Communications lead jobs in bath, bath and north east somerset

Salary: £32,000 – £39,000
Contract: Permanent, full-time
Closing date: Rolling
Location: Hybrid / Home-based
Benefits: Flexible working options, with the option to be based remotely in the southern region, and compressed/part-time hours considered.

Are you a passionate fundraiser looking for an opportunity to step into a Senior Fundraising Officer role? We’re thrilled to be working with the amazing Lifelites, a charity dedicated to transforming the lives of children with life-limiting conditions as they look for a driven Senior Engagement and Fundraising Officer to join their team.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in developing and delivering high-quality supporter engagement strategies, with a particular focus on corporates, membership organisations (including Freemasonry), and special interest groups. You’ll lead on stewarding existing supporters, creating meaningful partnerships, and securing new opportunities for income generation and brand visibility across the southern half of England and Wales.  

This role would be perfect for someone with a track record of securing support from individuals, corporates, or community groups, who’s ready to step up into a more strategic, outward-facing role.

To be successful in the role of Senior Engagement and Fundraising Officer, you will need:

• Proven experience in managing and developing successful fundraising or partnership relationships with individuals, community groups, or corporates.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and presentation delivery.
• A track record of delivering stewardship programmes that encourage repeat giving and long-term engagement.

If you would like to have an informal discussion, please call and ask to speak to Jake.

Ashby Jenkins Recruitment are a specialist charity recruitment agency, we use our extensive sector knowledge and experience to match candidates to the most suitable roles. We take a relationship-led approach to recruitment, working ethically, supporting people to find their perfect role within the not-for-profit sector.

We are passionate about improving equality across the sector, you can read more about our commitment to diversity on our website.

If enough applications are received, the charity reserve the right to end the application period sooner.
 

Finance Manager - 4 days per week - National

Are you an experienced Finance Manager keen to join a growing organisation that makes a big impact on the health and wellbeing of children and adults through the healing power of music? Charity People is delighted to be partnering with Music in Hospitals & Care, a £1million turnover organisation to help recruit a part time Finance Manager.

Reporting to the Head of Finance, you will be managing one Finance Assistant. Working closely with the Head of Finance overseeing all processes and controls that feed into management accounts preparation, you will also be business partnering with the Senior Leadership Team, and budget holders.

This is a pivotal time to join this amazing charity, with an inclusive and strong CEO and staff.

Salary: £40,000 per annum (this will be pro-rata'd for 30hours per week)
Benefits Excellent benefits package including 35 days per year (inclusive of bank holidays), Employer Pension contribution of 6%, Death in Service benefits, access to an Employee Assistance Programme, and the opportunity for flexible working.
Contract: Part time 30 hours per week, Permanent
Location: Remote based role with an occasional travel to London, we encourage applicants from across the UK.

Key duties and responsibilities will include:

• Oversee day-to-day financial operations, working with Finance Assistant to ensure all financial transactions are recorded accurately.
• Lead the completion of month-end processes including preparation and posting of journals, balance sheet reconciliations including restricted fund reconciliations, and maintenance of control accounts.
• Assist the Head of Finance on drafting management accounts and cashflow
• Provide financial business partnering support to Senior Leadership Team and Managers as required.
• Collate and provide monthly payroll information to external payroll provider, reconciling payroll outputs to financial records.
• Support the Head of Finance in the preparation of year-end financial statements in line with the Charity SORP and statutory requirements.
• Act as the lead point of contact for the annual audit process, liaising with external auditors and preparing audit schedules and documentation as required.
• Act as a key contact for the charity's banking, payment platforms (Stripe, CAF, Paypal etc) and financial systems (Sage).
• Monitor bank accounts, oversee and authorise payment uploads, and ensure accurate reporting via banking platforms.
• Provide reconciliations for fundraising between CRM (Beacon) and Financial System (Sage).
• Lead and empower the Finance Assistant

Candidates applying for this role must have the following:

