Company secretary assistant jobs

The Nuffield Foundation is recruiting an Executive Assistant to work closely with, and support, our Chief Executive, Leadership Team, Trustees and members of our governance committees.

The Executive Assistant will work at the intersection of strategic leadership and effective operational administration, working as a lynchpin within the organisation to provide high level administrative and operational support to the Nuffield Foundation’s Leadership Team (LT) and Chief Executive. They will be a trusted partner responsible for delivering high-level strategic, operational, and administrative support to the CEO and LT.

This will include:

• Scheduling, coordinating and supporting all Trustee and other Committee meetings and events, including the preparation of papers and agendas, taking detailed minutes and tracking agreed actions.
• Managing the CEO’s diary, providing briefings and drafting documents and presentations as required.
• Scheduling, planning and preparation of Leadership, staff and other large/organisation-wide meetings.
• Managing the overall governance calendar, and key governance documents and records.
• Working with the Directors of Strategy, Finance and HR on strategic and operational planning
• Providing diary management and other general administrative support to members of the LT where required.

This role acts an extension of the CEO’s office, ensuring alignment across leadership priorities, and effective and timely follow-through on strategic and operational initiatives.

The successful candidate will be experienced in providing executive and administrative support to leaders, ideally within a similar organisation or setting. They will demonstrate professionalism and a strong work ethic, and will have excellent interpersonal skills, including the ability to collaborate with a broad range of colleagues and use tact, discretion, influence and diplomacy when required. They will also have excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to draft correspondence and short papers as well as take minutes of meetings. The ability to demonstrate political acumen and experience of providing company secretary/governance-type support is also desirable.

About us

The Nuffield Foundation is an independent charitable foundation with a founding purpose to advance social well-being.

We achieve this by funding and undertaking rigorous research, encouraging innovation, and supporting the use of sound evidence to improve people’s lives. We tackle pressing, complex questions. Our aim is to open up opportunities and to improve lives for individuals, families and communities, within a just and inclusive society. Our work addresses the inequalities, disadvantage, discrimination and vulnerabilities that people face, and considers the social and ethical implications of scientific and technological advances.

We are the founder and co-funder of Nuffield Council on Bioethics, Nuffield Family Justice Observatory and the Ada Lovelace Institute.

Further information and how to apply

For further information about the role, please click through to the vacancy listing on our website. The closing date for applications is 09:30am (BST) on Monday 8th September 2025.

We are committed to inclusive working practices and during the application process we commit to:

• As a Disability Confident employer, we will offer an interview to a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants that meet the essential criteria for the job.
• making any reasonable adjustments – for example providing documents in different formats, arranging for a sign language interpreter for interviews etc
• reimbursing reasonable travel costs (and any childcare or care costs) for interviews where in-person attendance is required.

Our benefits package includes:

• 28 days holiday per annum and all public holidays (with the option to buy or sell up to 5 days).
• A salary exchange pension scheme that offers employer contributions of up to 11%.
• Life assurance scheme.
• Family-friendly leave policies and enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity/partner leave.
• Cycle to work scheme and loans towards season tickets.
• Ongoing opportunities for learning and development (including options for coaching and mentoring, and 4 personal development/reading days each year).
• Support with your physical, mental and financial wellbeing including an employee assistance provider, a private GP service, personal health reviews with Bupa, a will and funeral planning service and a staff network of trained Mental Health First Aiders.
• Staff peer groups and social networks.

Starting Salary - £31,613 (including London Weighting)

Location: Office Based - London

Job Profile

Are you interested in an opportunity in the charity sector? Would you like to develop an understanding of internal processes and liaise with multiple teams in the organisation? Are you someone who likes to work with money, data and people? 

The post holder will contribute to ensuring the Supporter Donations Team (SDT) manages and administers supporter donation activity on behalf of CAFOD, providing a high level of supporter care while delivering within agreed service levels and Key Performance Indicators. SDT has the overall responsibility for managing and thanking all supporter donations to CAFOD made through a variety of channels and schemes. SDT works within the Finance and infrastructure group, liaises across all teams in CAFOD, and external service providers to ensure donations are processed within agreed service levels and quality standards. Due to the nature of SDT’s role, SDT has particularly close ties to CAFOD Fundraising activities and actively engages in our fundraising programmes and schemes. 

