Interim Deputy Chief Finance Officer

The closing date is 14 January 2026

We are seeking an interim Deputy Chief Finance Officer who is available to start by the end of January 2026 for a six month period.

We are seeking an outstanding, skilled and compassionate leader with the experience to lead the Finance Directorate on a day to day basis, ensuring the Finance function supports the efficient and effective use of resources throughout the Trust, providing a range of services including financial planning and analysis, business partnering and professional expertise.

In addition to the Deputy CFO role the postholder will also act as the Finance Director for the Royal Papworth Charity.

Main duties of the job

In conjunction with the Chief Finance, the Deputy Chief Finance Officer provides strategic financial leadership, direction and advice to the Trust Board, Chief Executive and Executive Director Team enabling effective decision making.

Assisting the Chief Finance Officer, the Deputy Chief Finance Officer supports the development and delivery of the financial strategy and operational plans, ensuring the Trust lives within its means, makes the best use of public money and delivers our strategic objectives.

About us

Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is the UK's leading heart and lung hospital, delivering care to more than 50,000 patients a year in its new state‑of‑the‑art hospital in Cambridge. We perform the most heart and/or lung transplants in the UK and carried out the UK's first successful heart transplant in 1979. It also offers emergency heart attack treatment, sleep centre care and is one of just five centres nationally for those in severe respiratory failure.

Based on the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, the largest centre of medical research and health science in Europe, the Trust is at the heart of treatments of the future. Royal Papworth became the first hospital trust in the country to be rated outstanding in all five areas assessed by the Care Quality Commission - a rating it still holds today. The Trust holds its values of compassion, excellence & collaboration at its core, and all colleagues joining the team are expected to uphold these in their day‑to‑day roles & interactions. Royal Papworth is proud of its diverse workforce and encourages people to embrace their individuality.

The Trust values difference and welcomes all applications irrespective of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity, race, religion & belief, sex and sexual orientation. Providing they meet the minimum post criteria, applicants with disabilities will be offered an interview.

For a street view tour: https://royalpapworth.nhs.uk/virtual-tour

Job responsibilities

On this page you will find a Role Profile which provides information about the hospital and full details about the role. We recommend that you review this and refer to it as you complete your application. Please include how you will meet the Trust Values Compassion, Excellence and Collaboration. If you would like more information about the role or working at Royal Papworth Hospital, please get in touch with the contact for this role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

• Completion of a CCAB / CIMA recognised accountancy qualification with significant PQE experience preferably in a specialist
• Financial Management or Financial Services or Strategic Finance role.
• Professional registration with a CAAB body.
• Evidence of ongoing professional and leadership development.

Experience

• Extensive knowledge of all elements of financial management and control in the NHS, particularly demonstrating an ability to interpret statutory and DHSC guidance to recommend necessary actions and implement them.
• Experience working across more than one financial function (for example, experience working across more than one of the following: financial management, financial control, commissioning & income, capital, performance reporting, audit etc).
• Senior leadership experience at a strategic level in a large complex organisation in the public or healthcare sector.
• Highly experienced, compassionate and skilled senior leader, used to leading multidisciplinary teams to deliver organisational wide change projects.

Additional Criteria

• Please provide evidence of your commitment to uphold the Trust's values: Compassion, Excellence, Collaboration.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust