Finance Business Partner

Department - Finance

Reports to - Head of Finance

Reports to you - None, but matrix management relationship with 2/3 Finance colleagues

Hours of work - 37.5 hours a week over five days

Base -  Hybrid working for the foreseeable future with regular attendance to the office at least 2 -3 days a week at our office in Hampstead North London

Our vision

Our vision is for everyone served by the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust (RFL) to have access to world-leading healthcare, delivered by a thriving workforce, and driven by medical research that has a global impact. We support the 10,000 staff of the RFL and their 1.6 million patients across Barnet, Chase Farm and Royal Free hospitals and more than 30 NHS services.

What we do

Through the services we provide, and the programmes and equipment we fund, we make a profound and immediate difference to patients’ experiences of care. Our volunteering, support hub, and complementary therapy teams enhance the hospital journey for all patients – whether they live locally, or come from further away to access the trust’s specialist services. Our support of the RFL workforce enables staff to perform at their very best. Spanning individual professional development and training through to organisation-wide interventions, our initiatives bolster employee resilience and mental health so staff can achieve the best outcomes for patients. We fund ground-breaking research with the potential to change people’s lives, whether it’s through our grant programmes, commissioned research or delivering major capital funding appeals.

Our approach

We are a solution-focused strategic partner to the RFL, helping our hospitals to go further and faster than the NHS could do alone. We believe funding decisions should be made based on strategic priority and impact, with a strong focus on co-production.

The Royal Free Charity (the Charity) invests in:

• Enhanced support for patients
• Vital support for our staff
• Ground-breaking research and innovation
• Cutting-edge medical equipment

The generosity of our donors, fundraisers and volunteers enables us to do this.

The charity, which employs about over 80 FTEs, is working towards becoming an employer of choice.

Finance Business Partner (Corporate Services)

Job Purpose

• To be the lead accountant within the finance function supporting our corporate activities, including HR, Comms, Finance and Property & Operations
• To lead our annual budget setting process and annual refresh of our Five Year Plan

Remit

Finance Business Partnering support for HR, Comms & Finance  

• Be the primary point of contact between finance and heads of department
• Support budget holders in managing their budgets, advising and upskilling them where necessary
• Challenge budget holders in the event of variances to budget
• Respond to queries from the business, acting as the ‘face of finance’, and escalating where necessary
• Working with budget holders and finance staff to ensure that management accounts are accurate and accompanied by a strategically useful narrative
• Support continuous improvement of productivity and efficiency

Finance Business Partnering support for Property & Operations

• Lead finance relationship with outsourced service providers (utilities, facilities management, service charge management)
• Lead finance relationship with tenants
• Manage all BAU estates related budgets
• Manage VAT treatment of estates costs
• Advise on strategic estates options to maximise the financial and social returns on our investments

Cash and investments

• Monitor and report on the performance of our investment portfolio
• Working with colleagues to maximise returns on our cash balances while ensuring that we have sufficient liquidity to meet our expenditure needs

Annual and five-year budget setting process

• Own the annual charity budget setting process in collaboration with the FD/Head of Finance
• In parallel, refresh the charity’s five year financial plan

Management

• Matrix management relationship with accounts payable officer and assistant financial accountant
• Approval of journals and invoices for posting
• Work as team member of the Finance department
• Take part in cross-directorate corporate projects and working groups
• Deputise for the Head of Finance and FD for own areas of responsibility

Key Relationships

• CEO
• Director of Finance
• Budget Holders
• Trustees
• Tenants (UCL, NHS Trust)
• Suppliers
• Investment managers

Person Specification

Qualifications, Experience, Skills & Knowledge:

• Experience as a Finance Business Partner or similar role (essential)
• CCAB qualified (desirable)
• Excellent IT skills, including a thorough knowledge of MS Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) and databases (essential)
• The ability to manage and juggle a large workload whilst maintaining an excellent service level to internal & external stakeholders (essential)

Communication:

• To have excellent communication skills both verbally and written

Managing Own Performance & Development:

• Strong commitment to growing own knowledge and skills
• Can-do attitude to problem solving and unfamiliar challenges
• Strong drive to take responsibility for own work

Other requirements - we expect you to:-

• To have a good understanding of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
• Take time for personal development, contributing learning and ideas to the wider team.
• Able to deal with sensitive information in a confidential and professional manner
• To work unsupervised
• To work to tight deadlines and deliver results
• To have a positive professional work attitude
• Be highly motivated and able to take the initiative
• Be enthusiastic and passionate for the Charity / Hospital environment
• To have a strong affinity with the NHS and philanthropic values
• To have attention to detail
• To support your team and your other colleagues
• Attend meetings and training as required
• Be flexible and respond to the needs of services
• Attend supervision on a regular basis with the line manager
• To treat everyone equally, regardless of sex, age, disability, gender reassignment, race, ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or any other protected characteristic
• Read and adhere to the Charity policies, including the dress code, and all relevant legislation and ensure that any team members who report to you do the same
• Be aware of and have a good understanding of Health and Safety at Work and the Fire Procedure and understand the correct action to be taken in the event of a fire
• Work toward the charity’s vision and mission, and act in line with its values of dedication, innovation, partnership, energy and respect.
• To undertake any additional relevant duties as required

This job description is not exhaustive, and the role will include other tasks and responsibilities commensurate with the post and subject to change to meet legislative requirements.

The recruitment process

To apply for this post, please send the following:

• CV (please include your last employer and dates of employment)
• Cover letter addressing how you meet the criteria set out in the job description and person specification,

Please note, that applications submitted without a cover letter will not be considered for this role.

Closing date for application: Monday 15 April 2024, 12 noon.

Interview date: w/c Monday 22 April 2024

Applications will be assessed in order of receipt and interviews may occur at any stage after applications are received.

You must be eligible to work in the UK

We are happy to consider any reasonable adjustments that candidates may require during the recruitment process. If you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage during this process, please contact us as soon as possible.

As an equal opportunities’ employer, the Royal Free Charity is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join in the Royal Free Charity and act in line with our values of dedication, innovation, partnership, energy and respect.

Benefits:

Core benefits

• 25 days of paid holiday, plus three-day office closure rest period between Christmas and New Year, and UK bank holidays. This increases to 30 days leave after five completed years of continuous employment (all leave is pro rata for part time employees).
• A contributory pension scheme, where we match your 4% contribution towards your pension. If you choose to increase your payments into your pension scheme, we’ll match your contribution up to 9%.
• A sick pay package that offers one month’s full pay and one month’s half pay in any 12-month period if you’ve been with us for less than two years. This rises to two months’ full pay and two months’ half pay in any 12-month period after two years of continuous employment.
• Occupational maternity pay and paternity pay packages that provide more generous support than statutory pay alone.
• A flexible working policy to support our employees’ work/life balance.

Support for your financial wellbeing

As a member of the Royal Free family, you’ll be entitled to benefit from:

• Expert financial advice from our financial partner, the London Credit Union
• Savings on purchases with the Blue Light Card
• Our Death in Service benefit

Support for your health and wellbeing

• Gym, pool and classes at our Rec Club in Hampstead
• Secure bicycle parking and shower facilities at our Hampstead site
• Running club
• Monthly guided meditation
• Free massage therapy from our complementary therapy team
• Menopause peer support group
• Employee Assistance Programme offering 24-hour access to free confidential advice and support on work and personal issues.

Should you require more information regarding this post, please contact our office.