Accountability 

The post holder reports to the Supporter Donations Manager and will work alongside a team of Supporter Donation Assistants, collectively delivering the team’s key aims and responsibilities. 

Key Responsibilities 

Supporter Care: 

• Handle telephone, email and postal enquiries from supporters; identifying and resolving queries in a prompt, warm and sensitive way. 

• Provide phone cover to the Supporter Care team as required. 

• Provide Reception training to the Supporter Care team as required. 

Donations: 

• Accurately code donations received, ensuring agreed departmental procedures are followed. 

• Process, set up and administer instructions and payments through a variety of donations channels and schemes such as Online, Direct Debit, standing orders, BACs, Payroll giving schemes and online giving platforms. 

• Input and maintain data on CAFOD’s supporter database, ensuring high degrees of accuracy on our donor records.

• File and archive financial data, while adhering to strict audit controls. 

Gift Aid: 

• Understand Gift Aid and its application within CAFOD. 

• Assist with all aspects of tax-effective giving, in accordance with agreed procedures and priorities, including preparation of regular tax claims for submission to HMRC. 

Thanking: 

• Produce and dispatch letters to thank and acknowledge donations received. 

• Write bespoke letters of thanks to supporters to respond to exceptional donations and provide a personal touch. 

• Contribute to ongoing enhancement and improvement of supporter thanking 

Post/banking: 

• Assist with all incoming and outgoing postal duties held by SDT to maximise effectiveness of processes and delivery of key service levels. 

• Preparation of daily banking, cash handling and initial reconciliation of all monies received daily. 

Safeguarding  

All CAFOD staff share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities. 

Person Specification

Understanding our context  

• Understanding Catholic identity - Show an understanding of and work with the Catholic community to further CAFOD's mission. 

• Understanding CAFOD - Demonstrate how both CAFOD’s and Catholic values influence all our work internally and externally. 

• Understanding international development – Have an understanding of the nature and causes of world poverty and how it affects different individuals, groups and communities 

Working together  

• Managing ourselves – Happy to take on additional responsibility to help the team or others under pressure. 

• Working with others – Build collaborative relationships across CAFOD and with external partners, donors and suppliers. 

• Communicating - Ensure others fully understand what has been discussed and agreed. Make timely contributions to decisions. 

• Looking outwards – Build cooperative, professional relationships with partners, supporters, donors, suppliers and the communities we serve 

 Making change happen  

• Managing resources - Offer ideas to improve information systems and processes to reduce costs and improve efficiency. 

• Achieving results - Look for better processes and ways of working to achieve results. 

• Managing our performance - Agreeing realistic deadlines and measurable objectives for myself, others and the team.

• Taking the lead - Take a lead in identifying solutions and making change happen 

Job Specific Competencies 

• Displays a methodical approach to administrative tasks to meet processing deadlines, whilst maintaining an excellent standard of attention to detail and accuracy. 

• Ability to communicate professionally with supporters, from individual givers to religious communities. 

• Displays excellent written and verbal communication skills. 

• Ability to build strong collaborative relationships with colleagues.

Desirable Criteria  

• Experience with a CRM software/ database 

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults  

CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect.  CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse.  CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount.  Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.

All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures. 

Please click here for a full list of CAFOD’s Staff Benefits 

Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities. 

CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. 

Governance Administrator & Clerk to the Board Vacancy

The Governance Administrator & Clerk to the Board will provide an exceptionally high level of governance and administrative support to the School’s Boards and Committees and the Board of Directors for Rambert Grades (a joint venture between the School and Rambert). The post-holder will utilise current and relevant technology and AI (such as Microsoft 365 Bookings and CoPilot) to schedule meetings, prepare agendas and supporting papers and take accurate and detailed minutes, to help ensure good governance and compliance.

This job requires a meticulous individual, with a flair for writing accurate and detail-oriented minutes. The postholder will have excellent organisational skills, an appetite for hard work, an eye for detail and a desire to work in the Higher Education or Charity sector. They will actively promote and uphold the School’s mission and values and will always exercise a high level of good judgment, diplomacy and discretion, in respect of the confidential and often sensitive information that they are party to. They will work effectively and build strong relationships with senior leadership and the Board of Trustees.

