Head of People and Finance

Job summary

This is a rare opportunity to join Shrewsbury PCNs Senior Leadership Team at an exciting point in our development. We are reshaping our leadership structure to ensure we remain strong, resilient and fit for the future as primary care evolves through neighbourhood health and the NHS 10 Year Plan. As our new Head of People and Finance, you will play a pivotal role in that journey, bringing together two of the foundations of a successful organisation: our people and our financial sustainability. Working closely with the Chief Executive and wider leadership team, you will have the opportunity to influence how we develop as an organisation and help shape our next chapter.

Main duties of the job

The Head of People and Finance will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight across the people, finance and corporate functions of Shrewsbury Primary Care Network. You will be the first point of contact for all finance and workforce-related matters, working closely with the Chief Executive Officer, the rest of the Senior Leadership Team, member practices and external partners to ensure the PCN is financially well run, compliant and a supportive place to work.

Finance is a central part of this role and you will need to be confident managing the £3m+ PCN budget, forecasts and financial reports, and will provide the SLT, Board and accountants with the assurance that the PCNs money is properly controlled and accounted for. You will maintain oversight of payroll and bank accounts, and will ensure that costs are controlled and funding opportunities are maximised.

You will own and champion our People Strategy: developing, implementing and reviewing HR policies, supporting recruitment and retention, overseeing employee relations and wellbeing for our 40+ staff, coordinating training and their professional development. You will ensure that all HR practices comply with employment law and NHS guidance, promoting a positive, fair, kind and inclusive culture across the PCN.

You will be supported by and line manage the Executive Assistant and Operations Manager and deputise for the Chief Executive Officer, ensuring oversight of PCN operations and organisational continuity

About us

Shrewsbury Primary Care Network is a large and well-established PCN, bringing together 11 GP practices and serving more than 105,000 people across Shrewsbury and the surrounding area.

We are a supportive, collaborative and forward-thinking organisation with a strong reputation across our local health and care system. Our established governance, stable leadership and strong relationships with our practices give us a level of organisational maturity that enables us to innovate, develop services and play an active role in shaping the future of neighbourhood healthcare.

Our people are central to our success. We want colleagues to feel valued, empowered to make a difference and supported to develop, with access to training, professional development and opportunities to broaden their skills and leadership experience.

We work hard, support one another and value fresh ideas. If you want to develop your career while helping to shape high-quality, sustainable primary care for our community, Shrewsbury PCN offers an exciting place to do it.

Details

• Date posted: 19 October 2026
• Pay scheme: Other
• Salary: £51,900 to £63,200 a year Depending on experience
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time, Part-time, Flexible working
• Reference number: A5355-26-0010
• Job locations: Morgan Place, Anchorage Avenue, Shrewsbury Business Park, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY2 6FG, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

Key responsibilities of the Role

Senior Leadership

Act as a substantive member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to organisational strategy, planning, risk management and delivery.

Deputise operationally for the Chief Executive when required, within agreed delegated authority.

Translate Board and SLT decisions into effective internal arrangements across finance, workforce and operations.

Provide clear, proportionate advice to the Chief Executive and Management Board on financial, workforce and operational implications of decisions.

Financial Leadership and Management

Lead the PCN finance function, ensuring robust financial management, reporting, controls and audit trails. Maintain oversight of the PCN bank accounts, monitoring balances and transactions, carrying out regular reconciliations and ensuring that payments are authorised in line with the PCNs financial policies.

In conjunction with the PCN Chief Executive Officer, manage the annual budget setting process, producing clear routine financial reports and forecasts for the SLT and Management Board, highlighting variances, risks, commitments and opportunities

Build and develop strong working relationships with the ICB Finance team, the PCNs accountants and the PCN Financial Oversight Group, meeting regularly with each to review financial governance, year end accounts, payroll, VAT and statutory returns, ensuring that agreed actions are followed up.

Maintain effective internal financial policies and controls, including segregation of duties and authorisation limits, and escalate any irregularities or risks to the Chief Executive Officer without delay.

Support the management of PCN income streams, including Network Directed Enhanced Service funding, and ensure that payments to and from member practices and other organisations are accurate, in line with agreements, and documented.

Lead on the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme agreeing budgets and workforce plans with the ICB Primary Care Team and ensuring timely preparation, submission and monitoring of the claims, tracking the funding allocation against workforce plans and actual employment costs.

Take overall responsibility for the PCN payroll function, ensuring robust arrangements are in place for the payment of staff, management of payroll changes, statutory deductions and pension requirements, maintenance of secure payroll records, and completion of all required returns and year-end processes, with routine payroll administration appropriately delegated and effective liaison maintained with payroll providers, HMRC, pension schemes and the PCN accountant

Provide line management and oversight to the Executive Assistant in ensuring the administration of the PCN finances is completed in a timely and accurate manner, delegating appropriate work as necessary.

People and Organisational Development

Provide strategic leadership and retain overall accountability for organisational development across the PCN, ensuring that organisational structure, culture, leadership capability, succession and workforce development continue to evolve in line with PCN priorities.

Work with the Chief Executive and Senior Leadership Team to lead organisational change, strengthen team effectiveness and resilience, and use workforce and organisational intelligence to identify emerging risks, development needs and opportunities for improvement

Lead on the PCN People function, embedding the principles of the People Promise and ensuring workforce planning, recruitment and skills development are aligned with PCN strategy, service requirements, available funding and ARRS opportunities.

Maintain overall responsibility for an effective employee lifecycle, including recruitment, onboarding, retention, engagement, attendance, appraisal, performance and development, ensuring appropriate operational and administrative activity is delegated.

Provide senior HR advice and oversight, leading on complex or sensitive employee relations matters and ensuring HR policies, procedures and management practices are legally compliant, fair, inclusive and consistently applied, with specialist external HR/legal advice accessed where required.

Provide assurance on workforce performance and development, overseeing staff wellbeing, mandatory and role-specific training and continuing professional development, and using workforce information and HR metrics to identify risks, trends and priorities and report these to the Senior Leadership Team and Management Board

Provide line management and oversight to the Executive Assistant in ensuring the administration of PCN HR and training records are completed in a timely and accurate manner, delegating appropriate work as necessary.

Operational Oversight

Provide senior oversight of the PCNs internal operational infrastructure and ensure effective day-to-day coordination through the Operations Manager.

Oversee key organisational processes, supplier and contract administration, premises/facilities coordination and business continuity arrangements where allocated within the PCN structure.

Escalate operational issues with material financial, workforce, contractual or organisational implications to the Senior Leadership Team for resolution, ensuring that operational processes successfully support service transformation and delivery.

Provide line management, mentorship and oversight to the Operations Manager, a new developmental role, including setting objectives, one-to-ones, appraisal, wellbeing and role development through coaching and increasing responsibility.

Delegate appropriate day-to-day operational responsibilities while retaining senior accountability and ensuring the role is not required to operate beyond its competence or authority.

Act as deputy to the Chief Executive Officer, taking responsibility for the day-to-day leadership and management of the PCN in their absence and ensuring continuity of business operations and decision-making.