Accounts payable team leader jobs

Head of Financial Operations
London | Hybrid Working
1 Year FTC

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced finance leader to join a highly respected higher education institution at a pivotal time in its development.

Reporting to the Deputy Director of Finance, this role will lead a large Financial Operations function, overseeing accounts payable, income and receivables, and finance systems teams. Managing a team of approximately 15 staff, you will play a key role in ensuring the delivery of efficient, customer-focused financial services, while driving continuous improvement across systems, processes and controls.

Working closely with senior stakeholders across the organisation, you will be responsible for the effective management of income collection, supplier payments, cashflow and working capital, alongside maintaining a robust internal control environment. You will also lead the ongoing development of financial systems and support the wider finance leadership team in delivering strategic change initiatives.

The successful candidate will be a qualified accountant (CCAB) with significant experience leading financial operations within a complex organisation. You will have a strong background in transaction processing, financial controls, systems development and team leadership, alongside a proven track record of driving change and improving service delivery. Experience of ERP systems is essential, while exposure to the higher education sector would be advantageous.

This is an excellent opportunity for a collaborative and forward-thinking finance professional looking to make a significant impact within a values-led organisation known for innovation, creativity and academic excellence.

To find out more, please get in touch with Rosemary Pini from Allen Lane for a confidential discussion.

Interim Senior Financial Controller (6-Month FTC)

London | Predominantly On-Site in term time | Start Date: 12 July 2026

An exceptional opportunity has arisen for an experienced Senior Financial Controller to join a highly regarded educational and charitable organisation in central London on a six-month fixed-term contract to provide stability while they recruit permanently. 

Reporting to the Finance Bursar you will provide leadership to an established finance team while overseeing the day-to-day financial operations of a complex organisation. This role offers the opportunity to make an immediate impact, ensuring robust financial control, delivering an efficient finance service, and supporting the continued embedding of a recently implemented finance system.

The organisation is seeking an individual who can hit the ground running, provide stability during a busy period and quickly build credibility with stakeholders across the organisation.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Leading month-end and year-end financial accounting processes, ensuring an accurate and timely trial balance.
• Managing financial operations including purchase-to-pay, billing, income collection, cash management and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Supporting year-end audit processes and statutory reporting requirements.
• Ensuring compliance with charity, tax and regulatory requirements, including VAT and Gift Aid.
• Driving continuous improvement across finance systems, controls and processes.
• Leading, coaching and developing a transactional finance team.
• Acting as a key finance business partner to senior stakeholders across the organisation.

The successful candidate will be a fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA) with substantial financial accounting experience gained within a medium to large organisation. You will have a proven track record of leading teams, improving processes and maintaining strong financial controls within a complex environment.

Experience within the education, charity or not-for-profit sectors would be advantageous, although candidates from other sectors with relevant technical expertise will also be considered.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced finance leader who enjoys combining strong technical accounting expertise with team leadership and operational improvement in a values-driven organisation. The role would particularly suit someone who thrives in an environment where they can add immediate value, strengthen processes and support a finance team through a period of transition.

If wanting more details, then please do reach out to Rosemary Pini from Allen Lane for more details. 

Job Description: Finance Assistant

Who we are
 

Part business, part charity, part membership body – students’ unions are all seriously fun places to work. They are organisations in their own right. Professionally run, but different. Professional teams support elected student leaders to make change, improve lives and fulfill potential; we help make it happen. 
 

Founded in 1897, LSE Students' Union is one of the oldest Students' Unions in the UK and is the representative and campaigning body for students at The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE). We also fund and facilitate student activities on campus, including societies, sports clubs, media groups, and raise money for charities via Raising and Giving (RAG) initiatives. 
 

 About the job

 “Come work for our vibrant community in a dynamic environment! This essential role within a busy finance team provides support across the full range of the ‘back-office function, supporting the Finance Officer to effectively manage all Creditors, Debtors, and working capital. The successful candidate will be keen to learn; will be passionate about the finance function as a support function of the wider organisation; and will take pride in helping others achieve organisational objectives through the accurate and timely processing of financial transactions and the promotion of and adherence to strong financial controls. 

 

Who are we looking for?
 

The successful applicant will be a highly organised individual with a passionate for people and numbers, a problem solver who has experience of providing a high quality customer-focused services.
 

The role will require you to work in partnership with the finance team and human resources to ensure our workforce are provided with the highest quality customer-focused business services . As a result, we are looking for someone who is highly organised, confident, efficient, self-sufficient, and able to deliver at pace, managing multiple competing priorities with enthusiasm and a ‘can do’ attitude.
 

Stakeholder management and communication skills (both verbal and written) are considered essential as well as working as part of a team and wider team.
 

We particularly welcome applications from candidates who self-identify as coming from a disadvantaged or marginalised background.
 

Why apply?
 

Because you’re excited by the challenge! The exact opposite of corporate, we’re progressive, daring and creative individuals working to make a difference in unconventional workplaces.
 

