Job Description

The role also includes interpreting data and incorporating financial analysis, ensuring key sources of information, together with core briefing material, are kept up to date; and supporting the team’s work on upcoming announcements. You will receive all the support needed to develop a good insight into the breadth of capital investment and how this supports physical improvements in the estate and equipment which lead to direct patient benefit. 

Responsibilities:

• Assessing the parliamentary questions (PQ) daily list to identify those relating to capital funding and preparing high quality responses for Senior Civil Service clearance to tight turnaround times.
• Producing high-quality drafts of responses to letters received by Minister’s private office and other Parliamentary business relating to the national investment programmes that are under the team’s remit.
• Preparing briefing notes/packs for ministerial meetings relating to capital investment in NHS estate and equipment, including advising the Minister on the topics at hand.
• Drafting responses to media queries.
• Developing a comprehensive network of contacts and leading the engagement and building strong stakeholder relationships to provide timely draft responses to ministerial and comms requests.
• You will need to keep the capital database up to date with information on national programmes as Memoranda of Understandings (funding agreements) are issued and reconcile allocated amounts with the actual spend at the end of the specific project. The briefing manager will improve the database e.g. by creating dashboards that will ease the use of the source data.
• Responsibility for filing and maintaining an appropriate audit trail with respect to work that the team is involved in
• Providing cross-cutting and ad hoc support across capital work areas, such as:
• Co-ordinate announcements of national programme funding, including preparing letters to MPs and Chief Executives of lead organizations, liaising closely with other teams.
• Support on the analysis and reporting of capital expenditure plans.
• Assist with the scrutiny, validation, sign-off and tracking of national programmes of capital investment.
• Opportunity to participate in strategy work, such as preparation of the evidence base for future health and care system capital budget requirements at the Spending Review

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

The ideal candidate will be an effective written communicator, with demonstrable experience of being proactive and enthusiastic in delivering a quality service. In addition, the ideal candidate will demonstrate a passion for identifying and conveying key messages using appropriate styles to a range of stakeholders. They will be an organized and efficient individual, who is agile in a fast-paced environment and can deliver quality outcomes to tight deadlines.

• Good drafting skills to provide clear briefing to various customers, including to ministers, Parliament and the public.
• Experience of building and maintaining strong stakeholder relationships. You will need to quickly build relationships across internal teams and work effectively with the NHS England/Improvement colleagues.
• Ability to manipulate data and produce good financial reports and analysis.
• Some knowledge of Finance and relevant terminology.
• It is desirable but not essential for the post holder to be part or fully qualified accountant, CCAB or CIMA qualified or equivalent, or to have some relevant government finance experience, but we will welcome applications from individuals who have alternative familiarity with financial concepts or are considering a career path in this area.