Take the financial and business lead with Directors and the Directorate Senior Management Team to develop appropriate strategic financial plans and operational budgets to ensure the Directorate (and Trust) meets all its targets, standards and objectives. Work with Directors, clinicians and service managers to identify and implement cost reduction plans, deliver efficiency targets and identify service improvements. Provide Directors, Clinical Directors and managers with appropriate, accurate and timely financial information, including monthly budget reports and key financial indicators. Provide analysis of variances, forecast out-turn, progress against action plans and assessment of key risk areas. Take the financial lead in providing guidance, advice and information relating to the business planning process. Provide advice and support in the development of business cases for service development that form part of the Trusts Service Development Strategy, specifically providing the lead finance input to business case production and development. Take an integral role in the performance management process within the Trust and develop and integrate financial benchmarking indicators into the process to support the Trust in assessing best practice and value in the Directorates and in the wider organisation. Ensure clinicians, managers and other staff within the scope of their work receive appropriate training in financial management and budgetary control to enable them to fulfil their financial responsibilities. Support Directorates in establishing accurate forecasts, which are included in monthly budget reports. Take the lead in specific financial National and regional initiatives and project areas as directed by the Head of Finance Management. Support the production of Reference Costs within the Trust. Provide support to finance staff recruitment and selection. Support the Deputy Finance Director in preparation of the Trusts long-term financial model for assessment by Monitor and the continuing delivery against that model. Assist in the service development of the finance function, including undertaking surveying of user requirements, rollout of developments such as general ledger improvements and the acceleration of the reporting timeframe. Represent the Finance Director and Deputy Finance Director within the Trust, the local health economy and nationally as required. Undertake other supporting roles commensurate with a senior management position within the organisation such as disciplinary/grievance type investigations, organisational development projects and more general project involvement. This job description forms the broad framework within which the incumbent will undertake their duties and it will be subject to regular review with the post holder.