Investment Appraisal Lead

Job summary

In the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), we are proud of our purpose – to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you would like to work in, we would love to hear from you.

We work daily to support, challenge and assure some of the government's most significant health and care priorities. These include delivery of the 10 Year Health Plan for England, which is driving the three major shifts in health and care: from hospital to community, from analogue to digital, and from sickness to prevention. Central to this vision is the development of a Neighbourhood Health Service, including the rollout of Neighbourhood Health Centres, bringing joined-up health, care and community services closer to where people live.

We also support major investment programmes such as the New Hospital Programme, one of the largest NHS infrastructure programmes in a generation, alongside reforms to adult social care and significant capital investment to modernise NHS services, improve productivity and deliver better outcomes for patients.

In addition to these high-profile programmes, we support and assure a varied and interesting portfolio of projects which includes, but not limited to:

Major NHS England (NHSE) capital investments, hospital upgrades, refurbishments and wider estate transformation programmes

Technology and digital investments, including Electronic Patient Records (EPRs),digital infrastructure and service transformation initiatives

Vaccine and medical technology procurements

Major NHSE NHS and DHSC policy, transformation and reform initiatives.

We are a multidisciplinary, multi-site team focused on delivering at pace, providing robust assurance and building strong relationships with stakeholders across government and the health and care system.

Working alongside our partners in NHSE Finance as part of a single National Capital Assurance Team, we help improve the quality of business cases and investment decisions, ensuring public funds are invested effectively and deliver maximum value for patients, taxpayers and communities. We coordinate the engagement and expertise of a broad network of economic, commercial, project delivery, estates and specialist assurance professionals to provide high-quality advice at every stage of the investment lifecycle.

We are committed to diversity, inclusion, teamwork, continuous improvement and flexible working, creating an environment where people can develop professionally while making a tangible contribution to the future of health and care services

Job description

Reporting to the Head of Investment Appraisals but working autonomously, this role will be responsible for leading and coordinating the assurance process for a varied portfolio of major capital investments across DHSC and its ALBs and NHSE which may include but is not limited to:

• Major NHSE Capital Investments such as upgrades, refurbishment or reconfiguration of hospitals and the wider NHSE Estate
• Technology investment such as Electronic Patient Records, IT transformation and upgrades
• Vaccine procurements
• Major NHSE and DHSC policy initiatives and delivery

The successful candidate will review business cases from a DHSC strategic and financial perspective, preparing written and oral briefings for DHSC’s investment committees and ministers which identify key risks and other issues, while working collaboratively with the programme and other key stakeholders to bring these to resolution.

As well as sound financial expertise, the role requires someone with excellent stakeholder management skills who can work with senior leaders DHSC and the NHSE to develop and improve investment assurance. The successful candidate will also work with DHSC ministers and their Private Offices to understand and address their concerns and work collaboratively with HM Treasury (HMT) officials.

The successful candidate will actively contribute to the continuous improvement of investment assurance by identifying opportunities to simplify processes, improve efficiency, and deliver better outcomes for stakeholders.

For candidates who hold a Professional accountancy qualification (for example CIPFA, CIMA, ICAEW, ACCA or equivalent), you will be eligible for an annual market pay supplement of £5,000.

Please note that for part-time applicants, you would need to commit to working a minimum of 0.8 FTE per week.

Person specification

Key accountabilities for the role:

• Manage the flow of a portfolio of business cases through the system, working alongside subject matter experts to ensure reviews are done in a timely fashion and providing assurance to departmental Committee’s, the Finance Director General and ministers
• Co-ordinate and present the DHSC assurance on all 5 dimensions of the business case for the Investment Committees including acting as the specialist ‘keyholder’ for the Strategic and ‘Finance’ dimensions of the business case
• Work with stakeholders across government and NHSE to understand and address strategic issues and concerns
• Produce reports and briefings to the department’s Investment Committee and the Joint NHSE Investment Committee on business cases working as one National Capital Assurance Team with NHS Finance colleagues
• Manage engagement with HMT officials as single point of contact for business cases that require onward approvals
• Prepare written submissions to ministers reflecting the Investment Committee’s assessment and advice on specific business cases
• Act as a business case partner for the business being an independent source of advice and information on development of high-quality business cases and successfully navigating the approvals process. This may include:
• Contributing to business case standards and guidance for use across the department and NHS
• Providing ad-hoc training to DHSC policy teams on business cases to covering the HMT Green Book and five case model and how the Investment Approvals process works and promote best practice across the system

Key accountabilities for the role:

• Manage the flow of a portfolio of business cases through the system, working alongside subject matter experts to ensure reviews are done in a timely fashion and providing assurance to departmental Committee’s, the Finance Director General and ministers
• Co-ordinate and present the DHSC assurance on all 5 dimensions of the business case for the Investment Committees including acting as the specialist ‘keyholder’ for the Strategic and ‘Finance’ dimensions of the business case
• Work with stakeholders across government and NHSE to understand and address strategic issues and concerns
• Produce reports and briefings to the department’s Investment Committee and the Joint NHSE Investment Committee on business cases working as one National Capital Assurance Team with NHS Finance colleagues
• Manage engagement with HMT officials as single point of contact for business cases that require onward approvals
• Prepare written submissions to ministers reflecting the Investment Committee’s assessment and advice on specific business cases
• Act as a business case partner for the business being an independent source of advice and information on development of high-quality business cases and successfully navigating the approvals process. This may include:
• Contributing to business case standards and guidance for use across the department and NHS
• Providing ad-hoc training to DHSC policy teams on business cases to covering the HMT Green Book and five case model and how the Investment Approvals process works and promote best practice across the system

Key skills and experience required for the role

Essential:

• Experience of financial analysis, including evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of business cases
• Experience of building and maintaining effective relationships with a wide range of stakeholders across organisational boundaries
• Ability to produce high-quality written advice and deliver verbal briefings, adapting communication style to different audiences, including senior leaders
• Experience of applying business case and project management principles to support the successful delivery of projects or programmes
• Ability to encourage, recognise and share innovative ideas from a diverse range of colleagues and stakeholders
• Professional accountancy qualification (for example CIPFA, CIMA, ICAEW, ACCA or equivalent)

Desirable:

• Experience of developing and/or assuring complex business cases
• Better Business Cases Practitioner qualification

Your normal place of work will be your contractual primary workplace, usually either London, Leeds, Bristol or Birmingham. Within DHSC we offer non-contractual hybrid working. The expectation at present is a minimum of 60% of your working time spent in the office, enabling in person interaction and collaboration, and enhancing team working, learning, and support.

You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.

Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need.

There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.

Qualifications

Professional accountancy qualification (for example CIPFA, CIMA, ICAEW, ACCA or equivalent)

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Communicating and Influencing
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Seeing the Big Picture

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £56,214, Department of Health and Social Care contributes

£16,285 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.

Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

• Learning and development tailored to your role
• An environment with flexible working options
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

• Applications will be sifted W/C: 21/09/2026
• Interview date: W/C 05/10/2026
• Interview location: By video

Further details and interview slots will be released to candidates who are successful at sift.

Applications will be sifted on CV, Personal Statement, Behaviours and an Online Test. An initial s