Hours

Part-time – 0.5 FTE (20 hours/week)
Flexible annualised working pattern available to suit the needs of the role and the postholder (e.g., working parents). Weekly hours may vary based on workload demands, with increased hours during peak Board and Committee meeting periods (January, March, May/June, October/November) and reduced hours during school holidays. Monthly salary remains consistent.

Contract Type

Permanent

Salary

£14,500 – £15,750 (0.5 FTE)
£29,000 – £31,500 (Full-time equivalent)
Based on experience.

Benefits

• 10.5 days annual leave (0.5 of 21 days FTE), plus English public and bank holidays
• Additional gifted time off during the two-week Christmas closure
• Paid overtime and Time Off in Lieu (TOIL), where applicable
• Flexible annualised working pattern
• Generous pension scheme – up to 6% employee / 9% employer contributions
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle2Work Scheme
• Staff training and CPD opportunities
• Friendly, inclusive, and accessible working environment

Location

Remote and onsite at:
Rambert School, St Margarets Drive, Twickenham TW1 1QN
Please note: There is no lift access to the upper floor of Clifton Lodge, making the site only partially accessible to wheelchair users.

Starting Salary: £32,829 - £35,856 per annum (inc LW) 
Contract: Permanent, full-time 
Location: United Kingdom 
Location is flexible with potential for remote working

Starting Salary: £32,829 - £35,856 per annum (inc LW) 

Contract: Permanent, full-time 

Location: United Kingdom 

Location is flexible with potential for remote working

Job Profile

The Trusts & Foundations Coordinator role is within the Trusts & Foundations team in CAFOD’s Integrated Funding and Business Innovation section. The post-holder will report to an International Programme Funding Officer Trusts & Foundations, (IPFOTF) and works closely with Trusts & Foundations and Institutional Fundraisers, the Major Gifts and Philanthropy team, other Fundraising & Participation teams and International Programme teams, in order to secure grants under £100,000 from Trusts & Foundations, Religious Orders and Catholic Associations. If you have some experience in Trusts & Foundations fundraising, coupled with experience of religious orders, enjoy working with a variety of people across an organisation and are passionate about making a difference in the lives of marginalised communities across the world, please do apply. 

Key Responsibilities 

Relationship management and cultivation  

• Responsibility for stewardship and development of a portfolio of mainstream grant-making trusts, personal/family trusts, Catholic/Christian trusts and Catholic religious orders and associations.

• Responsibility to re-engage lapsed trusts. 

• Work with the IPFOTF to develop appropriate strategies for cultivation, donation uplift, and approaches to prospective trusts and religious orders. 

• Prepare well-researched funding applications/proposals and produce timely reports. 

• Ensure all communications are appropriate to the needs of the funder. 

• Liaise with other team members in gathering relevant communication materials.

• Ensure that funders are appropriately invited to donor cultivation events and that relevant materials and other documentation are prepared as necessary. 

Prospect research 

• Conduct internal and external prospect research on donors/prospects using the internet, online databases and other sources, e.g. Charity Commission and Fundsonline, segmenting and prioritising as appropriate. 

• Carry out research on CAFOD projects and programmes available for funding/requiring funding and liaising with international colleagues for this purpose. 

• Engage with relevant media articles, particularly in the Catholic and religious media. 

Information management 

• Monitor on a regular basis the funding interests of charitable trusts, income and expenditure trends, information about trustees, application procedures etc. 

• Maintain up to date records of all communications with trusts and ensure that all information is recorded accurately on the database. 

• Keep up to date on external developments in trust fundraising and participate in the Institute of Fundraising Trusts Special Interest Group. 

Other 

• Contribute to other aspects of CAFOD’s work where necessary, including engaging in divisional and CAFOD-wide forums, as agreed with Head of Team. 

• Support CAFOD in ensuring an integrated approach to fundraising across our different income streams. 

• An essential requirement of all members of the Team is to keep donor information that is not in the public forum strictly confidential. 

• Attend and contribute to regular section, department and CAFOD-wide meetings and briefings. 

• Participate in training and other activities as requested by their line manager. 

• Welcome visitors to Romero House. 

