Director of finance and company secretary jobs

CamRARE is celebrating a decade of progress and impact and is seeking a dynamic Managing Director to lead our next chapter of growth. 

As our Managing Director and founding member prepares for her planned retirement, Cambridge Rare Disease Network (CamRARE) is seeking a dynamic and visionary new leader to guide the charity into its next decade. You will drive strategic growth, strengthen partnerships, ensure long-term sustainability, and champion innovation, research, and community impact for people affected by rare and undiagnosed conditions. 

You will inspire and empower a passionate and talented team of staff, trustees, volunteers, families and partners, while building strong connections across our networks to expand our reach, visibility, and influence. As an energetic and forward-thinking leader, you will bring the drive and expertise to strengthen partnerships, grow income through innovative fundraising and strategic collaborations, and champion CamRARE as a trusted voice within the rare community and beyond.

Why choose a career at Cambridge Rare Disease Network?

#purpose – We’re on a mission to make life with a rare condition easier through community, collaboration and connections. Your role is to lead this mission to directly contribute to a better future for those living with rare conditions.

#growth – We’re a small, ambitious team where you’ll have opportunities to shape and grow with us. You will use your experience and knowledge to make a measurable impact.

#diversity and inclusion– We value the diversity and unique insights each person brings. We actively welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and lived experiences.

About Cambridge Rare Disease Network

There are over 10,000 rare conditions that affect 400 million people globally. Receiving a diagnosis can take years. Most rare diseases have no treatment. Coordination of care is often poor.

We’re on a mission to make life easier for those affected—uniting individuals, families, patient groups, researchers, industry, clinicians and policymakers to accelerate solutions and improve lives. Through knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and creativity, we aim to make the journey smoother for people living with rare and undiagnosed conditions and their families.

• CamRARE connects patients, advocates, research experts, and leaders—catalysing action to drive solutions and create lasting change
• Connects knowledge with lived experience to transform the journey toward better diagnosis, treatment, and support for individuals and their families
• Connects, educates, and supports the rare disease community - locally and globally - to improve outcomes and transform lives

Leading CamRARE

As Managing Director, you will provide strategic leadership for the charity, oversee governance and operations, develop and execute the strategy set by the Board of Trustees, and build key external partnerships. This role leads fundraising efforts and develops high-level external stakeholder relationships with Government bodies, including healthcare organisations/departments, Industry, patient and charity organisations, and Research Institutions involved in rare disease. This is a key role to build, strengthen and nurture the charity's connection with the rare disease community, empowering them and fostering an inclusive and supportive network.

We’re looking for someone who:

• Has a deep commitment to improving the lives of individuals and their families living with rare conditions.
• Has proven experience of 10+ years in a senior leadership role with a track record of delivering impact.
• Has experience in strategic planning, organisational development, and leading change.
• Brings creativity, adaptability and a “can-do” attitude.
• Has experience in income generation and managing stakeholder relationships.Has strong team management skills with a focus on development and building an inclusive workplace culture.
• Has experience in financial management and resource allocation.
• Has excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to influence and inspire.
• Has sound knowledge of issues affecting the voluntary sector
• Enjoys working independently, hands-on as part of a team and effectively with remote teams
• Experience in and enjoys networking and partnership building, can communicate effectively with a broad range of people
• Experienced in business delivery aligned to financial targets, core objectives and strategy implementation
• Has experience leading events and campaigns

You will support the work of the Trust Company and Synod in all matters of compliance with Company and Charity legislation, overseeing the day-to-day operation of the Trust and Synod offices. You will also have the lead in-house responsibility for ensuring that the Board is able to discharge its financial responsibilities in an informed and timely manner. You will work with the honorary Synod Treasurer in liaising with and supporting local churches in financial matters.

You will be based in the Trust Office in Southampton, visiting other locations across the Wessex area as needed. Flexibility is also required for attending occasional evening and weekend meetings.

Key Responsibilities: Company Secretary 

1. in consultation with the Trust Executive Officer and the Chair of the Board, convene and provide administration for annual general meetings (AGMs) and Board meetings, including: 
   • producing agendas
   • making all papers available to the Board in a timely manner 
   • taking minutes
   • conveying decisions 
   • handling meeting correspondence 
2. provide legal, financial and/or strategic advice to the Board during and outside of meetings, and more generally advise the Board on corporate governance matters 
3. keep up to date with regulatory or statutory changes and policies that might affect the organisation 
4. ensure that the Company’s policies are up to date and are approved 
5. communicate with external professionals involved in corporate governance, such as auditors 
6. implement processes or systems to help ensure good management of the organisation or compliance with legislation 
7. file all necessary documents with the Charity Commission and Companies House, including the Annual Report and Accounts 
8. inform the Charity Commission and Companies House of appointments and resignations of Trustee Directors 
9. take responsibility for HR and the health and safety of employees, including payroll in liaison with external consultants 
   • maintain Role Descriptions for staff 
   • ensure that the Company’s Employment Handbook and statutory employment policies are reviewed and updated annually 
10. manage the Company’s premises and facilities, including IT in liaison with external consultants 

Key Responsibilities: Deputy Treasurer 

1. in collaboration with the Synod Treasurer: 
   • ensure the Wessex Trust is managing the assets of the Synod in an appropriate manner and in accordance with its strategy and policies 
   • report on the Synod’s financial matters and budgets to the Synod Executive and Trust
   • ensure that policies, operations and priorities are in keeping with the aims of the Wessex Synod. 
   • participate in the Synod Executive’s regular review of the Wessex Synod’s governance structure 
   • attend relevant Assembly level meetings for matters of concern to Synod Treasurers 
   • liaise with the Treasurers of the 12 other Synods, with a particular focus on commitments to Inter-Synod Resource Sharing. 
2. manage the annual process to agree and deliver the overall contribution from the Synod to the United Reformed Church’s national Ministry and Mission Fund, or its successor 
3. develop and maintain a rolling 3-year projection of the Trust’s financial capacity 
4. participate in the appointment of the Trust Secretary and the Financial Accountant and participate in monitoring and evaluating their performance 
5. undertake line management responsibility for the Financial Accountant 
6. serve on the Investment Committee and assist in maintaining the Trust’s Investment and Reserves policies 
7. monitor changes in statutory financial requirements and ensure that relevant ones are implemented 
8. support the Trust Convener in the production of the Trustees’ Annual Report 
9. take overall responsibility in the staff team for work to prepare for and support the annual statutory audit 
10. lead the Trust’s response to the Audit Findings Report each year and prioritise responses.

