Assistant Director of Finance & Commercial | Manchester, UK

Assistant Director of Finance & Commercial

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) is an independent organisation, that investigate complaints about UK government departments, other public organisations and the NHS in England.

PHSO shares findings from casework with Parliament and more widely to influence improvements that improves organisations and people's experience of them. PHSO believes in the power of complaints to reveal the truth, bring closure, and drive systemic improvement: holding public bodies to account and ensuring that the lessons learned lead to broader positive change.

As Assistant Director, Finance and Commercial, you will provide leadership across PHSO's finance, commercial and facilities functions, ensuring effective financial management and strong organisational control.

Working closely with the Executive Team and Board, you will operate with visibility and impact, providing financial and commercial insight to support organisational planning, decision-making and value for money across the organisation.

Bringing substantial experience across finance, your expertise will span financial planning, forecasting, reporting and assurance.

With experience of maintaining effective systems of financial control, managing financial risk and providing clear, evidence-based advice to senior stakeholders, you will have a strong understanding of how financial insight can support organisational priorities and the successful delivery of wider organisational change.

Experience of working with public sector financial frameworks and associated business planning will also be important.

Commercially and financially astute (with a relevant current financial qualification), you will bring strong knowledge of financial governance, public sector finance and commercial practice, along with experience of working across a varied stakeholder landscape to improve organisational financial and commercial literacy.

This is both an exceptional career opportunity and an exciting time to be part of PHSO as we seek to make a positive difference to public service reform. If you have the necessary skills, expertise, and experience, share passion for making a real difference to public services and will embrace shared values and culture, we welcome your application.

PHSO recognise the value of lived experience. If you have experience of complaining about any public body, we strongly encourage you to apply.

PHSO know the value of having diverse, representative teams across the organisation. Which is why we particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented within the team. These include people who are:

• Asian, Black, Mixed Ethnicity or another ethnic background
• disabled
• LGBTQ.

We are changing our name. Later this year we will become the Public Service Ombudsman. This will make it easier for people to find us and understand what we do. The service we provide will remain the same. Visit our website to find out more.

To arrange a confidential discussion about the role, please contact Sophie.Hester@gatenbysanderson.com or Laura.Turley@gatenbysanderson.com

Disability Confident Scheme

The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. To submit an application under the scheme, please complete and upload the form on the application. Should you require this pack in an alternative format, please contact Toria.Lorman-Connolly@gatenbysanderson.com

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Recruitment Timetable

Closing Date

Friday 31 July 2026 @ 5pm

Preliminary Interviews

w/c Monday 3 August 2026 & w/c Monday 10 August 2026

Stakeholder Panel

Tuesday 25 August 2026

Second Stage Final Panel Interview

w/c Monday 31 August 2026

How to Apply

• Please submit your CV along with a Supporting Statement addressing the person specification criteria, evidencing how you meet the criteria.
• Detail any employment or education gaps.
• Be ready to provide the names, positions, organisations and contact details for two referees; one should be your current or most recent employer. Referees will be contacted for those proceeding to final stages. We will always gain your permission before we contact referees.
• Let us know any difficulty you may have with the indicative timetable.
• Check that your contact details are correct before you submit.

Once you have submitted your application, you will receive an automated email confirmation. If you do not receive, please email contactus@gatenbysanderson.com