Working closely with the Business Manager, the post-holder will help maintain a robust contract monitoring system for acute commissioned activity and provider-to-provider services, maximising income and ensuring the Trust receives all payments due for clinical and other work.
The role will involve analysing variances from plan and identifying trends in activity and income using appropriate Business Intelligence tools, supporting the understanding of key income drivers. They will also ensure reconciliation of activity across multiple systems to maintain data integrity and accuracy.
The post-holder will be expected to maintain an up-to-date understanding of the National Payment System and associated guidance, and to proactively develop their own skills and knowledge to support both personal development and the continuous improvement of the service.
Overall, the role will play a key part in ensuring that the Trust’s reported income position is accurate, reliable and reflective of activity.
The post-holder will lead on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of income systems, ensuring the delivery of a high-quality and comprehensive financial service to service areas.
This is a senior role within the Income team, responsible for the management, analysis and distribution of complete and accurate income data to a range of stakeholders
Main Duties
Lead the Trust’s activity planning, forecasting, business intelligence and NHS payment system functions, providing expert analytical support to senior leaders, clinicians and commissioners. Responsible for developing and maintaining complex activity, income, demand and capacity models, delivering the annual activity plan, and providing detailed analysis to support financial planning, contract negotiations, service transformation and strategic decision-making. Lead the development of reporting and automation solutions using Power BI, SQL, macros and other business intelligence tools to improve efficiency and reporting capability across the organisation. Manage in-year contract monitoring, income forecasting, commissioner queries and financial reconciliations, ensuring the Trust maximises and protects income under the NHS Payment Scheme. Provide specialist advice and training on NHS payment systems, contracting and activity planning, while maintaining robust governance through accurate reporting, quality assurance, process documentation and continuous improvement of analytical systems and methodologies.
University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust is one of the largest and most modern in the country. Based across two sites, Royal Stoke in Stoke-on-Trent and County Hospital in Stafford, we are proud to serve around three million people and we're highly regarded for our facilities, teaching and research. We are the specialist centre for major trauma for the North Midlands and North Wales.
All of our employees make a valuable contribution regardless of role here at UHNM and we are proud of our wide range of development packages aimed at ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their true potential.
UHNM create and encourage a culture of inclusion, providing equal opportunities for career development that are fair and transparent. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture in which all staff feel valued and respected. In return we ask all of our employees to make a commitment to the values, co-created by or staff, patients and carers, and that unite us as a Trust.
At University Hospitals of North Midlands NHS Trust we know that investing in, supporting and developing our staff has a direct impact on the quality of care that we deliver. Our employees are as important as our patients and the population that we serve.
The post holder is responsible for leading the Trust’s activity planning, forecasting, business intelligence and NHS Payment Scheme functions, providing specialist analytical expertise to support operational, financial and strategic decision-making across the organisation. Acting as the Trust’s lead specialist for activity and income intelligence, the role ensures that robust information, forecasting methodologies and reporting frameworks are in place to support service delivery, financial sustainability and contractual compliance.
The post holder will lead the development, implementation and maintenance of sophisticated business intelligence solutions, including Power BI dashboards, SQL databases, automated reporting tools and other analytical products. They will identify opportunities to improve efficiency through automation, standardisation and digital transformation, ensuring reporting processes remain accurate, timely and fit for purpose. Responsibility includes leading departmental projects relating to automation, business intelligence development and data transformation, ensuring appropriate governance, documentation and project management processes are maintained throughout.
A key element of the role is the development of complex activity, demand and capacity models to support annual operational planning, medium-term financial planning and service transformation initiatives. The post holder will produce detailed activity and income forecasts using a range of data sources including demographic trends, population health needs, commissioner intentions, waiting list trajectories and operational assumptions. They will undertake scenario modelling and sensitivity analysis to evaluate risks, opportunities and potential impacts on service delivery and financial performance, presenting findings and recommendations to senior management and executive teams.
The role is accountable for the development and delivery of the Trust’s annual activity plan and associated forecasting methodologies, ensuring consistency of approach and reporting standards across the organisation. The post holder will act as the corporate lead for activity planning and analytical intelligence, working collaboratively with operational, clinical and finance colleagues to translate complex data into meaningful information that supports decision-making at all levels of the organisation.
The post holder will provide expert advice and interpretation on all aspects of the NHS Payment Scheme, national tariff arrangements, commissioning guidance and contract management processes. They will maintain an in-depth understanding of evolving national guidance and assess the implications for the Trust’s income position, ensuring compliance with national requirements whilst maximising opportunities for income recovery and growth. Acting as a senior advisor to Trust management and commissioners, the post holder will support and facilitate contract negotiations, providing specialist knowledge and robust analytical evidence to inform discussions.
The role includes responsibility for the monitoring and analysis of contractual activity and income performance throughout the financial year. This will include identifying, investigating and reporting significant variances, analysing underlying causes and providing recommendations to support corrective action where required. The post holder will lead on monthly and year-end contract reconciliations with external commissioners, ensuring all submissions are accurate, evidence-based and fully supported by detailed activity analysis.
The post holder will be responsible for the integrity, validation and reconciliation of activity and income datasets, including the reconciliation of SLAM data to national data sources and other contractual reporting systems. They will proactively investigate data quality issues, work with Information and operational teams to resolve discrepancies and ensure that reliable information is available to support organisational planning and reporting requirements.
Working closely with divisional and corporate teams, the post holder will provide detailed analysis and intelligence regarding activity, performance, income and service utilisation. They will develop a detailed understanding of service line performance and support the production of business cases, investment proposals, service redesign initiatives and transformational programmes through sophisticated analytical and financial modelling. The role requires the ability to interpret highly complex datasets and communicate findings in a clear and meaningful way to both technical and non-technical audiences.
The post holder will also be responsible for developing and delivering training programmes on the NHS Payment Scheme, activity planning and business intelligence tools to both finance and non-finance colleagues across the Trust. They will promote the effective use of information and analytical techniques to improve organisational understanding and support evidence-based decision-making.
As a senior specialist within the organisation, the post holder will maintain expert knowledge of NHS finance, contracting, activity planning and information systems. They will ensure that all analytical methodologies, reporting processes and operational procedures are thoroughly documented, regularly reviewed and continuously improved. The role requires excellent communication, negotiation and relationship management skills, enabling the post holder to work effectively with senior clinicians, operational managers, finance colleagues, commissioners and external stakeholders to deliver organisational objectives and support the long-term financial and operational sustainability of the Trust.