Benefits and Perks
 

In return for your passion and experience we offer:
 

-        25 days of holiday per year (pro rata)

-        Additional closure periods at Christmas and Easter

-        Free LSE Students’ Union gym membership (including advice from dedicated professionals)

-        Cycle to Work scheme enabling significant savings on bicycle purchase

-        Access to LSE staff training courses

-        Ability to purchase TOTUM (NUS) card, which provides a wide range of discounts

-        Flexibility for work-life balance

-        Interest-free travel loan

How do we recruit?

We want to ensure all systems, policies and processes are free from bias or discrimination and are fair and accessible, therefore we ask that all candidates complete our Application Process in two stages:

Part 1. Complete a Supporting Statement, telling us about your suitability for the role (this is what will be used to determine if you are shortlisted for an interview). In doing so, please (1) ensure that your personal statement is no longer than 2 sides of A4, (2) ensure that you don’t include any personal details within your personal statement, and (3) use the job description and person specification as a guide to help write it.*
 

*Your supporting  statement is all that we will see when shortlisting, so please be sure to cover everything that you’d like us to know about your suitability for this role within it, making it clear that you meet all of the job’s specification requirements.
 

Part 2. Complete an Equal Opportunities Monitoring and Contact Form, so that we’re able to contact you if shortlisted for an interview. This will only be seen by our HR team (and will therefore have no impact on shortlisting), but it does help us gather and analyse demographic information about our applicants.
 

Part 3. Please attached your completed CV outlining the jobs or voluntary roles you have had.
 
Want to apply?
 

To apply for this role, please complete an online application.

Job Application Timeline

Closing date: 7th June.
Intended Interviews date:  24th June.
Start date 27th July.

*Please note that we may close applications early if we receive a sufficient number.

 

Compulsory Requirement - The UK Government sets the legal regulations that we are required to follow. As an employer we must ensure that everyone is eligible to work in the UK and this is done by us checking and making a copy of the correct original identification/documentation before your first day of work. Currently we require you to have the right to work in the UK, as we are not a Home Office approved sponsor. 

Director of Finance & Services
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-Time. (We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements, including hybrid and part time working).
Location: South Kensington, London SW7
Salary: Circa £100,000+ per annum FTE

About Us

The Royal Geographical Society (with the Institute of British Geographers) is the learned society and professional body for geography and geographers. It is also a charity and a membership organisation. The Society was founded in 1830 and has been one of the most active of the learned societies ever since. It was pivotal in establishing geography as a teaching and research discipline in British universities and continues to play a key role in geographical and environmental education.

The Society is a leading world centre for geographical learning – supporting education, teaching, research, professional practice and scientific expeditions, as well as promoting public understanding and enjoyment of geography and providing advice to policymakers.

The Society offers professional accreditation to members through Chartered Geographer status.

About You and the Role

As the Society approaches its 200th anniversary in 2030, with ambitious associated goals, ensuring that we continue to have the best possible leadership team in place has never been more relevant.

With the approaching retirement of our current Director of Finance & Services, we are looking for an exceptional, entrepreneurial senior leader with proven ability to balance strategic and operational impact.

Whilst an executive level financial background is a given, we are additionally seeking an individual who has led other functions and developed the professionals within them. This role leads a diverse team of 10, spanning: Finance, Facilities & Estates, IT & Database Administration, and HR. It also holds additional responsibility for: Safeguarding, Data Protection, Risk Management, Pensions, Company Secretarial, Insurance & Legal.

We have exciting plans for our building, at the heart of London’s Exhibition Road Cultural Quarter, optimizing and developing this space as a gathering point of global significance and influence for people intent on making a positive difference to the world. Accordingly, we are particularly interested in individuals who bring with them strong programme management skills and experience of managing heritage estate projects operationally, in partnership with external consultants.

The successful candidate will drive and deliver effective and efficient financial planning, forecasting, budgeting, reporting, controls, operations, and management, whilst continuing to improve the Society’s processes and systems.

Salary and Benefits

This is a permanent post. We welcome requests for flexible working arrangements, including hybrid and part time working. This is looked at on a case-by-case basis, balancing the Society’s needs with the successful candidate’s other commitments, to support a good work-life balance. The salary range for this post is c£100,000+ (FTE) per annum, depending on experience and qualifications. The post is based in Kensington, London.

There are a range of benefits at the Society which include the following:

• 35-hour working week with core working hours between 10.00am and 4.00pm.
• Flexible working arrangements are available with a mix of office based and home working.
• 25 days annual leave per annum, pro rata, plus public bank holidays.
• Society closure between Christmas and New Year, in addition to the basic annual leave allowance.
• Pension scheme - 3% employee, 7.5% employer.
• Group Life Assurance at four-times basic annual salary.
• Corporate eye care vouchers.
• Cycle to work scheme.
• Free 24-hour Employee Assistance helpline with available counselling support.

Applications must be received by 5.30pm 12 June 2026.
It is anticipated that interviews will take place week commencing 29 June 2026.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

The Society aims to be an equal opportunities employer. We strongly encourage applicants from those traditionally underrepresented in the geographical discipline.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. The Society is unable to offer work visa sponsorships.

No agencies please.