Craig Given
Greenock,Inverclyde
Summary
Strategic Finance Leader and Chief Finance Officer with extensive experience in guiding public sector organisations through financial transformation and strategic planning. Manages substantial budgets and multidisciplinary teams to ensure financial sustainability in regulated environments. Influences Board-level decisions and shapes long-term financial strategies, enhancing organisational performance across health and local authority sectors.
Overview
24
24
years of professional experience
Work History
Chief Finance Officer
Inverclyde Health and Social Care Partnership
07.2021 - Current
- Direct financial strategy for a £280m+ budget, ensuring sustainability amid increasing demand and fiscal pressures.
- Advise the Integration Joint Board and senior leadership on financial performance, risk, and long-term strategy.
- Provide strategic leadership across finance, planning, communications, IT and governance, managing 150+ staff to drive operational effectiveness.
- Deliver medium-term financial plans and annual budgets, aligning resources to organisational priorities.
- Lead governance frameworks, internal controls, and external audit relationships.
- Led financial and strategic resource management of integrated health and social care organisation, enhancing alignment with organisational goals.
- Oversee capital investment planning and delivery across health and care infrastructure.
- Drive commissioning and procurement strategies to maximise value and service outcomes.
- Deputised for Chief Officer, supporting organisational leadership and decision-making in key initiatives.
- Key Impact: Strengthened financial governance and long-term planning capability across a complex integrated partnership.
Finance Manager (Education & Communities)
Inverclyde Council
10.2015 - 07.2021
- Managed revenue budgets exceeding £100m across education and community services, ensuring effective allocation of resources.
- Developed financial strategies and budget frameworks, delivering savings programmes aligned with organisational goals.
- Delivered sustained savings programmes while maintaining service delivery in high-demand services, demonstrating commitment to efficiency and quality.
- Led a team of 20 finance professionals supporting service delivery and strategic decision-making.
- Acted as principal financial adviser to the Director of Education and senior leadership team.
- Presented financial performance and strategy to committees and elected members.
- Led capital programme financial management across the directorate.
- Managed treasury functions, VAT, and wider exchequer responsibilities.
- Senior finance lead for a major local authority directorate.
Finance Director
Inverclyde Leisure
02.2013 - 10.2015
- Directed all aspects of financial strategy, planning, and operations.
- Developed and implemented 3-year financial and corporate plans to support organisational growth and sustainability.
- Managed treasury, investments, procurement, VAT, and insurance functions, ensuring compliance and optimising resource allocation.
- Led finance function within arm’s-length leisure trust, enhancing financial governance and strategic alignment.
- Produced statutory accounts and ensured compliance with governance requirements.
- Acted as Company Secretary and deputy to the Chief Executive.
- Key Impact: Strengthened financial controls and improved long-term financial planning capability.
Principal Accountant
Renfrewshire Council
01.2010 - 01.2013
- Managed £70m Social Work budget, leading team of 6 to ensure financial compliance and effective resource allocation.
Directorate Accountant
Golden Jubilee National Hospital
01.2006 - 01.2010
- Provided financial planning, reporting, and operational support to enhance decision-making in a major NHS setting.
Senior Finance Officer
Glasgow City Council
01.2005 - 01.2006
Finance Officer
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
01.2003 - 01.2005
Accountancy Assessor/Trainer
Microcom Training
01.2002 - 01.2003
Education
MBA -
Glasgow Caledonian University
CIMA Qualified (ACMA) -
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
BA (Hons) - Accountancy
Glasgow Caledonian University
SQA Assessor/Trainer Qualification -
Skills
- Financial leadership
- Budget management
- Medium-Term Financial Planning
- Capital Planning
- Investment
- Financial Sustainability
- Risk
- Audit
- Governance
- Savings Delivery
- Procurement
- Value Optimisation
- Stakeholder Engagement
- Organisational Leadership
- Commissioning
- IT
Custom Section
- Board-Level Financial Leadership & Strategy
- Medium-Term Financial Planning (3–5 years)
- Large-Scale Budget Management (£280m+)
- Governance, Audit & Risk
- Organisational Leadership (150+ staff)
- Capital Planning & Investment
- Financial Sustainability & Savings Delivery
- Stakeholder Engagement (Boards, Members, Executives)
- Commissioning, IT, Procurement & Value Optimisation
Additional information
Extensive experience working across health, local government, and ALEO sectors, Strong track record of working with Boards, elected members, and senior stakeholders, Recognised for developing high-performing finance teams and leadership capability
References
Available on request
Timeline
Chief Finance Officer
Inverclyde Health and Social Care Partnership
07.2021 - Current
Finance Manager (Education & Communities)
Inverclyde Council
10.2015 - 07.2021
Finance Director
Inverclyde Leisure
02.2013 - 10.2015
Principal Accountant
Renfrewshire Council
01.2010 - 01.2013
Directorate Accountant
Golden Jubilee National Hospital
01.2006 - 01.2010
Senior Finance Officer
Glasgow City Council
01.2005 - 01.2006
Finance Officer
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde
01.2003 - 01.2005
Accountancy Assessor/Trainer
Microcom Training
01.2002 - 01.2003
MBA -
Glasgow Caledonian University
CIMA Qualified (ACMA) -
Chartered Institute of Management Accountants
BA (Hons) - Accountancy
Glasgow Caledonian University