Associate Director of Financial Management – Band 8c
Are you an experienced senior NHS finance leader looking for your next development opportunity?
South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is seeking an experienced and credible finance professional to join us as Associate Director of Financial Management.
This is an interim opportunity and is ideally suited to an existing NHS employee wishing to undertake an NHS-to-NHS secondment.
We particularly welcome applications from candidates currently employed within the NHS who are able to secure the support of their substantive employer for a secondment. Applicants are strongly encouraged to discuss and obtain agreement in principle from their current employer before applying.
Interviews to take place week commencing 14th September 2026
Reporting to the Deputy Chief Finance Officer, the Associate Director of Financial Management will provide strategic leadership for the Trust’s financial management and business partnering function.
This is a high-profile senior leadership role with responsibility for ensuring that robust financial planning, performance management, governance and business partnering arrangements support the Trust’s organisational priorities and long-term financial sustainability.
You will act as a senior financial advisor to the Deputy Chief Finance Officer and Chief Finance Officer, providing expert insight and constructive challenge across financial strategy, resource allocation, service transformation, financial recovery and investment decisions.
The role will work across organisational boundaries and with partners across Integrated Care Systems, commissioners and other stakeholders, representing the Trust at senior system, regional and national forums.
Option to join NHS pension scheme
A minimum 27 days' holiday each year, increasing after 5 years’ service.
Personal and professional development and training opportunities.
Salary Sacrifice schemes for cars or push bikes.
Access to occupational health and counselling services.
Award winning wellbeing hub
Access to NHS discounts, offering NHS employees a range of money-saving deals.
Other than in exceptional circumstances, the starting salary for staff new to the NHS will be the bottom point of the band to which they have been appointed.
As Associate Director of Financial Management, you will:
Provide strategic leadership for financial management and business partnering services across the Trust.
Lead the development and delivery of annual and medium-term financial plans aligned with organisational and system priorities.
Hold senior accountability for financial performance, forecasting, risk management and financial recovery.
Provide expert financial advice and constructive challenge to the Deputy Chief Finance Officer, Chief Finance Officer and senior leaders.
Lead and support Cost Improvement Programmes, financial recovery plans and transformation initiatives.
Ensure effective alignment between financial, operational and workforce planning.
Lead financial input into major business cases, investment decisions and service transformation programmes.
Oversee robust financial reporting, analytics, costing, benchmarking and financial modelling.
Support and influence system-wide financial planning and resource allocation across Integrated Care Systems and partner organisations.
Drive continuous improvement within the finance function, including digital innovation, automation and advanced analytics.
Provide visible, inclusive leadership to the Financial Management team, developing capability and promoting a culture of accountability, professional excellence and continuous improvement.
