Head of Business and Finance - Learning, Education & Development

Working as a partnership, both Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust have a shared vision for excellence in care for our patients and communities; with a set of strategic aims underpinning how we will achieve this. 

The single corporate service is delivered across both organisations.  You may be based at either IWT or PHU and individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites. For leaders managing staff across multi-site locations, you will need to be visible and provide in person leadership. The arrangements and frequency will be agreed locally.

This vacancy is open exclusively to internal applicants currently employed by Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.

NHS Band 8a Salary: £57,528 - £77,368 per annum                       

Hours Per Week: Full time 37.5

Contract Type: Permanent 

We are seeking an experienced, forward-thinking and collaborative leader to join our Learning, Education and Development team as Head of Business and Finance. This is an exciting opportunity for a strategic professional with a strong financial and business management background who is passionate about supporting the development of our workforce and improving outcomes for patients through education.

As part of the Single Corporate Services model, this role will work across both Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust (PHU) and Isle of Wight NHS Trust (IWT), providing strategic business and financial leadership that supports the delivery of shared organisational priorities. The post holder will play a key role in strengthening collaboration across both organisations, ensuring consistent, high-quality business support and enabling the delivery of integrated learning, education and workforce development services.

The successful candidate will provide leadership across the business, financial and operational functions of the department, ensuring robust financial governance, effective resource management and the delivery of high-quality services. You will work closely with senior clinical, operational and corporate colleagues across both Trusts, building strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to support the delivery of our strategic workforce and education priorities.

We are looking for someone who is proactive, innovative and committed to continuous improvement, with the confidence to challenge constructively, drive change and inspire high-performing teams. If you are passionate about delivering value, enabling service excellence and shaping the future of learning, education and workforce development across two organisations, we would welcome your application.

Job Summery

The post holder will line manage both the IWT and PHU Trusts Learning, Education and Development (LEaD) Business and Administration Mangers ensuring that the departments are enabled to deliver the organisation’s Learning, Education and Development Strategy as well as ensuring all day-to-day staff management matters including appraisals, development plans and recruitment are maintained.  The post holder will be expected to be flexible in their across site presence.

The post holder will provide business support to the department ensuring that all medical (including undergraduate) and non-medical income and expenditure is accounted for and reported on as required both internally and by NHSE.  

The post holder will collaborate with the Apprenticeship, Work Experience and Early Careers team to support procurement and contract management for a variety of apprenticeship, early career and work experience programmes and providers.

The post holder will provide business management support to the LEaD department, developing a reporting framework which will provide assurance of the quality of education and training delivered including meeting statutory training requirements.   This will include support and monitoring of essential skills training for all staff groups.  

• The post holder will be responsible for coordinating and monitoring the annual business plan for the LEaD department to underpin and support the LEaD strategy, objectives and key priorities.
• The post holder will provide regular reports including contract updates to the Director, Deputy Director of Education and key stake holders including external commissioners of training and education.
• The post holder will provide business support to ensure systems and processes are in place to support the ongoing development, monitoring and audit of educational activities across the Trusts.
• The post holder will coordinate, manage and monitor all medical and clinical education contracts on behalf of the Director of Education.
• In conjunction with the Library & Knowledge Services, the post holder will manage the learning management and e-learning element of ESR, developing a plan to improve its use, access and effectiveness to meet the organisation’s needs in providing a training record database.
• They will ensure that ESR is utilised to provide easy access to learning opportunities, minimises administration and allow for accurate and timely reporting.
• The post holder will represent the LEaD department at Local and National Statutory and Mandatory training groups and support workstreams where necessary (to include - Oliver McGown Mandatory training, Safeguarding and have national Mandatory training oversight).
• The post holder is expected to act as Information Governance Lead for the LEaD department.
• The post holder with support the administration managers with ensuring the administration structure and staffing resource can manage and deliver the educational contracts to the highest possible quality standards.
• The post holder will manage the LEaD risk register across both organisations, providing regular reports and updates to the site Education Governance Meeting.
• The post holder will ensure effective and efficient use of all resources, including education accommodation, identifying potential problems in advance and strategies to overcome them, informing the Director and Deputy Director of Education as appropriate.
• The post holder is responsible for supporting the commissioning of projects and procurement of services to support project delivery.
• The post holder will support the Director and Deputy Director of Education to ensure value for money and greater efficiency in the use of education budgets and ensure a recurrent financial balance year on year.
• The post holder will work with the Director of Education and wider education team to provide a business framework for developing, producing and marketing income generating opportunities associated with education and training activity, for example ALERT, clinical skills and Simulation.
• The post holder will lead on the co-ordination and submission of the annual quality report for NHSE and other external quality reports as required.
• The post holder will lead on the co-ordination and submission of the bi-annual People in Common Committee (PCiC) report for the LEaD department.
• The post holder will promote and demonstrate effective communication within the LEaD department and represent the department and Trusts at appropriate internal and external meetings.
• The post holder will have oversight or all funding / income streams including Tariff, LDA, CPD and provide income management support for the undergraduate tariff.
• The post holder will support the wider LEaD team with coordination and submission of bids for external funding for education as required.

For full job details please refer to enclosed job description.

Essential 

• Graduate Level or equivalent, academic or Healthcare professional qualification
• Postgraduate qualification(s) or equivalent applied learning relating to Business Management, Finance, Accountancy, Marketing or People Management
• Post graduate MSc or demonstrable experience / equivalence
• Member of a clinical and or management professional body
• Evidence of continuing professional development

Experience

Essential 

• Previous and successful business management experience.
• Supporting and sustaining transformational change
• Translating business strategy into delivery
• Managing budgets
• Leading and performance-management of teams and individuals.

Desirable

• Experience of business management within Health service sector

Skills & Knowledge

Essential 

• Highly developed leadership skills
• Ability to quickly establish effective working relationships and develop strong team working
• Well-developed interpersonal and facilitation skills, with the ability to gain and maintain credibility with senior clinicians.
• Highly effective presentation skills and the ability to present well-reasoned and structured argument orally and in writing
• Highly developed analytical skills
• Proficiency in the use of ICT applications to support efficient work activity and analysis
• Ability to manage priorities and meet specific deadlines.
• Ability to hold direct reports to account

Desirable

• Detailed knowledge and understanding of clinical and corporate governance and risk management systems and processes

The health and wellbeing of our staff is at the forefront of everything we do. We are proud to be able to offer our staff some fantastic benefits including our on-site Nursery, access to our free Beach Hut for those long summer days, our on-site Wellness Centre including a gym and a swimming pool, access to our fantastic staff networks including LGBTQ, Race Equality and DisAbility, and awards ceremonies to recognise your achievements. We believe we can offer support to all of our staff when they need it the most.

We welcome the unique contributions that you can bring in terms of your education, opinions, culture, ethnicity, race, sex, gender identity and expression, nation of origin, age, languages spoken, veteran’s status, colour, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs. 

For more information, please see our People and OD Strategy 2026