Deputy Director of Finance: Sponsorship Available

Job summary

Swansea University Health Board is seeking an exceptional finance leader to join the organisation as Deputy Director of Finance. Reporting to the Director of Finance, you will provide strategic financial leadership across one of Wales’ largest healthcare organisations, supporting the delivery of safe, sustainable and high-quality services for our population

The post holder will play a pivotal role in shaping financial strategy, ensuring robust governance, delivering financial sustainability and supporting transformational change programmes across the HB. Working closely with Executive Directors, clinical leaders, operational managers and external partners, you will help drive innovation, value-based healthcare and continuous improvement

The DDOF is a senior executive leadership role responsible for supporting the Executive Director of Finance in delivering the HB’s statutory financial duties and ensuring effective stewardship of public resources

Leading the Finance function, ensuring robust financial governance, control, planning and performance management arrangements are in place to support the Board’s objectives and statutory responsibilities

The post holder works closely with Executive Directors, Board Committees, Welsh Government and wider system partners, providing expert financial advice, assurance and constructive challenge on complex strategic and operational issues

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide senior strategic financial leadership for a Health Board with an annual revenue budget of approximately £1.6 billion, supporting the Executive Director of Finance in discharging statutory financial duties, maintaining financial control, and ensuring effective stewardship of public resources.

The role will operate with significant delegated authority, deputising for the Executive Director of Finance as required, and providing formal financial advice, assurance and challenge to Executive Directors, Board Committees, Welsh Government and wider system partners.

This is a highly senior executive-level post operating in close partnership with Executive Directors and engaging extensively with external strategic partners, including Welsh Government and national regulatory bodies.

The role functions at a corporate and system-wide strategic level, frequently in the absence of established precedent, requiring the post holder to exercise expert professional judgement in the interpretation of complex, sensitive and often contentious financial information.

Directly accountable to the Executive Director of Finance, the post holder has corporate responsibility for the leadership, direction, and delivery of the Health Board’s financial services function, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities, statutory responsibilities, and national policy frameworks.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Knowledge

Essential

• Membership of a professional Chartered Accounting institution.
• CCAB Qualified Accountant — professional accountancy qualification plus further specialist knowledge training and experience. Postgraduate Master’s level qualification in management or finance.
• Extensive, in-depth specialist knowledge across financial management, workforce planning and service planning, developed over a significant period at a senior level. Detailed understanding of the NHS financial regime, including statutory and regulatory requirements
• Comprehensive knowledge of NHS structures, governance frameworks, and partner organisations
• Advanced understanding of national policy, legislation and regulatory frameworks, with the ability to interpret and apply these in practice
• Strong knowledge of improvement methodologies, service transformation and leadership best practice
• Evidence of Continuous Professional Development.
• Understanding and interpretation of relevant NHS legislation, of the NHS, its infrastructure and partner healthcare organisations.

Experience

Essential

• Extensive senior-level experience of leading corporate finance strategy and contributing to Board-level decision-making within a large, complex NHS or public sector organisation.
• Proven track record of delivering organisation-wide financial planning, recovery and transformation programmes with demonstrable impact.
• Significant experience of operating at Board or Executive level, influencing strategic direction and managing complex, high-risk financial challenges.
• Demonstrable experience of leading large, multi-disciplinary teams, including workforce planning, organisational change and performance management.
• Experience of working across organisational and system-wide partnerships, delivering integrated, Value-Based services and influencing policy and service development

Aptitude and Abilities

Essential

• Adhere to and can demonstrate SBU Values & Behaviours.
• Applies high-level strategic and analytical skills to interpret complex information and inform Board-level decisions
• Demonstrates advanced programme and project management capability, managing multiple complex priorities and delivering outcomes
• Exercises autonomous judgement and professional credibility in a highly complex, high-risk environment
• Exhibits exceptional leadership and influencing skills, engaging senior stakeholders across organisational and system boundaries
• Communicates complex and sensitive information clearly and persuasively to diverse, senior audiences

Desirable

• Welsh Language Skills are desirable levels 1 to 5 in understanding, speaking, reading, and writing in Welsh.

Other

Essential

• Ability to travel within geographical area timely.
• Able to work hours flexibly

Closing Date: 31 August 2026