• Qualified by Experience (QBE), a recognised CCAB qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) or working towards a recognised Finance qualification
• Producing monthly or quarterly management accounts and providing suitable narrative as required
• Supporting or leading on aspects of the year-end processes and/ or the annual audit, including producing year-end schedules, accounts and liaising with the auditors
• Ability to build strong relationships with budget holders and being able to challenge them in a compassionate and respectful manner
• Strong verbal and written communication skills at all levels
• Strong interpersonal skills and being proactive
• Experience working on Sage 50

This role will be closing on 13th July, 2025 and candidates shortlisted will be required to answer three questions which will form as part of shortlisting by the client.

Therefore, please do apply without further delay!

Due to the nature of this role, the client may close this position early if we have suitable candidates.

First stage interviews will be held via MSTeams on Friday 18th July
Second stage interviews via MSTeams on Wednesday 23rd July

Charity People is a forward thinking, inclusive organisation that actively and deliberately promotes equity, diversity and inclusion. We know organisations thrive when inclusion is at the forefront. We evidence our commitment by matching charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates irrespective of background e.g. age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We do this because we believe that greater diversity leads to greater results for the charities we work with.

Partnerships Manager (Corporate and Philanthropy) 

Remote, with UK travel 

4 days or 30 hours per week 

£40,000 FTE, pro-rata £32,000 

If you are imaginative, entrepreneurial, and able to persuade people and organisations to support one of the most important causes in the UK today, this could be the opportunity you have been waiting for. This is an outstanding opportunity to build your professional brand in a transformed organisation with ambitious plans for the future. 

For more details see job description.  

To apply, please send us a CV describing your achievements to date in your career. As we have an immediate need to fill this role, please give details of your availability to start date.  

Shortlisted applicants will then be asked to submit a short PowerPoint presentation (no more than 10 slides), demonstrating both your understanding of the opportunities for AMR Action UK to partner with Corporates and with Philanthropic individuals/organisations, and why you are the right person for the role.  

As we have an immediate need to fill this role please apply early as shortlisted applicants may be asked for their PowerPoint presentation and to interview quickly. 

The closing date is 13th July 2025.  

Role Overview
The Talent Set are delighted to partner with our client on a fantastic Prospect Research Manager role. This exciting opportunity is for a highly skilled and experienced individual to join our client's team, leading the prospect research function and driving fundraising success. The successful candidate will be responsible for identifying and researching new prospects, managing existing pipelines, and collaborating with internal stakeholders to deliver high-impact fundraising campaigns.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the prospect research function, developing and implementing strategies to identify and qualify new prospects
• Collaborate with internal stakeholders, including Account Managers and the Prospect Research Officer, to allocate prospects and drive fundraising campaigns
• Manage existing pipelines, tracking progress and ensuring timely follow-up with prospects
• Conduct due diligence on prospects, including research and analysis to inform fundraising strategies
• Champion the use of the CRM system and ensure data protection best practices are adhered to
• Promote good practice amongst the team, sharing knowledge and expertise to drive continuous improvement
• Work closely with the team to allocate prospects and manage individual pools
• Develop and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including corporate partners and trusts and foundations

Person Specification

• Strong prospect research expertise, with experience of identifying and qualifying new prospects
• Excellent analytical and research skills, with the ability to conduct thorough due diligence on prospects
• Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively with internal stakeholders
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines, with a focus on delivering high-impact fundraising campaigns
• Experience of using CRM systems
• Strong data protection skills, with a focus on ensuring best practices are adhered to
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, with a flexible and adaptable approach

What’s on Offer
This role is offering a salary of £48,000 for this 12 month contract. This role can either be hybrid or remote. This is a fast moving role and applications will close as soon as a suitable candidate is found.

How to Apply
To apply, please submit your CV demonstrating your suitability for this role by clicking the 'apply now' button (please do not apply via email). We aim to get back to all successful candidates within 48 working hours.

Commitment to Diversity
The Talent Set are committed to diverse and inclusive recruitment practices, ensuring equal opportunities for all applicants regardless of race, sexual orientation, disability, age, or gender. We actively encourage applications from a wide range of backgrounds and are always happy to make reasonable adjustments to ensure a fair recruitment process.

At Children’s University Trust, we believe every child deserves the opportunity to thrive through learning beyond the classroom. We’re a small, passionate team with bold ambitions to expand our impact – and we’re looking for an equally ambitious Business Development and Community Partnership Manager to lead the way.

This is more than just a development role. It's about building sustainable growth strategies, forging powerful partnerships, and shaping a future where opportunity is no longer defined by postcode or circumstance.

As our Business Development and Community Partnership Manager, you will take the lead in shaping and implementing visionary, data-driven growth strategies across three vital areas:

• Place-based memberships with schools, universities, councils’ departments, and third sector organisations.
• Individual “at home” subscriptions for children in areas without direct Children’s University provision or those who do not engage with traditional education.
• Strategic business partnerships with corporates and SMEs, securing vital funding and in-kind support.

You’ll be a key figure in our next phase of growth — identifying new opportunities, building meaningful relationships, and helping us scale our reach across the UK.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive new business activity and revenue growth across all three strategic areas.
• Build a strong, inclusive pipeline of potential members, partners, and funders.
• Manage and nurture relationships from first contact through to long-term collaboration.
• Use data and insight to shape decision-making and report progress to the board.
• Be a passionate ambassador for Children’s University at events, conferences, and online.

We’re Looking for Someone Who:

• Has a proven track record in income generation, partnerships or sales – all sector’s welcome!
• Is passionate about improving the lives of children and young people.
• Is a strategic thinker with the energy of a new business developer.
• Has the confidence to influence senior stakeholders and the empathy to build trust.
• Brings a creative, collaborative, and resilient mindset.
• Thrives in a fast-paced, flexible, remote-first environment.

Why Join Us?

• A unique chance to shape a growing national charity’s development strategy.
• A collaborative, driven team that values innovation and purpose.
• Flexible working, with one day a week in Manchester.
• An opportunity to truly change lives through education and opportunity.

If you’re excited by the chance to lead sustainable growth with purpose, and you want your work to matter, we want to hear from you.

Apply today and be part of a team creating a brighter future for children across the UK.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO) is a key member of the senior 
leadership team, responsible for overseeing the operational and 
financial management of the charity. 

As a Chartered Accountant, the COO will bring strong financial 
expertise and strategic insight to ensure the charity’s resources 
are efficiently and effectively used to deliver its mission. 

This includes managing the day-to-day operations, ensuring 
financial health and compliance, driving operational efficiency, 
and working closely with the CEO and Board to implement the 
charity’s strategic vision.

The Community Fundraising Team is an integral part of the Charity Fundraising Portfolio, by supporting a diverse range of inspiring supporter led fundraising activities. It is an exciting time to join the Team, as we plan for 25/26.

You will be one of our six Regional Community Fundraisers, based across the UK. Covering the East of England, you will focus on our key audiences of Individuals, Supporter Groups, Community organisations, Regional Corporates & Volunteers. Through the provision of exceptional stewardship & fundraising support, you will engage the community, maximising opportunities to raise funds in the Region. You will make the most of your boundless energy & creativity to inspire our community and will be the regional driving force, ensuring our Supporter Groups continue to thrive, & our annual Community Fundraising Campaigns including, The Big Bake & Twilight Walk Own Walks are a success.

You will be passionate about the role and in supporting the delivery of our strategic plans and objectives across the region.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

You’ll be a talented and highly motivated individual with a proven track record in community fundraising. With a “can do” approach, passion and enthusiasm, you’ll inspire and motivate our supporters. You will work tirelessly to ensure that they receive the best possible experience and see themselves as an integral part of our community. You will be confident in juggling a myriad of competing priorities and work well under pressure to meet deadlines. With exceptional communication skills & the ability to build relationships with a range of stakeholders, you will be creative & agile in your approach in making the most from a fundraising opportunity.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Developing & implementing a Regional Community Fundraising Strategy 25/26.
• Achieving agreed regional fundraising KPIs & contributing to the overall delivery of annual fundraising budgets and targets.
• Recruiting, building and maintaining relationships with the Community across the Region. Aiming to increase their fundraising and encourage their ongoing participation in events and activities. This may be through community fundraising or using our fundraising products or initiatives.
• Recruiting, training and managing a network of regional volunteers who will support activity in the Region.
• Working collaboratively across the wider Charity Team to identify fundraising opportunities & maximise income in the region.
• Keeping our CRM fully up to date with information about our supporters and their activities. Using that data to understand what motivates our supporters in order to provide excellent stewardship.

These unique and rewarding freelance audit opportunities would suit experienced experienced audit professionals that are flexible, love diverse travel experiences, supporting worthwhile causes and inspiring people. AfID is recruiting on behalf of a leading specialist in international NGO grant audit services for development donors such as the UN and the World Bank. Assignments would suit experienced qualified audit professionals with grant audit / management experience, ideally in a not-for-profit/ international development context

Role overview.

Complete international grant expenditure audits for a diverse range of projects (grant recipients) funded by international donor institutions ranging from emergency aid, to long term development in areas such as agriculture, health or infrastructure or technical research. Assignments are 1-3 weeks in length and based across the European mainland and the developing world. These are offered on an assignment by assignment basis, one to two months in advance.

Contractors can be based outside the UK 

Requirements

• Qualified ACA / ACCA or equivalent – 5+ years post qualified experience
• Grant management and audit and reporting experience with international institutions. Preference given to individuals that have worked on UN or EC grant assurance assignments
• Diplomacy and cultural sensitivity while working with a hugely diverse range of clients and beneficiaries
• A real interest in international development and associated funding structures
• Ideally professional/ fluency in a second language such as Spanish, German, French, Portugese
• Excellent communication, report writing and presentation skills in English.
• Resilience and adaptability

​ Personal attributes:

• At least 5-10+ years of relevant audit experience
• Ability to work under pressure; Strong planning, organisational and time management skills
• Sound technical and analytical skills, report writing and presentation skills

Passionate about international travel and development and willing to work in international locations. Individual must be prepared to travel to challenging locations when it is deemed safe to do so. Individuals must also be able to demonstrate effective past working practices when working remotely with a range of clients. 

The Community Fundraising Team is an integral part of the Charity Fundraising Portfolio, by supporting a diverse range of inspiring supporter led fundraising activities. It is an exciting time to join the Team, as we plan for 25/26.

You will be one of our six regional Community Fundraisers, based across the UK. Covering London & Central England, you will focus on our key audiences of individuals, supporter groups, community organisations, regional corporates & volunteers. Through the provision of exceptional stewardship & fundraising support, you will engage the community, maximising opportunities to raise funds in the region. You will make the most of your boundless energy & creativity to inspire our community and will be the regional driving force, ensuring our Supporter Groups continue to thrive, & our annual Community Fundraising Campaigns including, The Big Bake & Twilight Walk Own Walks are a success.

You will be passionate about the role and in supporting the delivery of our strategic plans and objectives across the region.

WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR:

You’ll be a talented and highly motivated individual with a proven track record in community fundraising. With a “can do” approach, passion and enthusiasm, you’ll inspire and motivate our supporters. You will work tirelessly to ensure that they receive the best possible experience and see themselves as an integral part of our community. You will be confident in juggling a myriad of competing priorities and work well under pressure to meet deadlines. With exceptional communication skills & the ability to build relationships with a range of stakeholders, you will be creative & agile in your approach in making the most from a fundraising opportunity.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• Developing & implementing a Regional Community Fundraising Strategy 25/26.
• Achieving agreed regional fundraising KPIs & contributing to the overall delivery of annual fundraising budgets and targets.
• Recruiting, building and maintaining relationships with the Community across the Region. Aiming to increase their fundraising and encourage their ongoing participation in events and activities. This may be through community fundraising or using our fundraising products or initiatives.
• Recruiting, training and managing a network of regional volunteers who will support activity in the Region.
• Working collaboratively across the wider Charity Team to identify fundraising opportunities & maximise income in the region.
• Keeping our CRM fully up to date with information about our supporters and their activities. Using that data to understand what motivates our supporters in order to provide excellent stewardship.

Our partner seeks a seasoned, analytical management accountant, with experience in project accounting and finance business partnering within an international charity. This is a 1 year fixed-term contract.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with project leads to monitor budgets and provide tailored financial insights, and regular reporting on project performance and expenditure tracking, ensuring effective resource management across funded initiatives.
• Prepare bespoke financial reports in line with external funding agreements, meeting all donor-specific compliance and deadline requirements.
• Serve as a primary contact for day-to-day finance-related queries from both UK and international colleagues, offering guidance on systems and processes.
• Contribute to the preparation of monthly management accounts, supporting senior finance colleagues in the analysis and review of organisational performance.
• Assist in the development of year-end statutory accounts and provide support throughout the external audit process, including documentation collation and response to auditor queries.

Requirements

• Part-qualified accountant with at least 2 years of experience working in a similar role within an international charity, and a sound knowledge of preparing management accounts, undertaking analysis and doing project and donor accounting.
• Strong IT and systems skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, a strong command of the English language and report writing ability.
• Team player, able to be supportive and manage a varied a workload with little supervision.

This role offers remote working from the UK, with the candidate expected to attend meetings in London once ever 2-3 months. This role is only open to candidates with the right to work in the UK without requiring sponsorship. This a 1 year FTC with an immediate start preferred.

THINK Consulting Solutions is launching a brand-new data function and we’re looking for an experienced leader to bring it to life and drive it forward.

As our first ever Director of THINK Data, you’ll build a new team, new services, and new ways of helping charities harness the power of data. You’ll bring leadership, commercial savvy, and a real understanding of how insight can transform fundraising, strategy, and impact.

From day one, you’ll sit on our senior leadership team, working closely with the Managing Director to grow this into a high-performing, income-generating pillar of our business.

This is a big role with big scope — ideal for someone with deep experience in data analytics, business development, and team leadership, especially within or aligned to the not-for-profit world.

We are looking for someone who has:

• Comprensive experience in data/insight roles at a senior level

• Proven track record of building and leading successful teams

• Confidence in developing data strategies and commercial services

• Strong communicator with a collaborative, solutions-focused style

If you are interested, please check out the Candidate Pack and apply via the Expression of Interest form on the THINK Careers page.

We will be hosting a webinar on Thursday 26th June for interested candidates to find out more. You can sign up to the webinar on THINK's Careers page. 

Stage 1 interviews will take place on Wednesday 23rd and Friday 25th July

Second stage will take place on Wednesday 6th and Thursday 7th August

Finance Business Partner - Personal Support

Are you an experienced Finance Business Partner looking for a role where you can make a real difference in the charity sector?

We have a fantastic and rewarding opportunity for two Finance professionals to join Mencap as Finance Business Partners (FBP) on permanent contracts. The roles will be supporting the operational division that provides care and support to adults with a learning disability across England, Cymru and Northern Ireland.

We are looking for people who are confident communicators with both finance colleagues and operational staff, adapting their style to their audience. People who are well organised, can prioritise their workload and have the ability to maintain accuracy and attention to detail while working to tight deadlines will thrive in this role.

The successful candidates will use their commercial awareness and work with management teams to help deliver strong financial performance across the regions they support, providing timely and accurate financial information to a variety of stakeholders.

We will consider both full-time and part-time applications and there is flexibility around where the roles are based. We have large offices in London and Peterborough and smaller offices located throughout the UK. If there is no office available within a reasonable distance, the roles may be offered as home-based with some travel for team meetings.

At Mencap, we value a diverse and inclusive workplace and we intentionally plan for the success of our colleagues in everything we do. We welcome applications from everyone, so come as you are and join us. Together we are Mencap!

What will it take?

To be successful as a Finance Business Partner you will be expected to have:

· Excellent written and verbal communication with ability to convey financial information to non-finance colleagues and senior management.

· A desire to drive improvements in financial understanding & accountability to deliver a first class commercial and customer focused service.

· Strong collaboration skills including the confidence to challenge others.

· Ability to interpret a range of financial/operational information and reach quick judgements.

· Experience in financial analysis and reporting.

· Appropriate planning, organising and strategic business planning skills.

· An ACA, ACCA, CIMA qualification or hold a similar and relevant qualification.

The scope for this role is vast and we are looking for two ambitious and driven individuals to join us!

If you have the relevant skills and experiences we are looking for and this opportunity sounds like the perfect role for you, please apply with your up-to-date CV. Interviews are due to be held in w/c 21st July after the close date via Microsoft Teams.

Benefits

Here at Mencap, we offer an impressive range of benefits designed to support and reward our employees to ensure that our teams feel valued and appreciated.

Our benefits package offers 32 days of paid holiday (including bank holidays, pro rata), along with a range of perks such as discounts at leading high-street retailers, access to health cash plans, interest-free loans, and many more exciting offerings.

About Mencap

Our vision is for the UK to be the best place in the world for people with a learning disability to live happy and healthy lives.

We're here to support people with a learning disability, their families and their carers. We fight for a kinder, fairer and more inclusive society for people with a learning disability to live in.

At Mencap, everyone works with people with a learning disability either providing support or advice, or alongside one another as colleagues.

Belonging at Mencap is for everyone, every day, everywhere.

· Everyone is expected to treat people well and make Mencap an inclusive organisation.

· Every day we grow and learn. It’s okay to make mistakes but we learn from them and make changes

· Everywhere people will feel respected, valued, and safe to be themselves.

We have Belonging network groups that meet online and are open to all colleagues. The groups include people who identify as Black and Asian, LGBTQIA+, disabled or with a long- term health condition, women, parents and carers, and their allies.

We want to encourage everyone to apply to work at Mencap and we offer a variety of different contract types and working patterns. We’re not looking for specific experience. It is your personality and values that will make you a great colleague. We will train and develop you to succeed in the role you’re applying for.

We are looking for an experienced and passionate Business Analyst to work as part of our Evidence and Impact Team.

Imagine being part of an organisation whose common purpose is to help those who are severely impacted by mental illness. We believe that everyone should be treated with respect and dignity – and that’s why equity is one of our core values. We draw on the expertise, unique perspectives and lived experience of our people – regardless of who they are or their background – to help us become inclusive and anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider that reflect the diverse communities we support as a mental health charity.

The Evidence and Impact team at Rethink Mental Illness ensures the organisation maximises its impact through data-driven decision-making, robust evaluation, and strategic analytics. The team conducts comprehensive evaluations and economic analyses, including return on investment (ROI) and social return on investment (SROI), to demonstrate programme effectiveness and inform strategic choices.

The team designs and implements predictive models and analytical frameworks to forecast service demand, identify trends, and support resource allocation decisions. They ensure data quality and ethical practices underpin all analysis, transforming complex data into actionable insights for senior leadership and stakeholders.

Collaborating closely with internal teams, external partners, and academic institutions, the Evidence and Impact team drives continuous improvement, innovation, and organisational learning. They also build data literacy and analytical capabilities across the organisation through training and professional development initiatives, strengthening Rethink’s evidence-based approach to improving mental health outcomes.

