Central Services Support Officer Jobs in Hammersmith, Greater London

Home-Start is committed to promoting the welfare of families with young children to ensure that they have the best start in life. We are seeking a Volunteer Manager to recruit and develop a diverse team of volunteers, to support our work with families in Barnet, Brent and Harrow. This is a challenging role as the sector has seen a real decline in volunteering in recent years, so we're looking for an innovative, forward thinking change-maker who is ready to test new approaches.

Additionally, the Volunteer Manager will be a creative communicator, with the ability to build supportive relationships with a very large and diverse group of volunteers. The postholder will ensure that volunteers receive training, development and supervision to support the families we work with, and that high standards of practice are maintained. They will promote initiatives to increase the retention of existing volunteers and ensure that they are recognised and rewarded for their work.They will also promote Home-Start in each of the boroughs where we work, seeking opportunities for recruitment within local communities.

The work requires a combination of field-based community engagement and training in Barnet, Brent and Harrow and regular days in the office which is in Finchley, Barnet.

VERTIC is looking to appoint a Head of Finance. The role involves managing the full range of the organisation’s finances and administrative functions. This includes budgeting and forecasting at the project, programme and central level as well as running the day-to-day financial and other organisational operations. The role will also involve maintaining and developing robust and user-friendly, financial and operational systems to underpin our work.  This is a great opportunity to work with an established and growing NGO with activities reaching around the world and to help maintain and strengthen its finance, administrative and operational functions. 

The role requires having significant experience in charity and not for profit financial management, as well as in overseeing the life-cycle of grants and other contracts from governments, organisations and charitable foundations internationally. You should have substantial experience in accounting and resource management software, audit processes and HR matters. We are looking for someone with excellent communication skills who can work with and present to colleagues across the organisation and understand the needs of their programmes and projects. The organisation is dynamic and has been growing in terms of the size and number of grants it has internationally. The organisation is relatively small in terms of staff numbers. The successful candidate should therefore be prepared to be adaptable and flexible and be able to move from strategic activities to sleeves up work with ease.

About us:

VERTIC (the Verification Research, Training and Information Centre) is an independent, non-profit making charitable organisation. Established in 1986, VERTIC supports the development, implementation and verification of international agreements to improve international peace, security, environment and development. Our activities cover international treaties and mechanisms preventing nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, measures promoting stabilisation between conventional forces, challenges and opportunities from new technologies, International Health Regulations and sustainable development. To support progress in these areas, VERTIC provides innovative research, capacity-building, and engagement with governmental, regulatory, diplomatic, scientific and non-governmental communities around the world. Our outputs include technical advice and planning materials, publications, presentations, information tools, databases, as well as events, workshops, training and exercises. We run projects solely and in partnerships with other organisations.

We carry out our activities across Africa, Asia, Europe and North and South America, and the Pacific. Our staff is comprised of international legal experts, scientists and policy analysts from a range of nationalities and disciplines. VERTIC has an office in London and staff and consultants based in other countries. The organisation’s funding comes from governments, regional and international organisations such as the EU and United Nations and charitable foundations. Our role ranges from lead implementer coordinating other partners, to sub-contractor. VERTIC is governed by a Board of Trustees and regulated by the Charity Commission for England and Wales. 

Functions and responsibilities

Organisation level

· Prepare annual, quarterly and monthly budgets and projections at the organisational and programme level along with management accounts and cash flow reports.

· Analyse forward cash and fundraising projections and needs.

· Brief and work with Executive Director on financial, HR and administrative matters including financial needs, staffing, projections, scenarios and planning, and risk monitoring.

· Prepare and present financial reports to Board of Trustees meetings.

· Ensure the Charity meets its statutory obligations to HMRC and Charity Commission and other relevant bodies as necessary, as well as insurance obligations.

· Keep the organisation compliant and up to date on law and best practices related to charity finance, governance, risk monitoring, HR and operations in UK and internationally.

· Prepare and submit annual statutory financial statements, prepare and facilitate the audit process.

· Help maintain, update and communicate VERTIC financial policies, procedures and controls.

· Maintain, develop and, where necessary, overhaul the organisation’s financial, HR and operational IT and physical infrastructure and records to ensure they are standardized and consistent, user-friendly, up to date, appropriately accessible and resilient.

· Ensure financial and related systems facilitate organisational stability, hand-over, and efficient knowledge-transfer including for financial management processes, software tools and records.

