Courses jobs in barking and dagenham, greater london

Robertson Bell is exclusively partnering with Social Interest Group (SIG) to recruit an Interim Finance Director on a 9-month fixed-term contract. This is a pivotal senior leadership role within a dynamic, mission-driven organisation delivering life-changing support services across housing, mental health, addiction recovery, and complex needs.

With the Group’s new five-year strategy recently launched, this role will play a vital part in shaping and delivering the organisation’s financial approach to support its long-term ambitions. Reporting directly to the CEO and working closely with both the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Board, the Interim Finance Director will provide visible, robust financial leadership while safeguarding the long-term financial sustainability of the Group.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Providing robust, strategic financial advice to the CEO, SLT, and Board, ensuring sound financial insight underpins all key decisions.
• Driving the development and implementation of short, medium, and long-term financial strategies aligned to the Group’s new five-year strategic plan.
• Ensuring effective management of corporate risks, working through the Director of Compliance, Risk, and Internal Audit, and reporting to the Board as required.
• Acting as the SLT lead for contract oversight and procurement, ensuring appropriate financial governance, pricing models, and value-for-money outcomes.
• Providing clear leadership to the finance team, working closely with the Head of Finance (direct report), and supporting the ongoing development of a high-performing finance function.
• Taking ownership of finance system optimisation, budgeting, scenario planning, and overseeing both internal and external audits.
• Managing legal, insurance, and risk arrangements, including acting as the lead for Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery planning.
• Supporting the implementation and delivery of SIG’s environmental strategy, embedding sustainable practices across the Group’s operations.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Proven experience in leading organisational change within the charity (ideally social care) or housing sectors, acting as a trusted advisor to senior leadership.
• Strong cashflow management expertise, ideally gained in environments with high staffing costs and low margins.
• Demonstrated ability to engage with and influence Boards and committees, with a clear articulation of financial risks and strategy.
• A balance of strategic vision and hands-on financial leadership, with a proactive and solutions-focused approach.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a track record of developing high-performing teams and fostering cross-functional engagement.
• A recognised accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent).

This is an exciting opportunity to join a purpose-led organisation and make a lasting impact at a critical time. Based at SIG’s Head Office in Highbury & Islington, the role offers the opportunity to lead a key finance function at the heart of an ambitious and growing Group. 

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

 Main Responsibilities

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

 Person specification 

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

Terms & Conditions

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

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

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

Exciting opportunity at Age UK for experienced new business professionals to secure and foster new corporate partnerships! We're seeking two passionate Senior Business Development Executives to join the new partnership side of our Partnership and Philanthropy team. You'll be an excellent relationship builder with new business/fundraising experience along with strong administrative and organisational skills. You will always go that extra mile to deliver on your own opportunities as well as supporting key activities within the team helping secure sector leading partnerships that deliver income and impact for the Age UK Network and older people. As part of our sector and thematic approach to partnership development the post holders will get to work across different industries and areas including financial services and Age International.

We operate a hybrid-working model, a blend of home and office working. This role will include working from our London office (EC3N 2LB) - currently once a week on a Thursday and may involve regular travel, including occasional overnight stays.
Due to external facing relationship based nature of the role, more frequent attendance in London may be required.

Travel costs to the London office are the responsibility of the postholder and are not covered by the charity.

Age UK internal grade: 6L

Last date for applications Monday 7th July 2025.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview via MS Teams on Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th July 2025. In- person interviews to follow for successful candidates at our London office One America Square EC3N 2LB.

