Board secretary jobs

Role:  Head of Finance

Location:Hybrid (on-site 3 days per week in Sheffield)

Our offer to you

We pride ourselves in being a great place to work, providing a supportive culture with opportunities to grow and develop your career, achieve a healthy work life balance and to be recognised for the great work you do. You will receive:

• Competitive salary and pension scheme
• 33 days holiday (inclusive of bank holidays) - increasing to 38 days over 5 years
• Hybrid, Flexible working
• Cycle to work scheme Electric Vehicle Scheme
• Health and Wellbeing portal – access to financial, health and wellbeing support and an Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounts – you will have access to Blue Light and NHS Discounts as well as discounts on mobile phones, gym membership, cinema tickets, restaurants, holidays and shopping

About Us

This is a fantastic opportunity to join a team of over 1,400 employees and over 31,000 volunteers, united by our goal of saving lives through essential first aid services, training and campaigning.  As a charity with rich heritage and a long history of serving humanity, we are proud of our past and excited about creating a healthier, safer, more resilient future. 

St John Ambulance works at the heart of communities, supporting and enabling them to access and receive physical and mental health first aid. We do this through developing and providing effective community response and outreach services (e.g. Ambulance response & Nighttime Economy) and using our longstanding expertise to empower people with vital clinical skills and the confidence to use them (e.g. our Volunteers and Community Advocates, NHS Cadets and Young Responders programmes). There is also a buoyant social enterprise network which delivers first aid training and supplies medical consumables to businesses and consumers.

Job Summary

We’re looking for an experienced and forward-thinking finance leader to play a central role in shaping the future of the finance team at St John Ambulance. Reporting to the Finance Director (who reports directly to the CEO), this is a high-impact position at the heart of our finance transformation journey—ideal for a self-motivated, qualified accountant who thrives on change and making an impact.

As a senior leader within the organisation, you’ll be instrumental in driving the evolution of our finance function, leading and developing a large, multi-disciplinary team. You'll bring deep expertise across a broad range of finance disciplines and be excited by the opportunity to embed best practices, streamline processes, and strengthen financial governance.

This is more than a technical role—it's a strategic leadership opportunity. You'll collaborate with senior stakeholders across the organisation and externally, using your communication and influencing skills to shape decision-making and support our charitable mission.

You’ll oversee the delivery of timely, accurate management accounts and play a key role in providing high-quality financial reporting to our Trustees and Finance Committee. You'll also take the lead on our statutory audited accounts, acting as the principal contact for both internal and external auditors.

With additional responsibility for cashflow forecasting, treasury management, tax compliance, VAT, and gift aid, this role ensures St John maintains robust financial governance. While charity sector experience is an advantage, it's your passion for making a difference and your leadership in finance that will set you apart.

About You

• Educated to degree level with a full professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, or CIMA).
• Significant post-qualification experience (PQE) in senior financial accounting roles, with strong technical expertise.
• Proven track record in producing annual statutory accounts and successfully managing external audit processes.
• Extensive experience leading and developing large finance teams within complex organisations, driving performance and accountability.
• Skilled in preparing management accounts, income and expenditure reports, and cash flow forecasts to support strategic decision-making.
• Demonstrated success in finance team transformation, implementing process improvements, and enhancing financial controls.
• Experienced in stakeholder engagement at all levels, including Board reporting, and providing expert technical accounting advice to support change and excellence.

About the Role

• Lead statutory and management reporting: Oversee the production of audited statutory financial statements and timely completion of the external audit. Ensure best practice in external financial reporting and take full responsibility for the accuracy and delivery of monthly management accounts.
• Own cash flow and balance sheet management: Lead the preparation of the charity’s monthly rolling cash flow forecast and ensure full ownership of the balance sheet, including timely and accurate reconciliations.
• Strengthen financial controls and working capital: Ensure effective financial processes and controls within transactional teams to manage working capital and drive continuous improvement in financial operations.
• Oversee compliance and tax: Identify, manage and control financial risks, including tax compliance. Provide expert technical accounting advice and ensure the charity remains fully compliant in all taxation matters, including VAT and gift aid.
• Drive counter fraud and governance improvements: Act as the financial lead for the charity’s control environment and counter fraud framework. Champion improvements in fraud awareness, culture, and control.
• Manage key external relationships: Serve as the main contact for the charity’s bankers and investment managers, and act as secretary to the Finance Committee and Investment Advisory Group.
• Optimise treasury and investment performance: Lead treasury activities to maximise returns on working capital and investments, ensuring alignment with the charity’s strategic objectives.
• Develop team and performance culture: Foster a high-performing finance team through regular 1-1s, development reviews, and team meetings. Embed a strong performance management culture in line with St John Ambulance policies.

Please see the job description for more detail (this can be viewed on our website or once you click apply)

If you are a current St John Ambulance employee, please apply here: Click here

For all other candidates, or St John Ambulance volunteers wishing to apply: please apply below

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive high volume of applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

St John Ambulance are committed to increasing the diversity of our team and making sure we best reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.At St John, everyone is valued and supported to thrive, we have several networks including Multi Culture, Disability and Accessibility, Pride, Family and Carers and Women’s groups.  We do not tolerate any form of discrimination and engender a sense of belonging for all, by creating an environment of mutual respect, where we value unique differences and demonstrate authentic allyship. We believe passionately in equality, diversity and inclusion.

