting with the provision of financial support to the Business Partnering function provided to a small number of Operational and Corporate Directorates. The role will involve providing high quality financial management working closely alongside the operational team to support delivery of the Trust objectives. This role will support with building relationships between finance and clinical and non-clinical teams in financial performance management.

Job Responsibilities

• Supporting the delivery of the business partnering function providing support, financial advice, and reports to management to enable them to effectively manage resources for their area of responsibility.
• Building effective relationships, internally, to inform decision-making and outcomes.
• Support the production of multi-layer forecasts of Trust financial performance at all points in time.
• Identifies and highlights quickly and appropriately any evidence of divergence from financial plans, targets or forecasts at any level in the Trust and work with management to develop mitigations to return performance to plan/forecast.
• Support the monthly review of the Trusts financial performance at all levels within deadlines and ensure that financial performance meets targets and is fully understood and agreed by relevant stakeholders.
• Support the Director of Operational Finance and Assistant Director of Finance to hold divisions and corporate directorate budget holders to account through formal periodic reviews of all financial performance.
• Supporting month end processes.

About Us

At UHSussex (UHSx), diversity is our strength, & we want you to feel included to help us always put the Patient First. Your uniqueness & experiences will be part of our creative and innovative community where everyone is encouraged to succeed. We have a range of Staff Networks to help break down barriers, & can offer a buddy to help new members settle in. We\'re proud to be a Disability Confident Employer (Level 2) & a Veteran Aware Trust.

We treat our patients & staff with the same compassion & empathy we expect for ourselves. We\'re here for them when they need us, and we go above & beyond to meet their needs. This can be seen in our candidate information pack & wellbeing programme, for staff which is extensive & designed to support you when you need it, including where possible, flexible working to support work life balance - because we know that to look after others we must first look after ourselves.

As a university trust and a leader in healthcare research, we value learning, teaching & training so that we can be the best that we can be. From the moment you start with us & throughout your career we will help you to grow & develop. We hope that in choosing UHSx you are choosing a long & happy career where you will be able to see the difference you make & feel valued for all that you do.

We look forward to receiving your application & the start of your journey with UHSx.

Candidate Information Pack: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/resources/candidate-information-pack/

Details

• Date posted: 18 September 2025
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 6
• Salary: £38,682 to £46,580 a year per annum, pro rata
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Flexible working
• Reference number: 279-7427458-SEP25
• Job locations: St Richards/Worthing Hospital or Royal Sussex County Hospital; Multiple
• BN11 2DH

Person Specification

Essential

• Experience/ Qualifications: Intermediary level professional accountancy qualification (As per study policy). Commitment to Continuing Professional Development to the level required of a Professional Accountancy Body. Educated to at least degree level or experience equivalent to an honours degree or NVQ Level 5.

Knowledge and Experience

• Thorough understanding of accounting principles: accruals and provisions, costing, variance analysis and forecasting, budgeting and financial planning. Understand the relationship between the Balance Sheet, I&E and Cashflow. The principles of Standing Financial Instructions. Specialist knowledge across work procedures underpinned by theory.

Desirable

• Knowledge of the key financial performance targets for the NHS.

Communication and Interpersonal

• Essential: Experience effectively communicating complex financial information to non-finance managers. Confidence presenting financial information to a senior audience. Ability to coach budget holders. Professional telephone manner.
• Desirable: Experience of close working relationships with senior clinicians. Provide teaching seminars to groups of budget holders.

Analytical and Judgemental

• Essential: Analyses financial data; investigates and resolves financial queries and discrepancies/complex financial queries and discrepancies. Ability to interpret complex facts or situations and compare a range of options.

Planning and Organisational

• Essential: Understand the short and medium term objectives for the department. Ability to set priorities to ensure operational objectives are met within a deadline. Ability to work on a diverse set of projects and meet deadlines. Ability to discuss financial queries with staff, suppliers, customers, including reasons for delays in payment and other sensitive issues; provides advice on complex financial and corporate issues to non-financial managers; negotiates with NHS and external organisations over cost, service issues.

Financial

• Essential: Experience in a financial management role.

Information and Communication Technology

• Essential: High level of competence in spreadsheets (including macros) and databases; ability to use Word and PowerPoint; input information from a finance system such as Oracle GL; understand how IT systems inform planning and monitoring.
• Desirable: Further emphasis on IT systems supporting planning and monitoring.

Freedom to Act

• Essential: Expected results are defined, but post holder decides how they are achieved. Guided by principles and broad occupational policies. Ability to work autonomously. Guidance may be provided by peers.

People Management and Development

• Essential: Ability to work calmly under pressure.

Personal Attributes

• Essential: Flexible approach to work to ensure that the Finance Directorate achieves its objectives.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

• Essential: Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role). Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.

Employer details: University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279); Address: St Richards/Worthing Hospital or Royal Sussex County Hospital; BN11 2DH; Employer's website: https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/