· Review and implement methodologies for calculating organisational financial needs and internal allocation approaches for full cost recovery, day charge out rates, overheads and reserves.

· Monitor restricted and unrestricted fund allocation

· Manage day-to-day finances, scheduling, tracking and fulfilling invoices and payments to suppliers, service providers in the UK and abroad.

· Manage bookkeeping activities, including transaction recording in the organisation’s books and reconciliation.  

· Manage bank and financial service provider accounts in various currencies, oversee fund transfers, process credit cards and charge card accounts.

· Address foreign exchange rates currency implications for the organisation. 

· For UK and international/non-UK staff: monitor staff time and leave records; ensure payroll and related employment payments are fulfilled and records kept; manage HR matters related to employment contracts, visas, salaries, time, leave, social security, pensions, benefits and expenses; assist with onboarding, offboarding, handovers.

· Support organisational level cyber security practices related to finance and operations.

· Review project contracts from funders, address due diligence and compliance matters, and keep VERTIC’s template contracts for consultants and organisations in line with best practice.

· Ensure new grants are recorded across VERTIC’s system including identifying funder rules and internal responsibilities.

· Oversee office management

Programme and project level

· Support Programme Directors with financial monitoring and planning for time allocation needs across staff and consultants, project delivery capacity, billing, fundraising, and expenditure - over monthly, quarterly and annual timelines.

· Oversee financial management of grants and other types of contract from governments from multiple regions, international organisations and charitable foundations.

· Schedule, prepare, submit and track financial reports to funders and invoices to funders, including submitting invoices on government finance systems.

· Monitor payment of invoices.

· Prepare for and host project-level audits.

· Support staff with project and activity level finances and expenditure monitoring.

· Support Programmes in fundraising by assisting with project budgets (covering staffing, travel to meetings, workshop costs, research tools, sub-contractors in the UK and overseas).

· Ensure adherence to government and charitable foundation funder rules and requirements on finance-related matters (procurement, due diligence, exchange rate methodologies, transactions, anti-bribery, anti-corruption, sanctions, management quality assurance, ethics)

· Assist with the preparation and review of contracts for sub-contractors and consultants

· Oversee/support staff with travel, event and other expenditure.

Requirements

· Significant level of experience in finance, operations and administration including in a senior/leadership role with responsibility for a department or small to medium organisation.  

· Understanding of charity accounting requirements.

· Experience in managing charity / not for profit finances including management accounts, budgets, monitoring and planning, day-to-day operations on banking, income and payments.

· Experience in using common accounting and management software, including QuickBooks, knowledge of ERPs is desirable.

· Familiarity with HR and project management software and service provider web portals.

· Experience in contract management from government and charitable foundation funders in the UK and overseas.

· Experience with financial requirements in fundraising from governments and foundations.

· Experience in HR in the UK and internationally.

· Experience with organisational practices such as strong cyber security and compliance.

· Excellent communication skills, including to non-finance staff and partners.

· Strong organisational and prioritisation skills, proactiveness, ability to work to tight deadlines.

· Ability to oversee and strengthen overall financial system as needed.

· Comfortable in hybrid and remote working environments.

· Familiarity with working with stakeholders from a variety of different cultures and regions.

· Ability to travel on occasion.

· Education and qualifications: at least a Bachelors level degree; Accountancy Qualification (e.g. ACA, ACCA or CIMA)

The organisation currently operates a hybrid working policy for staff based in and around London. At present, this role requires attendance in person on a number of days to be agreed and requires availability during office hours.  These factors can be further determined based on whether the agreement is for a full or part time position. You must have the right to work in the UK to apply for this post.

In return, we offer:

● A competitive salary commensurate with the candidate's qualifications and experience.

● 25 days annual leave allowance.

● Flexible working practices (including working from home).

● Relocation support.

● Pension scheme.

● Life insurance.

● Opportunities for education and training support.

Note: This Job Description reflects the current situation. It does not preclude change or development that might be required in the future.

VERTIC is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to ensuring the representation of people from all backgrounds regardless of their gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to apply and would encourage you to let us know if there are steps we can take to ensure that your recruitment process enables you to present yourself in a way that makes you comfortable.

Company Description

We are at a pivotal moment: the climate and biodiversity crises are deepening, and inequalities are even more marked in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The global investment system has an oversized impact on many of these global challenges. We want to make sure that impact is positive. At ShareAction we work with investors, policymakers and individuals to unleash the positive potential of the investment system. We aim to build a world where our financial system serves our planet and its people.

