Job summary

The Individual Funding Request (IFR) process is a statutory function of NHS England and decisions are made on treatment funding for individual patients covering all prescribed services. The IFR Manager (Deputy) role is critical in directly managing members of the IFR team and deputising for the IFR Senior Manager.

Please note that the base for this position would be London or a regional office where specialised commissioning teams are based.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will manage staff based in the regions. The post holder's role will be to deliver an effective service for IFRs, managing and leading staff to ensure process and practice for managing IFRs is aligned with national guidance and to lead the IFR process for directly commissioned services. The post holder will deputise for the IFR Senior Manager.

Details

• Date posted: 02 November 2026
• Closing date: 16 November 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 8a
• Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum (exclusive of HCAS)
• Contract: Fixed term
• Duration: 12 months
• Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Job share, Flexible working
• Reference number: 990-SD-EC6125-E
• Job locations: Wellington House, London / Wellington Place Leeds, London / Leeds / National, SE1 8UG, United Kingdom

Job description

Job responsibilities

Essential to the role are:

• In-depth knowledge of IFR processes and commissioning. This will support and underpin decision making with regard to IFRs.
• Ability to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive, and contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups, particularly related to IFRs.
• Ability to lead in the development of administrative processes for the management of IFRs in line with NHS England IFR Policy and Standard Operating Procedure.
• Ability to lead the processes to improve and maintain data quality and accuracy, ensure the consistency in data capture and reporting; analysis and reporting of data for communication and success measurement purposes and resolving any data issues.

Secondments

Applicants from within the NHS will be offered on a secondment basis only, agreement should be obtained from their employer prior to submitting the application.

You can find further details about the job, in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

Please note that the reason for the fixed term of this contract is Maternity Leave.

You can find further details about the role, including key responsibilities and accountabilities, alongside the organisational structure and person specification in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.

Person Specification

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Knowledge and experience of IFR processes and commissioning
• Experience of working at a senior level in IFR
• Experience of managing and motivating a team/virtual team and reviewing performance of the individuals

Skills, capabilities & attributes

Essential

• Ability to provide and receive highly complex, sensitive, and contentious information, negotiate with senior stakeholders on difficult and controversial issues, and present complex and sensitive information to large and influential groups, particularly related to IFRs
• Demonstrates a strong desire to improve performance and make a difference by focusing on goals

Values and behaviours

Essential

• Commitment to and focused on quality, promotes high standards in all they do
• Works well with others, is positive and helpful, listens, involves, respects and learns from the contribution of others

Qualificiations

Essential

• Educated to masters level or equivalent level of experience of working at a senior level in specialist area

About us

NHS England has a wide range of statutory functions, responsibilities and regulatory powers. These are focused on supporting the wider NHS to deliver high quality care, as well as doing those things that are best done once for the whole NHS.

Our staff bring expertise across clinical, operational, commissioning, technology, data science, cyber security, software engineering, education, and commercial specialisms -- enabling us to design and deliver high-quality NHS services.

In March 2025, the Government announced that NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care will increasingly merge functions, ultimately leading to NHS England being fully integrated into the department.

If you currently work within the NHS and if successful at interview, we will initiate an Inter Authority Transfer (IAT) via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR).This retrieves key data from your current or previous NHS employer to support onboarding, including competency status, Continuous Service Dates (CSD), and annual leave entitlement. You may opt out at any stage of the process.

Colleagues with a contractual office base are expected to spend, on average, at least 40% of their time working in our offices.

Staff recruited from outside the NHS will usually be appointed at the bottom of the pay band.

We cannot offer visa sponsorship for external candidates.

Employer details

• Employer name: NHS England
• Address: Wellington House, London / Wellington Place Leeds, London / Leeds / National, SE1 8UG, United Kingdom
• Employer's website: https://www.england.nhs.uk/about/working-for/