 
Safeguarding
All CAFOD staff share responsibility to promote and maintain a strong safeguarding culture, including identifying the key actions they should take given their role and responsibilities.
 
This list of duties and responsibilities is by no means exhaustive, and the post holder may be required to undertake other relevant and appropriate duties as required. This job description is subject to regular review and appropriate modification. 
 

Person Specification

Understanding our context

· Understanding Catholic identity: Recognise the place of CAFOD as a development agency within the CARITAS and CIDSE networks and the Church.

· Understanding CAFOD:Explain to others what is distinctive about CAFOD as a Catholic Development agency.

· Understanding international development: Have an understanding of the nature and causes of world poverty and how it affects different individuals, groups and communities.

Working together

· Managing ourselves: I am a self-starter and willing to take responsibility for getting the work done.

· Working with others: Build collaborative relationships across CAFOD and with donors, suppliers and external partners.

· Communicating: Present complex issues simply and clearly in order to motivate and inspire supporters.

· Looking outwards:I focus on how CAFOD can make a real difference in the lives of those in poor or marginalised communities.

Making change happen

· Managing resources: I use our information systems and processes to ensure work is completed and recorded efficiently.

· Achieving results: I am conscientious and can be relied upon to deliver on time and in full.

· Managing our performance: I agree realistic deadlines and measurable objectives for myself and others.

· Taking the lead: I take the lead in identifying solutions and making change happen.

 
Job-specific competencies

I. Knowledge and understanding of trusts and foundation fundraising, preferably gained in a UK charity. 
II. Experience of engagement with Religious Orders to secure funding for charity work. 
III. Polished writing skills with the ability to adapt the style of writing to a range of communications tools. 
IV. Experience of extracting and analysing key information and diligent and accurate in recording information. 
V. Good verbal communication skills and experience of face to face engagement with potential funders. 
 
Desirable Criteria

• Knowledge of the culture, structure and networks of the Catholic Church in England and Wales. 
• Experience of planning and implementing fundraising or cultivation events for high net worth individuals, including trusts and foundations. 
• Experience of proposal writing and donor reporting. 
• Knowledge of overseas development or humanitarian work. 

Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults  
CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect.  CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse.  CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount.  Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents.
All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures. 
 
Come and join us and help make a real difference in the lives of the world’s poorest communities. 
CAFOD is an equal opportunities employer. Recruitment and selection procedures reflect our commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. 
 
 

Head of Finance
Salary: £50,000 - £55,000
Based: Oxford, OX1 1BP
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-time – 40 hours per week (flexible)

The Head of Finance is a member of the Senior Management Team (SMT) of Modern Art Oxford and is responsible for managing and reporting on the finances of the charity, acting as Company Secretary.  

The role is supported by the Senior Finance Officer and Finance Assistant.

Responsibilities

Finance

• To work closely with the Director on the preparation of the business plan and to take a leading role within SMT on monitoring and reporting to ensure its successful delivery.
• To lead on budgeting processes including three- to five-year plans, detailed annual budgets, cash flow forecasts and in-year re-forecasts.
• To be responsible for reporting on the overall financial position of the organisation, including the statutory accounts, management accounts and reports to budget-holders, ensuring that budgets are adhered to, that cash flow is managed, that effective cost control mechanisms are in place, that revenue is maximised and that there is timely and accurate financial reporting to SMT and the Board of Trustees.
• To ensure that best practice, statutory and organisational requirements are met in the operation of financial controls, the management of funds, charity accounting, Endowments Funds and investments, and taxation.
• To ensure the safety and security of the organisation’s financial assets.
• To prepare and submit the annual Museums & Galleries Exhibition Tax Relief (MGETR) submission, Gift Aid and all other tax rebates.
• To liaise with the external auditors for the annual audit of the statutory accounts and management of the pensions and other professional financial services as required, being the main contact in the organisation for the bank, auditors and pension providers.
• To liaise with pension trustees and other employers of the PSATSA closed defined benefit scheme, including triennial revaluations and negotiation of affordable repayments, reporting to the Trustees and Director.
• To work in close partnership with the Director and the capital project management team, to manage and report on the financial aspects of any future capital projects, reporting to the Director and the Capital Sub-Committee of the Board of Trustees, and managing all related financial administration.
• To be responsible for arranging Modern Art Oxford’s insurance.