Must haves:

The below competencies will be assessed at the indicated stage of the recruitment process:
Application = A, Interview = I, Test = T, Presentation = P

Experience

• Demonstrable new business experience ideally in a corporate partnerships environment. A, I
• Experience and ability to lead projects and manage project groups. A
• Experience of organising and prioritising your own workload and monitoring and reporting on activity. A

Skills and Knowledge

• A sound understanding of the principles of corporate fundraising, and knowledge of the basics of fundraising regulations. A
• Good negotiation skills with a proven ability to establish long-term working relationships. I
• Ability to spot opportunities, identify prospective partners' needs and drivers and match these with the priorities of Age UK and older people. I, P
• Excellent communication skills - both written and oral - and the social skills and presence to communicate and present to a variety of audiences. A, I, P
• Sound administration skills, including a good working knowledge of MS Office products and databases. A
• Able to think creatively, use own initiative and seek advice when needed. I

Personal attributes

• A passion to support older people and the mission of Age UK. A,I
• A high degree of diplomacy, tact and confidence. I

Great to haves:

The below competencies will be assessed at the indicated stage of the recruitment process:
Application = A, Interview = I, Test = T, Presentation = P

Experience

• Experience in securing 5 figure partnerships. A, I

What we offer in return

• Competitive salary, 26 days annual leave + bank holidays + annual leave purchase scheme
• Excellent pension scheme, life assurance, health cashback plan and EAP
• Car Benefit Scheme, Cycle to Work Scheme and Season Ticket Loan
• Techscheme - buy any tech from Apple or Currys, up to £1000, and spread the cost over 12 months, interest free
• Blue Light Card Scheme
• You Did It Awards - recognition awards from £100-250

Additional Information

Supporting statements and anonymisation
Candidates are expected to provide a supporting statement that explains how they meet the competencies annotated with an ‘A’ in the job description, to assess suitability for the position. Age UK acknowledges and accepts that AI may be used to support the application; we do expect candidates to personalise experience, knowledge and skills and failure to do so, may result in your application being rejected.

Please submit a Word version of your CV as it will be anonymised by our recruitment system when you apply for a role. Our system is unable to anonymise supporting statements and heavily formatted CVs. Please could you remove any personal information including your name before you upload to support our inclusive recruitment process. All equalities monitoring information is also anonymised and not shared with the hiring panel. Your name and address will only be known to us if invited for interview.

Equal opportunities & Disability Confident Scheme
Age UK is an Equal Opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates, regardless of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital/civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity. Age UK is a Disability Confident Scheme employer. Due to high numbers of applications received, Age UK reserves the right to limit the overall number of interviews offered, and therefore, it may not always be practicable or appropriate to interview all disabled people that meet the minimum criteria for the job.

Reasonable adjustments
Disabled job seekers can access reasonable adjustments at any stage of the recruitment process. All requests for reasonable adjustments are considered on a case-by-case basis, in collaboration with the disabled job seeker to best meet their needs, by contacting our Recruitment Team. Disability disclosures will be kept confidential and only shared on a need-to-know basis to support the implementation of adjustments. Disclosures will not be used to inform hiring decisions.

Age UK is committed to safeguarding adults at risk, and children, from abuse and neglect. We expect everyone who works with us to share this commitment.

Age UK politely requests no contact from recruitment agencies or media sales. We do not accept speculative CVs from recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them.

For a full list of benefits please visit our website.

East End Homes are partnering exclusively with Robertson Bell in their search for a permanent Financial Controller. East End Homes, is a locally based and community-led housing association in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. This year East End Homes is celebrating its 20th anniversary. In 2005 residents of five estates across Tower Hamlets voted for their homes and communities to be transferred to the newly established social landlord.  Today, its 120-strong team manages over 3,900 homes with local offices in each neighbourhood. 

The newly created Financial Controller position offers a rare opportunity for a technically strong, ambitious, and commercially aware finance professional to play a key role in reshaping East End’s finance function and influencing decision-making at a senior level. The Financial Controller will be a member of the Senior Management Team and this role is seen as a natural stepping stone toward Finance Director level within the sector.

The Role:

• Work closely with the Finance Director and Executive Team to support strategic planning and organisational transformation.
• Oversee the development and delivery of Eastend Homes’ long-term financial plans, annual budgets, and business modelling (including BRIXX).
• Deliver and embed a proactive finance business partnering approach across the organisation, influencing decision-making and performance management.
• Drive improvements to financial reporting, insight, and analysis, delivering value across the organisation.
• Coordinate the production of our financial plans and reports including monthly management accounts, the annual statutory accounts, forecasts and the budget.
• Oversee day-to-day financial operations, ensuring sound internal controls, process improvement, and compliance with relevant regulations (FRS102, SORP, RSH).
• Manage cash flow forecasting, covenant compliance, and other treasury responsibilities, with support available for professional treasury qualifications if desired.
• Play a leading role in mentoring, developing, and embedding a high-performing, collaborative finance team (c.3–4 staff).

