• Women in Leadership for Finance (WiLfF)

    WiLfF is a national network set up to address the gender imbalance for progression within NHS Finance. We believe that financial leadership should reflect the diversity of the population it serves.

Who we are

The network is run by Nicola Brooks, specialist recruitment Partner at i&e Professionals and Sarah Griffiths, CFO of Cambridge and Peterborough ICB.

Why we set up the Network

We founded the network in 2020, motivated to address inequalities in NHS Finance. We realised that there were fewer female leaders the higher up you progress in NHS Finance.  For example, in the East of England Region of 22 provider trusts there was only one female CFO in 2020.

We set up the network to establish why this was so, and what we could do to eliminate the barriers holding back female progression in the sector.  We ran our first webinar in July 2020 and were overwhelmed by the response. The network enjoyed hearing directly from inspiring speakers on what obstacles they had overcome in their career and the network started to grow.  We now have more than 800 members across the country and we are run by a steering group which includes representatives from all 7 regions.

What we do

We are open to members at all levels on their leadership journey within NHS Finance, and we are not just for women, everyone is welcome! We hold webinars every two months featuring individuals sharing their experiences of the obstacles or challenges they have faced. Subjects include (please click the plus sign to see below):

  • Confidence/Imposter syndrome

  • Working Flexibly

  • Juggling caring responsibilities

  • Men as allies

  • Resilience and positivity

For the last 3 years we have also run an annual conference which has involved 70-100 people face to face and has included speakers such as Elizabeth O’Mahony, Professor Bola Owolabi, Nicci Briggs, Peter Ridley and many more.

What you can do

Attend our webinars, be involved, participate and ask questions. Get in touch with your regional representatives to ask if there is anything you can do in your region (please click the plus sign to see below).

We grow by word-of-mouth recommendations – please recommend to your wider network, especially to your male colleagues – the lack of an equitable gender balance is not a women’s problem which should be solved by women, it’s an issue for all leaders and potential leaders.

Our content is shaped by our network - Email Nicola with any ideas for future webinars or guest speakers.

Further information – Here is a selection of recordings of previous webinars if you want to check out some of the ground we have covered previously.  

Regional Representatives:

Our latest insights & advice

Connect with us today

The network meets virtually monthly with guest speakers from both the Healthcare system and other sectors. Topics and stories include career profiles, resilience, role modelling, creating opportunities and more. Contact us to get involved.

Contact our Director, Nicola Brooks

Contact Nicola today

  • I&e Professionals has placed a number of high-quality professionals with us over the last few years. Not only have the individuals been of high calibre, but they have also been an excellent fit in terms of our Trust’s values. The service we have received in terms of identifying candidates through to them commencing with us has been extremely responsive.

    Victoria Lauchlan, Director of Operations

  • We were looking to attract a diverse shortlist given the population we serve and the leadership diversity gaps we had. Nicola has been a great advocate for inclusion and has a track record of supporting Women in leadership, which was a great attribute to bring to the search.

    Hardev Virdee, Group CFO, Barts Health NHS Trust