Governance, Compliance & Trustee Reporting

• To attend Board meetings as required and support the Director in providing background briefing and financial material to enable the Board to make considered decisions about all matters of finance and finance policy.
• To manage, attend and prepare reports for the Finance & Property sub-committee.
• To coordinate the production of the Annual Trustees Report for the statutory accounts and ensure compliance with Companies House and Charity Commission requirements, including maintaining Trustees and Directors’ records and details.

Other

• To contribute to the overall strategic direction of the organisation as a member of the Senior Management Team, and actively participate in new developments including audience development, capital planning, communications, partnerships, reporting and fundraising.
• To complete as required annual reports, including the annual submission for exhibition tax relief and other key reporting, including Arts Council England and Oxford City Council submissions and project-funding reports.
• To carry out any other duties, reasonably requested by the Director.

Person Specification

Essential

• Significant experience in financial roles at a senior level, managing all aspects of running a financial function and dealing with a range of activities, ideally in a small to medium-sized charity.
• Used to preparing budgets, management accounts and cashflow forecasts alongside cost control management.
• A good understanding of VAT regulations, the VAT return process and charity taxation.
• A good working knowledge of payroll and end of year audit processes.
• Experience of business planning for a medium-sized charity.
• A flexible approach to working in a busy environment requiring excellent multi-tasking and time-management skills.
• Experience of using a CRM Database.
• An understanding of IT and digital infrastructure.
• Strong planning and organisational skills.
• Experience of managing small teams.
• The highest level of commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
• Good team worker.
• Excellent writing and communications skills.
• An ability to prioritise a complex range of tasks in a fast-paced working environment.
• A confidential and empathetic person of integrity.

Desirable

• Qualified accountant (ACA, CIMA, ACCA) and/or appropriate business, financial or postgraduate qualifications.
• An interest in and experience of working in the charity sector, ideally the arts.
• Experience in the not-for-profit sector and charity accounting practices including preparation of the annual Charity Commission return, partial exemption VAT processes, Gift Aid and MGETR.
• Experience of BreatheHR and Xero platforms.
• Experience of working with a board of voluntary trustees, a wide range of funders and public sector organisations.
• Good line management and coaching skills.
• Experience of managing the financial aspects of capital projects.
• Experience of fundraising, marketing, retail and e-commerce.

About Us

Modern Art Oxford is one of the UK’s most exciting and influential contemporary art organisations, renowned for its bold and ambitious artistic programme that promotes diversity and internationalism and celebrates contemporary art as a progressive agent of social change.

Modern Art Oxford welcomes approximately 100,000 visitors each year with approximately 15,000 attendances by schools and community groups in creative learning and participation activities. The organisation’s digital content reaches 450,000 through Modern Art Oxford’s digital channels annually.  Through a wide range of high-quality content creation and programming, Modern Art Oxford aims to make contemporary art accessible and engaging to the widest audience and to promote creativity in all its visual forms.  Over the last 60 years Modern Art Oxford has brought some of the world’s most important artists to the city, and the UK, and has developed an international reputation for pioneering emerging and under-represented artists.

Modern Art Oxford is a registered charity and receives core funding from Arts Council England and Oxford City Council, and the generous support of individuals, trusts and foundations, sponsors and friends.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus public bank holidays (increasing by one day per annum of employment up to five additional days).
• Employees are entitled to a discount in our Modern Art Oxford Shop and Café.
• There is an Employee Assistance Programme through Gemelli.
• Discounts, Cycle-scheme and Tech-scheme program available through BHN Extras.
• An auto-enrolment pension scheme is in place with Legal & General. Under pension auto enrolment legislation, the employee will pay 5% (before tax relief) and the employer will pay 3% of qualifying earnings to the Legal and General plan.

Applications must be received by midnight on Sunday 7th September.
Interviews will be held on Friday 19th of September.

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.

We are committed to improving the diversity in our workforce in order to better reflect the diversity of our local communities. All job vacancies are advertised here as part of a fair and open process. We welcome applications from people of all cultures and ethnicities, including those that may experience racism, as part of our Anti-racism Action Plan.

No agencies please.