Team

ShareAction’s Banking Standards team seeks to work with stakeholders such as banks, investors, and NGOs to make sure the banking industry take responsibility for their impact on people and planet. We have a history of campaigning on key aspects of banks’ climate strategies – such as their emission reduction targets or their fossil fuel policies – and we are gradually expanding our campaigning, research, and engagement work to other sustainability themes and banking regulation.

Position

What you’ll do (key responsibilities)

The research arm of the Banking Standards team ensures that ShareAction’s banking campaign is based on sound analyses and facts. Our Research Managers are responsible for analysing banks’ position on climate change, related industry standards, and market developments. Based on in-depth assessments, they formulate recommendations to strengthen banks’ commitments and inform engagement by investors and other stakeholders. Insights and recommendations are typically grounded in the following types of research:

• Investor briefings and short research notes reviewing climate-related commitments made by individual banks, either on a specific area of their climate strategy (e.g. in response to a new commitment) or across their climate strategy (e.g. to support a shareholder resolution or voting recommendation).
• Thematic reports and internal position papers reviewing how the European banking sector aims to address a specific issue and/or the relevant standards banks relies on (e.g. to inform engagement on new areas of work like green finance or refine existing campaign asks like fossil fuel policies).
• Banking surveys ranking European banks on their approach to climate change across are a range of themes (e.g. governance, climate targets, sector policies), in collaboration with the Financial Sector Research team.

The Research Manager is responsible for tracking banks’ commitments on an ongoing basis and ensure this information feeds into all types of research in a consistent and timely manner. This role closely collaborates with campaigners and support engagement efforts with research insights. They also lead on certain investor briefings, research notes, and thematic research under the supervision of the Senior Research Manager.

Specifically, the Research Manager leads on the following areas of work:

• Monitoring banks’ climate-related commitments on an ongoing basis and reflecting new commitments and updates in an internal database (‘banking tracker’) in a consistent and timely manner, enabling accurate and efficient uses across various research and campaigning activities. For example, the banking tracker will help streamline the pre-filling of banks’ individual questionnaires for the banks survey.
• Producing thematic research to inform ShareAction’s position and recommendations on climate-related issues. Initially, the Research Manager will conduct research on topics included in the banking survey but not covered by existing thematic reports (e.g. governance). This research will directly inform the development of the next banking survey questionnaire.
• Drafting investor briefings and similar research materials in close collaboration with campaigners to support engagement with focus banks, members of our investor coalitions, and journalists, amongst others.
• Presenting research to banks and other stakeholders including investors in meetings or webinars.
• Drafting responses to external consultations and taking ownership of consultations in specific areas of expertise.
• This role will be possibly required to line-manage and mentor one Senior Research Officer, addressing development needs and fostering their professional growth.

The Research Manager will also support other areas of work in the banking team, including:

• Delivering the banking survey (feeding into the research questionnaire, collecting data, and inputting into specific sections of the report
• Filing shareholder resolutions
• Drafting investor letters and AGM questions
• Among other operational needs (e.g. note taking during meetings)

The Research Manager will initially be contracted on a 12-month fixed term contract. We are aiming to make this position permanent; however, this is contingent on securing longer term funding for the role by the end of the 12-month period.

Requirements

What you’ll bring to the team

Essential

• Passionate about climate change, sustainability, and/or the role of the financial system in addressing these issues.
• In-depth understanding of climate change issues, particularly as they relate to financial institutions and preferably the banking sector.
• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to autonomously manage research projects, allocate tasks, and prioritise multiple competing priorities to meet deadlines.
• Excellent analytical skills, with the ability to analyse complex quantitative and qualitative data, produce detailed reports, and summarise findings.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and ability to leverage Excel to produce research insights and/or manage data.
• Strong verbal and written communications skills, with the ability to convey complex information to a wide variety of audiences and build productive working relationships.
• Team player who actively seeks opportunities to support colleagues and is willing to support other areas of work when needed.

Desirable

• Experience in managing or mentoring more junior members of staff.
• Good understanding of how private commercial banks operate and what products & services their offer to corporate and retail clients.
• Knowledge of data management software or programming languages (e.g., SQL, Python)
• Knowledge of Scrum or Agile working methods.

What we will do for you

Working with ShareAction will offer you the opportunity to achieve significant personal impact in one of the most respected and exciting organisations in the responsible investment space.