Founded in 1823 by Samuel Codner as a mission to support English-speaking people in Newfoundland, the Intercontinental Church Society (ICS) has grown into a dynamic Anglican mission agency. For over two centuries, ICS has supported evangelism, church planting and chaplaincy across the globe, particularly among English-speaking people living, working or travelling outside their home countries.

With over 1.5 billion English speakers worldwide our mission is global, reflected by our chaplaincy congregations which are richly multinational.

We currently have 48 Mission Partners in 17 countries over 4 continents.

Our foundations are strong. We are financially stable, spiritually vibrant with a highly engaged Council and committed team.

We feel that the time is ripe to pursue growth. This is a watershed moment.

Under The Reverend Canon Richard Bromley’s leadership, as Mission Director, our governance, relationship with the Diocese of Europe and our partnership with our chaplaincies have been greatly strengthened.

In this season we are launching a new 10-year vision to plant 50 English-speaking Anglican churches in major cities and towns across Europe, to proclaim the gospel in culturally relevant ways, foster collaboration with other denominations and congregations, and become catalysts for further church plants.

We are now seeking to appoint a dynamic Mission Director as Richard’s successor.

This post is subject to an occupational requirement under Schedule 9 of the Equality Act that the post holder be a practising Christian.

You will be a Christian with a vibrant evangelical faith embracing a generous orthodoxy, with a breadth of senior strategic leadership experience in a cross-cultural Christian mission setting, pastoral and relationship building skills and compassion and wisdom to navigate the opportunities and challenges of the season ahead. You will also be passionate about our vision to reach people for Christ.

We’re looking for a dynamic Head of Governance & Business Administration to play a pivotal role in ensuring our organisation runs with integrity, transparency, and impact. This is an exciting opportunity to influence how one of the UK’s most ambitious cultural organisations operates as we grow and evolve.

In this role, you’ll lead on governance, risk management, and compliance, acting as Company Secretary and Data Protection Officer. You’ll oversee business planning and reporting, legal and insurance matters, procurement, and organisational policies – ensuring everything we do meets the highest standards.

You’ll work closely with our Executive Director, Board of Trustees, and senior leadership team, building strong relationships and driving change that supports our vision for equality, inclusion, and sustainability.

JOB SUMMARY

To ensure that efficient governance, operational systems and controls are in place to manage Factory International’s Governance and Business Administration function.

This includes governance and acting as Company secretariat, data protection and acting as Data Protection Officer, accountable for Business Plan Reporting, internal communication, oversight of Legal & Compliance, Risk Management, Insurance, Policies & Procedures and Procurement

The key responsibilities for the Head of Governance & Business Administration include;

Governance & Risk

• Ensure robust governance frameworks and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements
• Coordinate Board and Committee meetings, including scheduling, agenda preparation, and distribution of papers
• Maintain statutory registers and ensure timely filing of returns and documents with regulatory bodies
• Support FI Executive and Board in proactively managing risk, and accurately reflecting via the Company Risk register, working closely with Directors to ensure quarterly updates are shared with the Executive Leadership and Board of Trustees (including relevant sub-committees)
• Maintain consistency and compliance for all internal communication channels

Business Planning & Reporting

• Act as the organisational lead for Business Plan Reporting, ensuring alignment across all key grant funding agreements and business plan KPIs
• Oversee the annual cycle of statutory reporting to both public sector funders and trustees including all ad-hoc reporting requests across the business
• Attend key external stakeholder meetings with the Executive Director (e.g. MCC, ACE, GMCA) relating to reporting against grant agreements etc
• Work closely with key Directors, Commercial Leads (including the Trusts & Foundations Manager) on funding bids ensuring that commitments are consistent with our agreed internal Business Plan targets and objectives

Legal, Insurance, Data Protection & Compliance

• Ensure legislative and regulatory compliance in all systems and procedures around business administration
• Acting as lead organisational contact and budget holder for external legal support ensuring consistent processes are followed and value for money is achieved to meet the strategic needs of the business
• Ensure adequate data protection in place, devise and implement any additional process and/or training, and act as DPO, accessing external advice as appropriate
• Where required, support the achievement of essential consents such as Planning, Licence variations, Building Control, etc
• Manage the relationship with FI’s insurance broker, working with the Executive Director and Finance Director to ensure appropriate cover and regularly review policies. Overseeing the appropriate claiming of all losses

Procurement

• Acting as lead organisational contact for all Procurement Activity – working closely with the Executive Director to ensure consistent processes are followed and value for money is achieved to meet the strategic needs of the business
• Maintain oversight of the register of planned Procurement as well as responding to un-planned procurement requirements – working closely with relevant Directors and Executives

Policies & Procedures

• Overall responsibility for control and oversight of the organisation’s suite of policies and procedures, including requests for new procedures
• Ensure that key policies are updated by business owners and renewed as per the agreed schedule – ensuring a consistency of tone, content and that relevant checks/approvals have been managed at the appropriate level (Exec, Trustees etc)