NHS FINANCE LEADERS NATIONAL TALENT POOL

SUPPORTING ASPIRING FINANCE LEADERS

TO BECOME FINANCE DIRECTORS AND CHIEF

FINANCE OFFICERS

Appendix One

Self as Leader

Interpersonal Skills and Communication

Drive, Integrity, Resilience and Respect for Others

Emotional Intelligence

• Creates and communicates the vision

• Communicates with clarity, conviction, enthusiasm, honesty, trust, openness, courage and integrity

• Has ability to enthuse

• Can translate controversial and complex messages to a diverse range of audiences

• Consistently acts in a principled, open, honest, respectful and conscientous manner

• Is a role model

• Is resilient in thinking

• Is an enabler, helping to make things happen

• Consistently manages, regulates and recognises their own emotions

• Recognises the emotions of others

• Considers other peoples’ feelings, cultures and diversity

Leading Strategic Direction and Leading Change

Leading Teams and People

Influencing, Negotiation and Decision Making

Building Relationships

• Demonstrates strategic vision

• Scans political context taking account of wider impacts

• Delivers organisation goals

• Leads transformational complex change across the organisation

• Flexible and able to adapt to changing circumstances

• Demonstrates commitment to CPD for self and team

• Leads and develops a shared purpose

• Ensures the skills of the team meet the current and future needs of the organisation

• Involves and values the contributions of team members

• Leads a learning culture across the team

• Effective in reaching agreement and consensus

• Effective in decision-making, using objectivity, sound judgement and evidence based reasoning

• Effectively builds and makes use of networks and partnerships

• Leads and directs value in negotiations to achieve sustainable outcomes

• Understands, anticipates and recognises other stakeholders’ needs

• Builds excellent business relationships

• Looks for opportunities to engage others to improve patient experience and quality of care

Working with Others in the Organisation

What is the NHS Finance Leaders National Talent Pool?We want to identify and support aspiring finance leaders ready now, or in the very near future to become finance directors and chief finance officers. This will create a diverse pool of talent that improves the number and quality of applicants for future finance leadership vacancies, in healthcare in England. The Talent Pool will:

• provide individually tailored support and development to identify and apply for suitable finance director and chief finance officer roles

• provide an in-depth understanding of a board recruitment process including CV writing, interviewing and presentation skills, giving the best chance of being successful in future applications

• broaden understanding of the responsibilities and expectations of a corporate director and provide opportunities to experience at first-hand how an NHS Board operates

• develop the ability to build collaborative relationships, influence and negotiate effectively and increase personal impact across an organisation and a local health economy

• increase understanding of leading change across an organisation and a local health economy

• enable reflection on what helps finance leaders to build and maintain resilience when under pressure in a corporate director role, including managing work/life balance.

Who is it for? Whether you are an experienced deputy finance director, a deputy chief finance officer or a senior finance professional, the National Finance Leaders Talent Pool provides tailored opportunities to take your career to the next level. Diversity is important to recruiting and retaining the skills and talent that are needed in healthcare finance and the talent pool aims to be open, inclusive and provide an environment where you are valued, respected and able to progress your career.

‘When you become a CFO the accountability suddenly hits you. It’s a huge responsibility but also a huge honour.’ Yarlini Roberts, CFO, Kingston CCG

• aspire to be a finance director or chief finance officer and consider that you are ready now, or in the very near future to reach board level

• are motivated to explore your current strengths and areas for development looking at the skills, knowledge, behaviours, attitudes and values required by senior finance leaders

• are currently operating at deputy director level (or equivalent), have completed a recognised leadership development qualification and can meet the required selection criteria.

The Talent Pool is for you if you:

What will I gain?

The support offered through the NHS Finance Leaders National Talent Pool is fully funded. We are looking for 30 participants to join the pool and selection will be through an application process. If successful, you’ll be asked to attend a national two-day development centre designed to support your learning and development.

On completion of the two days you will have assessed your readiness for a board level role, defined your career goals and developed a personal development plan to support the achievement of your goals. You will then become a member of the national Talent Pool and will be supported through a tailored package that could include: 1:1 coaching and mentoring; participation in action learning sets; opportunities for relevant secondments/ shadowing; interview and presentation skills training.

‘A Director of Finance role was something I’d always wanted to do and I had coaching around my skills and abilities.’ Richard Wheeler, Finance Director, Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

How do I know if I’m ready?Whilst the detail of job requirements differ amongst different sizes, functions and types of NHS organisations. Appendix one provides an overview of the skills, knowledge, behaviours, attitudes and values required by senior finance leaders. If you can demonstrate how you meet these capabilities then we would welcome your application.

‘My advice is to grasp every opportunity to gain additional experience to progress up the career ladder’. Loretta Outhwaite, CFO, Isle of Wight CCG

Express your interest or find out more The application pack will be available in early 2017 and will provide full details about how to apply. You’ll be asked for your CV and supporting letter outlining your motivations for applying to join the NHS Finance Leaders National Talent Pool and describing how you meet the capabilities outlined in Appendix One. You will need to provide a supporting statement from your current Director of Finance or Chief Finance Officer (or in exceptional circumstances an alternative board level director) supporting your readiness now, or in the very near future to lead the finance function of an organisation and to operate at board level. Successful applicants will be invited to interview as a final step in the selection process.

To request an application pack, for more information or to have an initial discussion about applying to join the talent pool please contact Lily Chapman at HFMA on 0117 938 8320 or email aflapplications@hfma.org.uk

HFMA and Future-Focused Finance have joined forces to design and deliver the NHS Finance Leaders National Talent Pool. The Finance Leadership Council members identified the Pool as a key priority and Council members are committed to having a much clearer focus on supporting our most talented people to be willing and able to take on the most senior financial leadership roles. HFMA and Future-Focused Finance are working with current NHS finance leaders, FSD and other key stakeholders to design and deliver the National Talent Pool.

System Leadership and Leading System Change

Building External Relationships

• Effectively provides leadership, vision, direction across the system

• Leads complex system change

• Leads and acts as a role model for innovation and creativity

• Directs value to ensure sustainable and effective outcomes across the system

• Creates and maintains positive relationships with individuals and organisations across the system

• Builds and maintains sustainable strategic alliances and effective partnerships

• Builds supportive, responsive relationships with partners and stakeholders

• Encourages collaboration

System Leadership

“In these challenging times, we know that there is more to do to make our finance leaders feel valued, respected and able to progress their careers in the NHS. In an extremely challenging financial situation, it is more important than ever that we ‘properly look after’ our finance leaders and recruit and retain the most talented people. We need a diverse pool of talent, the brightest and the best from right across the NHS finance community. The Finance Leadership Council is fully committed to making a success of this across the NHS, so if you are an aspiring finance leader, find out more and make sure that you apply.”Bob Alexander, Executive Director of Resources/ Deputy Chief Executive, NHS Improvement

“The role of a Chief Finance Officer is both demanding and rewarding. I meet talented finance professionals, across the UK, who I see have the potential to become finance leaders. Many bring different insights and perspectives, they identify new ways of doing things. A more diverse pool of NHS finance professionals will help us to drive transformational change. It’s key that we support our most talented people to be willing and able to take on the most senior financial leadership roles. I am delighted to see the establishment of a National Talent Pool for NHS Finance Leaders, and I’m asking every Chief Finance Officer to encourage their most talented finance professionals to apply and to support them in making the most of this exciting new initiative.”Paul Baumann, Chief Financial Officer, NHS England