ShareAction seeks to offer all its employees an exceptional working experience with opportunities to develop existing and new skills, applying them in ways that help change the world for the better. You will be challenged but also supported very actively to succeed within a friendly, high performing and highly motivated team.

• You will be part of a team that has had demonstrable impact on the climate strategies and sustainability commitments of large European banks.
• You will benefit from a highly supportive work environment, with a focus on equality, employee wellbeing and mental health.
• You will have access to a flexible office space in central London and regular social events with colleagues. As a team, we generally meet in the office every Tuesday. We would be keen for the successful applicant to join us at least twice a month if they are based outside of London.
• You will have access to internal and external training opportunities, from formal training courses to informal ‘lunch & learn’ sessions with visiting speakers. We will also provide you with any training you may need to use our systems.
• We have yearly objective setting to ensure that you are receiving the support you require.
• All our roles are subject to a settling in period which will give you very supportive start to your journey with us.

Other information

Contract type: 12-month Fixed Term

Who it reports to: Senior Research Manager

Salary: £41,460 - £44,694 + 8% pension contribution

(We normally offer a starting salary at the start of the range)

Deadline for applications: 9am on Monday 24 June

Interview dates: There will be two rounds of interviews. The first round will take place online from 1-5 July 2024 and the second will take place from 15 to 17 July. Any offer is subject to funding being secured.

ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcome applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities and so if you are not 100 per cent sure that you meet all the requirements but believe you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply and use the application questions to tell us about your experience and what you hope to bring to this role.

We also actively encourage staff to consider flexible working arrangements, recognising that a better work-life balance can improve employee motivation, performance and productivity, and reduce stress. Therefore we want to support our employees to achieve a better balance between work and their other priorities, such as caring responsibilities, leisure activities, further learning and other interests. We are committed to agreeing any flexible working arrangements, provided that the needs and objectives of both the organisation and the employee can be met. Please talk to us at the interview about the flexibility you need. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking (As at May 2024, just 35% of us work 'standard' full time hours of 5 7-hour days).

Please note that as part of the induction process, you will be expected to attend the London office in person during your first week in post, to cover items including Health & Safety, IT set-up, Office Orientation and Team member introductions.

ShareAction’s London office is based in vibrant Aldgate and a short walk from Aldgate East underground. Remote working will remain the norm for many ShareAction staff, with office space available as described in London for those who wish to use it.

Please note that to be considered for this post you must be legally eligible to work in the UK. Due to current restrictions, we are unable to hire anyone that isn’t already living in the UK. Due to our size, we are unable to sponsor visas.

Please be aware that when shortlisting we are looking for a sense of a candidate's unique voice and individual experience, especially if you are using generative AI tools as part of your drafting process.

Company Description

We are at a pivotal moment: the climate and biodiversity crises are deepening, and inequalities are even more marked in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. The global investment system has an oversized impact on many of these global challenges. We want to make sure that impact is positive. At ShareAction we work with investors, policymakers and individuals to unleash the positive potential of the investment system. We aim to build a world where our financial system serves our planet and its people.

Team

ShareAction’s Banking Standards team seeks to work with stakeholders such as banks, investors, and NGOs to make sure the banking industry take responsibility for their impact on people and planet. We have a history of campaigning on key aspects of banks’ climate strategies – such as their emission reduction targets or their fossil fuel policies – and we are gradually expanding our campaigning, research, and engagement work to other sustainability themes and banking regulation.

Position

What you’ll do (key responsibilities)

The Research Intern will primarily support the Senior Research Manager in updating, maintaining, and further developing a database tracking climate-related commitments made by the largest European banks. The commitments that we currently track include banks’ fossil fuel policies and emission reduction targets. The banking tracker is a critical source of information with multiple use cases: data collection for the banking survey and other research reports, engagement with banks and investors, and ability to respond quickly to announcements and media queries. The banking tracker was initially developed in 2021 to address specific research-related needs but has rapidly grown in size, in line with the scope of our banking research. Its use cases have also evolved in line with campaigning activities, and researchers aim to update it on an ongoing basis (e.g. when a bank makes a new commitment). Maintaining the database mobilises significant resources and further developments are needed to unlock the intended efficiencies and economies of scale across various use cases. The database is currently hosted in Excel and we are exploring alternative database management systems. The Research Intern will primarily support this effort during a 12-month internship.