St John Ambulance is committed to safeguarding and we promote safe recruitment practice. Therefore, all successful applicants will undergo pre-employment checks, including DBS Clearance, as part of the onboarding process, if applicable to the nature of the role

Please note: St John does not accept speculative CVs and will only review CVs sent in application for an advertised vacancy.

Contracted Weekly Hours: 37.5. Monday to Friday 9am-5pm

Contract Type: Fixed term – 12 months

Annual leave: 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays per annum

Salary: £45,000

Location: ICN office in Bournemouth

International Care Network is a Christian charity whose aim is to help to rebuild the lives of asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants. We are looking for a Director of Operations to oversee and optimise the day to day administrative and operational functions of the organisation to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of the charitable programmes and services. The Director of Operations will work closely with the senior leadership team (CEO and department managers) to develop and implement strategic plans, promote diversity and inclusion and drive organisational growth and impact

ICN provides benefits to staff including:

• Company pension scheme.
• A degree of flexibility with contracted hours.
• Staff welfare opportunities including socials.
• Training opportunities relevant to role.

ICN will seek to ensure that all existing and potential employees are given equal opportunities. We are committed to diversity and equality of opportunity in our employment policies and practices. Our aim is to promote diversity so that no employee or potential employee will be subject to unlawful or unfair discrimination because of gender, age, marital or civil partnership status, colour, race, nationality or other ethnic or national origin, disability, religion, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy or maternity or membership or non-membership of a trade union or political beliefs. We will seek to ensure that no applicant for employment is disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be justified.

ICN take the safeguarding of service users, staff and volunteers very seriously, with a robust safeguarding policy and process in place. As part of this ICN are committed to developing a safe culture ensuring that all steps are taken to recruit staff and volunteers who are safe to work with our service users and staff, including requiring relevant DBS checks to be taken for roles working with children and/or vulnerable adults.

We are seeking a highly motivated and experienced Technical Project Lead to manage and collaborate with an external development/implementation partner and coordinate the smooth adoption of Salesforce within the Charity.  This critical role will be responsible for the full project lifecycle, from planning and requirements gathering to execution, testing, training, and post-implementation support. You will be the central point of contact for all project stakeholders, ensuring seamless communication and collaboration throughout the project.

 Main Responsibilities

• Work with the Director or Finance & Operations (DFO)  to invite tenders for and engage a development / implementation partner to support the adoption of this phase of Salesforce implementation
• Work with the development/implementation partner to develop detailed project plans, timelines, budgets, and resource allocation. Manage the execution of these plans, tracking progress, and ensuring on-time and within-budget delivery.
• Coordinate with the implementation partner to gather and document business requirements from relevant team members to translate these into technical specifications.
• Lead and motivate key stakeholders including the implementation partner and end-users. Foster a collaborative environment and ensure effective communication between team members.
• Act as the primary point of contact for all project stakeholders, providing regular updates on project status, risks, and issues. Manage stakeholder expectations and ensure their buy-in throughout the project.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate potential project risks. Develop contingency plans to address unforeseen challenges and ensure project success.
• Define and implement quality assurance processes to ensure the delivered Salesforce solution meets business requirements and is free of defects. Oversee testing activities and ensure proper documentation of test results.
• Develop and execute change management plans to ensure smooth user adoption of the new Salesforce solution. Provide training and support to end-users.
• Manage project budgets effectively, tracking expenses and ensuring cost-effectiveness.
• Maintain comprehensive project documentation, including project plans, requirements documents, technical specifications, test plans, and user manuals.
• Providing updates against outcomes / budget to the Director of Development (Grants/Major Gifts) to enable rigorous, timely feedback to the project funder.

 Person specification 

• Proven experience (three years minimum) of leading digital transformation projects, with a strong focus on Salesforce implementations and customisations and a strong record of success.
• Deep understanding of Salesforce platform capabilities.
• Excellent project management skills, including budget and stakeholder management.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and leadership skills with the ability to explain technical concepts to diverse audiences.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.  
• Ability to manage, coordinate and get buy-in from technically inexperienced team members.
• Experience with data migration and integration is a plus.
• An understanding of safeguarding data, confidentiality, safe working practices and GDPR compliance.
• Knowledge of appropriate project management frameworks (agile, waterfall) to set project scope, meeting key milestones and budget constraints
• An understanding of equal opportunities issues and a commitment to diversity.
• Commitment to Create, its activities and mission.

Terms & Conditions

• This is a part-time (0.6 FTE), fixed term contract for one year, with a review to extend at the end of that term.
• This role is based in London.
• Salary: £45,000 per annum pro rata (0.6 FTE).
• Holiday: 25 days (including 3 faith days*) + 8 Public Holidays pro rata.
• A beautiful office based in the City of London. Hybrid working is available following induction period.
• 21-hour week: standard office hours are 9.30am-5.30pm, Monday to Friday with an hour for lunch. Work outside these hours is required on occasions.
• The opportunity to visit projects and Showcase events.
• As part of Create’s Green Action Plan, the charity offers the Cycle to Work scheme. T&C Apply.
• In line with Create’s Safeguarding Policy, all staff are required to have a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which Create will carry out upon appointment.

*  Create closes the office over the Christmas period. For staff members who celebrate other faith days, however, the charity is happy to discuss alternative dates.

Create is committed to a policy of equal opportunities embracing diversity in all areas of activity and positively welcomes applications from disabled people and people of all ethnicities.