How you will make a difference

This role supports the organisation through a strong focus on business intelligence, data collation, and analytics. It plays a critical part in ensuring contract compliance through the development of effective systems and supporting quality improvement. The role involves contract reporting and the preparation of PowerBI dashboards, apps, reports, and presentations to inform strategic decision-making.

Key areas of focus include Criminal Justice, Peer Support Groups, People Analytics, Fundraising, Finance, and Risk and Governance. The postholder will work across these domains to provide clear insights and contribute to organisational learning and development.

Working hours for this role are flexible. It is a home-based position, but we value in-person collaboration, so some travel will be required to main office locations (primarily London) and occasional visits to services across the UK.

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion 

Diversity is important to us and we appreciate difference through difference, inclusiveness and belonging. It gives us a deeper understanding of the world, our society and the diverse communities we’re working with. By including everyone, we are able to draw on the unique experiences and expertise of our people to help shape and enrich our workplace and improve our services. One way we are doing is through our valued staff networks which play a critical and highly valued role in keeping us focused on creating a diverse, inclusive and engaged employer.  We recognise and support staff networks and support groups for our ethnically diverse and LGBTQIA+ colleagues. We are also proud to have been awarded Disability Confident Employer status and are a signatory to the Business in the Community Race at Work Charter. 

We aim for our workforce to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve; for those who work for us to feel heard, valued and feel they belong; and for our work to help tackle wider mental health inequalities. We therefore actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including applicants with lived experience of mental illness, those who are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual and any other gender identity not expressed here (LGBTQIA+); people who are neurodiverse, have a health condition, or a disability or hidden disability and people from an ethnically diverse background - regardless of your age, religious or spiritual belief, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, pregnancy, political view or socio-economic status.

Becoming a truly anti-racist organisation 

We have an ambition of become a truly anti-racist employer, campaigning organisation and service provider - and in our efforts to influence policy and wider societal factors impacting on mental health set out in our anti-racist statement . We have designed a multi-year anti-racist programme of work contained in our Race Equality Action Plan which demonstrates our intention to hold ourselves accountable and be judged on our progress on becoming a truly anti-racist organisation. You can read more about our progress here. 

Interim Head of Finance & Operations

Career Ready is a social mobility charity that believes that every young person deserves the opportunity to enjoy a rewarding future.

We were founded in 2002 by leading business figures with a mission: to boost social mobility by empowering young people and giving their talents a platform from which to flourish. Since then, we’ve grown in England and Scotland to support young people in areas of need.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced, qualified Finance professional to lead our Finance & Operations function.

About the Role

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer the Interim Head of Finance & Operations leads on and assumes day to day responsibility for providing high quality, strategic financial management for Career Ready.

You will lead on business operations to ensure the ongoing effective functioning of the charity and drive sustainable growth.

The Interim Head of Finance and Operations plays a key role in leading greater organisational efficiency and simplifying processes and will continue the delivery of a project plan reflecting the 2025-30 strategy.

You will play a critical role in driving the increased quality of Career Ready’s offer to our stakeholders in line with our strategy, vision and values.

Member of our SMT, comprising of the CEO, Director for Scotland, Director of Programme and Partnerships and Heads of functions.

This is an interim role to cover a period of maternity leave.

Main responsibilities and accountabilities

· Lead, direct and manage the finance and operations functions, overseeing two direct reports, ensuring they deliver a high-quality service to all internal and external stakeholders and are seen as adding value, in enabling Career Ready to achieve its vision and strategic objectives through its people. 

· Continue the delivery of a project plan reflecting the 2025-30 strategy, ensuring that activities happen at pace, are deadline-driven and achieve a high level of impact.

· Assume overall responsibility for the financial management of Career Ready, working with the SMT to ensure high quality and effective use of charitable funds.

· Input into and review the financial elements of funding applications and ensure that fund accounting processes align with funders’ requirements for project reporting.

· Produce financial reports for various stakeholders, as well as leading on financial modelling.

