To play a leading role in the relevant Management Teams, contributing to financial planning and to key decisions which extend beyond solely financial issues. This will require a good understanding of the wider strategic and operational issues facing the areas and strong relationships with budget holders. This will include attendance at Management forums to present the monthly finance position. Advising and supporting specific areas of the trust in the identification and achievement of cost improvements to achieve and maintain financial balance. Monitoring and reviewing budget reports in accordance with Trust Standing Financial Instructions, internal procedures and timescales to ensure progress against business plan objectives and to ensure that managers have accurate financial information to be incorporated in the decision-making process. Investigate and report on departures from planned expenditure and provide advice, support and monitoring on corrective action. Develop and monitor financial recovery plans and provide regular updates to the Senior Finance Team. Take the lead for budget setting for the relevant areas of the trust, in line with agreed Trust policies and ensuring the involvement of Executive Directors, General Managers and other key managers. To ensure regular reconciliation of establishments to pay budgets, to monitor the financial implications of vacancies and to work with HR to develop an affordable workforce strategy. To ensure that a financial forecast is undertaken on a monthly basis with active input from the relevant areas of the trust and that deviations from the forecast are highlighted and recovery plans put in place. The post will work with the Head of Financial Management to plan and co-ordinate work activities across relevant areas of the trust. It will provide financial advice to managers and to ensure the availability of relevant information to provide accurate forecasts of potential future activities. Ensuring that monthly financial reports completely reflect all known information about a specific budget at that point in time e.g. resolution of queries, in-year cost avoidance plans, developments, changes in service delivery. Ensure that financial records represent a true and fair view and meet financial timescales and requirements of the Trusts corporate reporting system, external statutory returns and accounts, accounting policies and legislation. The post will help support maximising income levels for the relevant areas of the trust, ensuring that funding sources from all appropriate external agencies are investigated and that all funding is recovered. To lead on supplying relevant and timely financial information to inform contract negotiations with commissioners and to take an active role in conversations directly with commissioners if appropriate within an approved Trust wide framework. Support the procurement team with contract and tender evaluation including price and options analysis and comparison to existing budget. This will include escalating and understanding any associated cost pressures that may arise and where there is a saving, provide support to validate and transact the efficiency. Monitor the activity of the relevant Directorates to other organisations in accordance with the Service Level and Contract Agreements. Where needed, prepare financial analysis reports for presentation to the wider Trust. Actively provide financial advice to the Group Management and Senior Managers of the relevant areas, to formulate the strategic direction to ensure that resources are effectively utilised to enable the areas to meet their objectives within available resources. Supporting the Head of Financial Management in the areas business plans to ensure the plans are consistent with Trust plans and that both are communicated to all staff in the relevant areas. Responsible for the day-to-day management, recruitment and delegation of work for the Management Accounts teams. Developing the skills and competencies of staff and self through training and development activities, ensuring progress towards individual Personal Development Plans is maintained, reviewed and updated, where appropriate. Provide financial support and analysis into internal and external business cases for those relevant areas of the trust as appropriate including robust challenge into the content of the case to ensure that it is ready for discussion by Executives. Act as costing lead within the relevant areas of the trust, ensuring timescales are met to enable submission of national reference cost returns via the patient level costing system. Providing support to the Corporate Planning team with the supply of relevant financial information and the monitoring of WMAS performance to support the commissioning process. Maintaining an effective working relationship with other individuals in all areas of the trust and finance function and other officers of the Trust, ensuring that work is carried out efficiently, to a high standard, to deliver a professional service focused on achieving a high level of customer satisfaction. Providing training to all Managers and Budget Holders and other staff as directed to broaden the overall knowledge base of all staff in relation to financial and performance matters. Support the production of Annual Accounts and develop management accounts procedures and systems to ensure they integrate with year-end process