Job Description

Director of Finance, Commercial and Workplace

Executive Level 2 - £95,000 - £113,625 per annum

Contracted Hours: Full-time 37 hours per week

Contract Type: Permanent

Location: Home-based, with travel to meetings, CQC offices, and providers as required

Closing Date: 13th October 2025 at 11.59pm.

Interview Date: TBC.

For an informal discussion or further information on the role, please contact Chris Usher and for general enquiries, please contact us.

Make a difference

Every role at CQC contributes to our mission—but as our new Director of Finance, Commercial and Workplace, you’ll be at the heart of shaping how we operate, invest, and deliver value across the organisation.

If you're a visionary finance leader with a strong commercial mindset and a passion for public service, this is your opportunity to lead a high-performing directorate and influence decisions at the highest level.

Picture this

Imagine being the trusted advisor to the CEO, Executive Team, and Board—guiding decisions with clarity, integrity, and strategic insight. In the past year, you might have:

• Delivered a multi-year financial strategy aligned with CQC’s five-year organisational plan.
• Secured funding through negotiations with the Department of Health and Social Care and strengthening financial accountability.
• Led a value-for-money programme that improved efficiency and empowered directorates to take greater ownership of their budgets.

The role

In this pivotal leadership position, you will:

• Drive Financial Strategy: Lead the development and implementation of CQC’s financial strategy, ensuring alignment with business planning and strategic priorities.
• Ensure Financial Governance: Oversee budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, and statutory audits, ensuring compliance with accounting standards and protocols.
• Lead Commercial and Workplace Strategy: Provide oversight of procurement, estates, facilities, health & safety, business continuity and sustainability - ensuring value for money, operational resilience, and a safe, sustainable working environment.
• Influence at the Highest Level: Provide expert financial and commercial advice to the CEO, Chair, Executive and Non-Executive Directors, enabling effective decision-making and governance.
• Embed the CQC Way: Champion our values: excellence, caring, integrity, and teamwork—in everything you do, ensuring leadership and decision-making reflect our commitment to public service.

Show us

We will be looking for specific skills, knowledge, and experience in your application form:

• A professional accounting qualification (e.g. CCAB/CIPFA).
• Proven experience in a senior finance role, including strategic advice at Board and Executive level.
• Experience leading change and ensuring value for money in delivery.
• Strong leadership skills, with experience managing high-performing teams in a fast-paced, high-profile environment.

Join us and help CQC shape the future of health and care.

Compliance

To progress your application, you’ll need to provide evidence of your right to work in the UK. Without a valid right to work, you won’t be eligible for the role. We are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. Some roles may also be subject to a satisfactory DBS check.

How to apply…

To apply for this role, please submit a copy of your CV and Supporting Statement (no more than 750 words) via the Recruitment System:

Your Supporting Statement should cover the following:

• How does your previous experience make you suitable for this role?
• What strengths will you bring to the role that will have an immediate positive impact?

The Benefits

We offer a wide range of benefits, including:

• Annual leave starting at 27 days per year, rising to 32.5 days with service, plus bank holidays (usually 8 days per year).
• Training and development opportunities.
• Wellbeing initiatives, such as gym discounts and meditation.
• NHS pension scheme, with around 14% employer contribution.
• Discount schemes (including eligibility for a Blue Light Card, at a cost of £4.99 and valid for 2 years), reward vouchers, car leasing and more!

Equity for all

We know job descriptions can feel intimidating. Research shows they can cause some people to doubt whether they’re a good fit. This happens more often to people from underrepresented groups (e.g. minority backgrounds). If this role interests you, we encourage you to apply. Your unique perspective, skills, and experience could be exactly what we need.

Values and vision

We are guided by our core values, which shape our work and our culture.

• Excellence – being a high-performing organisation.
• Caring – treating everyone with dignity and respect.
• Integrity – doing the right thing.
• Teamwork – learning from each other to be the best we can.