· Have oversight of all financial and accountancy matters including month end reports, management accounts, cash flow management, compliance, tax liability, presentation of management information and KPIs. Ensure that the CEO and Trustees are provided with accurate, timely information and analysis. 

· Oversee and coordinate the fully managed payroll services with the external bureau for all Career Ready employees and for some internship students (Jun to Aug during the Summer)

· Administration of the Staff Opt-In Pension Scheme, including onboarding new staff (Royal London)

· Act as a role model in our ‘one team’ culture. Lead in the development of efficient working practices across the charity, creating momentum and supporting motivation within the charity. 

· Lead risk management strategies and internal control procedures to minimise the risk of loss, or damage to, Career Ready’s assets. 

· Prepare and submit annual operational budgets and annual accounts to the CEO for review and approval.

· Draft and deliver papers for Trustees and Finance and Fundraising Committee (F&FC) meetings. 

· Attend Board and F&FC meetings to present papers and answer questions related to areas of expertise. 

· Provide day to day line management of the Senior Finance Officers and support their ongoing growth and development.

· Management of organisational governance and compliance activities, including policy management.

· Oversee and manage the organisation’s risk management register and process, with input from SMT.

· Oversee reviews and renewals of all insurance policies that affect the organisation.

· Lead on the compliance of statutory and charity regulatory reporting, giving guidance to colleagues where required.

· Ensure any changes to processes and procedures across the function are clearly documented.

Person Specification

Essential skills and experience

•  Belief and commitment to Career Ready’s mission and values
• Qualified (ACA/ACCA/CIMA/AAT) accountant with at least 5 years’ experience in financial management including budgeting, preferably in the charity sector.
• Significant experience in producing management and financial accounts
• Skilled in financial reporting and producing VAT returns
• Preparing for and ensuring a successful year-end audit, and demonstrable knowledge of UK Charities SORP and other reporting standards
• Experience in budgeting to support strategic decision making.
• Financial dexterity and strong analytical skills.
• Strong IT skills, including advanced MS Excel skills and extensive of using an accounting software, preferably Xero
• Excellent organisational and prioritising skills and ability to work independently and with autonomy
• Strong starter finisher with ability to lead and drive projects
• Knowledge of charity governance and compliance requirements
• Ability to build excellent relationships and have effective engagement with stakeholders
• Good communication skills and ability to communicate financial concepts to non-finance staff
• Attention to detail
• Ability to present financial information to various audiences
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and sensitivity of financial information
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to cope with competing demands to deadlines
• Honest and dependable

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience of leading a team, strong team building skills
• Line management experience
• Experience of using MS Planner or other project management tools
• Genuine interest in the work done by the Charity
• Experience of using a CRM (Salesforce)
• Degree in financial management or accounting

Full details are provided in the candidate pack

Salary and Benefits

Salary: £52,000 to £54,000 FTE (salary will be pro-rata for part time hours)

28-35 hours per week.  Career Ready is committed to supporting condensed/flexible working patterns.

Permanent and remote.  Travel to London required on an occasional basis

You will be rewarded with the following benefits:

· 6% contribution to personal pension plan, subject to 3% employee contribution.

· Annual leave: 27 days per annum plus bank/public holidays (pro rata for part time). The charity is also closed between Christmas and New Year. Career Ready also allows flexible use of some Bank & Public Holidays

· Cycle to Work Scheme

· Access to both our Reward Gateway Portal and an Employee Assistance Programme.

· Flexible working

· Work from home allowance and paid travel expenses.

We regret that Career Ready is unable to offer visa sponsorship and candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK. In accordance with our commitment to safeguarding, offers of employment are subject to completion of a DBS check. 

Timetable

Applications close at 9am on Monday 21 July 2025 

Please note that the closing date may be brought forward if we receive strong applications.

This is an interim role to cover a period of maternity leave, with a provisional start date of late September for a handover period.