• Actively contribute to the Senior Management Team and support wider change initiatives across the business.

The Organisation:

East End Homes has made significant progress in stabilising its operations and strengthening its governance. With the appointment of a highly experienced new CEO and completion of key commitments to the Regulator of Social Housing, the organisation is now focused on long-term sustainability, performance improvement, and resident impact. The recent appointment of an Interim FD has brought further structure and capability to the finance function, and this Financial Controller hire will be a cornerstone of building a modern, resilient, and insight-led finance team.

Person Specification – Essential:

• Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CIPFA).
• Strong technical knowledge of financial and statutory reporting including FRS102 and Housing SORP.
• Demonstrable experience in social housing finance including business planning, management accounting and regulatory compliance.
• Experience of delivering improvements in management reporting, financial controls, and/or business partnering.
• A confident communicator with excellent interpersonal skills and a track record of engaging with and challenging senior stakeholders.
• Digitally confident with strong Excel skills and familiarity with financial planning tools (e.g., BRIXX).
• Forward-thinking and inquisitive, with a continuous improvement mindset and strong problem-solving ability.
• Experience of coaching or leading teams and ability to develop others.

This role will be based at East End Homes’ head office in Tower Hamlets, with travel between estate-based local offices as required. The closing date for applications is 6th July with interviews taking place week commencing 21st July (first stage) and final interviews scheduled for week commencing 28th July.

Applications will be reviewed continuously before the closing date. Please apply via our exclusive search partner Robertson Bell.

Service Charge Analyst

£43,000 | East London | Hybrid (2 days in office)
Gateway Housing Association

Robertson Bell are pleased to be exclusively partnering with Gateway Housing Association in their search for a Service Charge Analyst to join their close-knit, dynamic team on a permanent basis. Gateway are uniquely the largest Sheltered Housing provider in Tower Hamlets and were the first registered provider of older persons shared ownership in the borough. They are particularly proud of their new build properties for leasehold, shared ownership and direct sale, which are low-density and high-quality.

They are seeking an organised, diligent Service Charge professional to support on the technical side of the Service Charge lifecycle and improve processes within the department. You will work closely with budget holders, enabling data-led decision-making and supporting donor and committee reporting. As a key member of a small, collaborative team, you will be hands-on managing a mix of transactional and more advanced duties, proactive in ensuring the key points in the yearly Service Charge cycle run smoothly.

Role Responsibilities:

• Undertake assigned processing, accounting, monitoring, control and review of service charge income and costs on a periodic basis.
• Review service charge income and costs monthly to ensure they have been charged to the correct scheme and fully investigate and resolve any principal variances and anomalies identified (e.g., miscoding’s, duplications).
• Prepare periodic reconciliations of service charge income and costs on a scheme/block level and with the preparation of annual service charge estimates and actuals processes for all tenures.
• Resolve service charge queries from internal and external customers.
• Complete assigned elements of strategic delivery projects across the organization, particularly relating to service charge specific projects.
• Ensure consistent apportionment and allocation of scheme costs in mixed tenure blocks and other complex schemes and regular monitoring, control and analysis of such costs.
• Implement and embed key service charge systems and processes as part of the organisation wide service charge improvement project.

Person Specification:

• Experience in service charge computation, accounting and analysis, including preparation of service charge budgets, estimates and actuals
• Robust understanding of residential service charge management, including current legislative requirements and sector best practice
• Strong organisational skills, able to control and deliver a range of tasks to strict deadlines
• Social housing experience.
• Experience of working with third parties, the wider community, and other external partners including managing agents

This is a hybrid position based out of Mile End. The closing date for applications is on the 15^th July with first stage interviews taking place the week commencing the 21^st July.

Applications will be under continuous review before then so please don’t delay in submitting your CV for consideration!