Associate Director of Finance

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a high-performing finance team, delivering excellent support across the organisation while driving continuous improvement. As a key member of the Finance Senior Management Team, you will provide strategic and operational financial leadership across the Medical Care Group portfolio, overseeing financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, reporting and compliance, while offering expert advice to executive leaders, senior managers and clinicians.

Recognising that every pound spent in the NHS is a patient care decision, you will champion Finance Business Partnering as a strategic service, working closely with operational and clinical leaders to support informed decision-making and drive transformation.

The role includes leading the annual budget-setting process, monitoring financial performance, identifying risks and opportunities, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality financial services. You will also develop and motivate the finance team, build strong organisational relationships, and promote best practice across all areas of financial management.

UHD is entering a significant period of change, with a £500m transformation programme set to reshape hospital services across Dorset, alongside ambitions for a more sustainable and digitally enabled future. This is a unique opportunity to influence the future of finance within the Trust, leading your team through a period of substantial transformation, innovation and opportunity.

Main duties of the job

• Lead strategic and operational financial management for the Medical Care Group at University Hospitals Dorset.
• Manage and coordinate the annual budget-setting process.
• Monitor financial performance, forecasting, risks, and opportunities.
• Provide expert financial advice and training to senior leaders and clinicians.
• Lead and develop finance teams, ensuring integrated and effective service delivery.
• Ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory financial reporting requirements.
• Deliver clear, accurate financial information to support decision-making and organisational performance.
• Provide financial leadership to support the Trust’s strategic objectives.

For further insight into this role, please view the recruitment brochure. If you are applying via Trac please click here – Recruitment Brochure

If you are viewing via NHS Jobs, you can find the brochure under the ‘Supporting Links’ section.

Our closing date for applications is 12 midnight on Thursday 6th August 2026.

Shortlisting will take place from Friday 7th August 2026.

We will be contacting applicants from Friday 7th August 2026.

The interview selection process will take place on Friday 14th August 2026. Please ensure you are available on this date.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Professional Accountancy (CCAB) Qualification
• Evidenced continuous professional development

Desirable

• Completion of a recognised leadership programme
• First Degree
• Masters level qualification or equivalent knowledge, training and experience

Other Requirements

Essential

• Full driving license and access to own transport

Experience

Essential

• A successful track record of operating within a senior financial management role within the NHS
• Extensive post-qualification experience in a complex financial organisation such as a NHS acute hospital
• Previous experience of driving change in a complex and fast moving environment
• Expert management of large and highly complex budget setting and reporting processes
• Significant experience of working with senior management particularly Operational Managers, Executive Directors and Clinical Directors
• Expert experience of managing budgets, developing business plans and producing business cases in a large complex organisation
• Experience managing a team of professional staff
• Preparation and delivery of financial recovery plans

Desirable

• Previous experience operating at Deputy Director of Finance level within the NHS
• PMO/ strategic finance project experience

Technical Skills / Competencies

Essential

• Able to effectively manage, motivate and develop a team, and lead them through significant changes to working practices
• Able to plan and prioritise own and team workload, to balance competing priorities and meet personal and organisational objectives within a demanding workload
• Able to work effectively and collaboratively
• Able to work without supervision and on own Initiative
• Able to work systematically and methodically
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral to non-financial managers as well as to Finance colleagues where information provided and/ or received may be sensitive or contentious
• Excellent negotiation and persuasion skills
• Excellent presentation skills, including public speaking to large audiences
• Excellent analytical and numeracy skills to interpret and report on highly complex statistical data

Knowledge

Essential

• Expert understanding of accounting standards
• Expert understanding of financial techniques used to support decision making
• Expert understanding of NHS financial regime
• Strong computer literacy with particular regard to Microsoft Office applications
• Thorough understanding of elective recovery targets

Interpersonal Skills

Essential

• People management, development and appraisal
• Ability to manage expectations at all levels
• Ability to influence and provide strategic advice at the highest level
• Able to deal with frequent interruptions
• Fluent in English language

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Emotionally resilient with the ability to provide and accept constructive criticism and to reflect and learn from guidance and feedback
• Credibility with ability to report at highest level
• Outstanding organisational skills, able to plan and organise long term and short term projects
• Ability to work under pressure and rise to challenges
• Excellent customer care attitude and skills
• Political awareness and sensitivity
• Courage to challenge status quo and lead change

Closing Date: 6 August 2026