Job overview

The Head of Finance, Strategic Commissioning is a key senior role within the ICB’s Finance Directorate. The postholder will provide expert financial leadership, advice and support to the ICB’s strategic commissioning function, helping to ensure that financial resources are aligned to agreed priorities and deliver the best possible outcomes for the population of south east London.

The role reflects the ICB’s developing remit as a strategic commissioner, with an increasing focus on prevention, personalised care, reducing health inequalities and supporting the shift of care from hospital to community settings. The postholder will work closely with finance, commissioning, contracting, clinical, operational and analytical colleagues to ensure that strategic decisions are informed by robust financial intelligence, modelling and analysis.

The role will support the development of the ICB’s annual, medium and long-term financial plans, together with the financial modelling required to underpin new commissioning, contracting and funding arrangements. This will include supporting the development of outcome-based approaches, blended payment models, benefits realisation frameworks and investment decisions that enable service transformation and improve value for money.

The postholder will also provide senior financial leadership and oversight for the effective management of budgets within the Strategic Commissioning Directorate. Working closely with budget holders and commissioning leads, they will support robust budget setting, forecasting, financial reporting and the management of financial risks, opportunities and corrective actions. They will help embed strong financial governance, accountability and value for money across the Directorate, ensuring that financial performance is understood and actively managed alongside the delivery of commissioning priorities.

The postholder will also play an important role in supporting financial planning across the wider south east London system, identifying and managing the interdependencies between ICB and provider plans and ensuring alignment with workforce, activity, capacity and capital planning. The role requires excellent technical and analytical skills, alongside strong leadership, communication, influencing and relationship management skills

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The Head of Finance, Strategic Commissioning will be responsible for the following key functions:

• Support the development and delivery of strategic financial planning for the ICB and the wider south east London system, including annual and medium-term planning processes, financial submissions and the ongoing review of financial assumptions.
• Develop and maintain robust financial models, forecasts and analysis to support strategic commissioning, investment decisions, budget management and the assessment of different service and funding options.
• Provide senior financial oversight and support for the management of Strategic Commissioning Directorate budgets, including budget setting, forecasting, financial reporting and the identification and management of risks, opportunities and mitigating actions. Work with budget holders to promote strong financial governance, accountability, value for money and delivery within agreed financial resources.
• Provide senior financial leadership and expert advice to the Strategic Commissioning Directorate, including oversight of its financial planning, budget management and financial performance, working as part of a multidisciplinary team and deputising for the Associate Director of Strategic Finance where required.
• Financial support for the development of innovative commissioning, contracting and payment models, providing strategic financial modelling and analysis to inform transformation programmes, Integrated Neighbourhood Teams and new models of care, whilst ensuring alignment with the NHS 10 Year Plan, national ICB Model Blueprint and future operating models to deliver improved population outcomes, value for money and system sustainability.

Working for our organisation

In 2025, the boards of NHS South East London ICB and NHS South West London ICB took the decision to enter into a clustering arrangement. This means that we share a chair, chief executive officer and an executive team, but we remain as separate, statutory organisations. 

This also means that the ICBs will share some teams, who will be working across both organisations. Some teams will also be working across both geographical areas and integrated care systems.  

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see the attached job description and person specification for full details of the duties and responsibilities of the role.