In close collaboration with banking researchers, the Research Intern will contribute to the following tasks:

• Streamlining the structure of our internalbanking tracker (currently in Excel) and data collection process to ensure updates are made in a consistent manner across banks and themes (e.g. decarbonisation targets, sector policies such as fossil fuel policies).
• Developing our banking tracker to include new research themes (e.g. green finance targets).
• Integrating our banking tracker into the research process for banking surveys, ensuring that data can feed into survey questionnaires and scoring sheets.
• Strengthening the environment and infrastructure of the database to address performance issues and minimise operational errors.
• Reviewing banks’ sustainability disclosures and updating the banking tracker accordingly.

We are keen for the Research Intern to get exposure to all areas of ShareAction’s banks workstream. Depending on the team needs, the intern might be asked to:

• Support the Senior Campaigns Officer review resolutions paperwork.
• Contribute to the development of research positions that will inform the contents of our next banking survey and the more systematic consideration of climate justice concerns into our work.
• Provide ad-hoc admin and team support.

Requirements

What you’ll bring to the team

Essential

• Strong interest in climate change, sustainability, and/or the role of the financial system in addressing these issues.
• Strong interest in data analytics and/or data management.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Excel and comfortable using common features of Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Word.
• Attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy.
• Good communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Team player willing to support and learn from colleagues.

Desirable

• Experience using data management software or programming languages (e.g., SQL, Python) or willingness to quickly expand on foundational knowledge.
• High-level understanding of products and services offered by banks to retail and corporate clients.

What we will do for you

Working with ShareAction will offer you the opportunity to achieve significant personal impact in one of the most respected and exciting organisations in the responsible investment space.

ShareAction seeks to offer all its employees an exceptional working experience with opportunities to develop existing and new skills, applying them in ways that help change the world for the better. You will be challenged but also supported very actively to succeed within a friendly, high performing and highly motivated team.

• You will be part of a team that has had demonstrable impact on the climate strategies and sustainability commitments of large European banks.
• You will benefit from a highly supportive work environment, with a focus on equality, employee wellbeing and mental health.
• You will have access to a flexible office space in central London and regular social events with colleagues. As a team, we generally meet in the office every Tuesday. We would be keen for the successful applicant to join us at least twice a month if they are based outside of London.
• You will have access to internal and external training opportunities, from formal training courses to informal ‘lunch & learn’ sessions with visiting speakers. We will also provide you with any training you may need to use our systems.
• We have yearly objective setting to ensure that you are receiving the support you require.
• All our roles are subject to a settling in period which will give you very supportive start to your journey with us.

Other information

Contract type: 12-month fixed contract

Who it reports to: Senior Research Manager

Salary: £23,933 + 8% pension contribution

Deadline for applications: 9am on Monday 24th June

Interview dates: The first round of interviews will take place from 8th to 11th July. The second round of interviews will take place from 24th to 26th July. We are willing to demonstrate flexibility for the right candidate. Any offer is subject to funding being secured.

ShareAction values and respects all differences in people (seen and unseen) and welcome applications from all backgrounds, communities and industries. We are committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills, experiences and abilities and so if you are not 100 per cent sure that you meet all the requirements but believe you could excel in this role, we encourage you to apply and use the application questions to tell us about your experience and what you hope to bring to this role.

We also actively encourage staff to consider flexible working arrangements, recognising that a better work-life balance can improve employee motivation, performance and productivity, and reduce stress. Therefore we want to support our employees to achieve a better balance between work and their other priorities, such as caring responsibilities, leisure activities, further learning and other interests. We are committed to agreeing any flexible working arrangements, provided that the needs and objectives of both the organisation and the employee can be met. Please talk to us at the interview about the flexibility you need. We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise not to judge you for asking (As at May 2024, just 35% of us work 'standard' full time hours of 5 7-hour days).

Please note that as part of the induction process, you will be expected to attend the London office in person during your first week in post, to cover items including Health & Safety, IT set-up, Office Orientation and Team member introductions.

ShareAction’s London office is based in vibrant Aldgate and a short walk from Aldgate East underground. Remote working will remain the norm for many ShareAction staff, with office space available as described in London for those who wish to use it.

Please note that to be considered for this post you must be legally eligible to work in the UK. Due to current restrictions, we are unable to hire anyone that isn’t already living in the UK. Due to our size, we are unable to sponsor visas.

Please be aware that when shortlisting we are looking for a sense of a candidate's unique voice and individual experience, especially if you are using generative AI tools as part of your drafting process.