Finance director jobs in Edinburgh

Contract
Full-time, permanent
(We welcome proposals for flexible working arrangements)

Salary
£55k per annum

This is a newly created role. with responsibility for financial management owned previously by the Executive Director, supported by the Head of Finance & Operations. In the refreshed structure operational and finance functions are separated.

The purpose of this role is to ensure the organisation is financially sustainable, well governed, and able to deliver its mission effectively. You will lead the financial management of the organisation, ensuring robust financial control, high-quality reporting, and effective financial planning to support strategic decision-making and long-term sustainability. This is a hands-on, collaborative role in a busy team, spanning both strategic and operational finance.

Being a success in this role will essentially balance three things at the same time:
1. Financial stability, control and risk management
2. Artistic and charitable ambition
3. Long-term organisational resilience and sustainable growth

Over the last two years the Festival has refreshed a number of our platforms and ways of working, including updating our CRM, ticketing and finance systems (Xero). We have worked with an external consultancy firm who have reviewed our systems and processes in finance and recommended new approaches; we are seeking a financial leader who can continue to progress this transformation, embedding new systems and ways of working across the team, while managing the busy annual BAU finance operations. We are in year two of a refreshed Strategic Plan, with a focus on building organisational resilience, maximising income and building new revenue streams; our new Finance Director will play a key role in realising these ambitions.

The role will be the key liaison with the Audit & Risk Committee of the Board of Trustees.

Key Responsibilities:

• Financial leadership
• Financial reporting and insight
• Festival and programme support
• Sustainability and development support
• Systems and data
• Compliance, governance and risk management
• Leadership and team management

Essential Knowledge, skills and experience

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent experience)
• Significant senior financial management experience including Xero accounting system
• Experience of budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning
• Experience preparing statutory accounts and managing audits 
• Strong understanding of financial controls and governance
• Experience presenting financial information to boards or trustees
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to work strategically and operationally in a fast-paced environment

For full information on key responsibilities and person specifications please see full Job Description on Edinburgh International Book Festival Website.

Key Dates:

Closing date for applications: Monday 29th June 2026. Please complete the online application using the links on our website. 

Interviews will be held in central Edinburgh during the week of 6th July. Remote interview requests will be considered but in person is preferred.

Contract
Full-time, permanent
(We welcome proposals for flexible working arrangements)

Salary
£50,000 per annum

The Director of Operations for Edinburgh International Book Festival [EIBF] sits at the intersection of programme delivery, organisational management and operational leadership. The role combines events delivery with charity-wide management. This ensures that EIBF runs smoothly, festivals and events happen effectively, and all activity aligns with our charitable objectives and purpose.

The Director of Operations will lead all operational and logistical aspects of the annual Book Festival and year-round programmes. They will ensure effective governance, efficient systems, safe and compliant event delivery, and ensure resources are allocated appropriately to support the charity’s mission to promote engagement with, and enjoyment of, books, writing and ideas. They will manage relationships and contracts with site and production teams, and a range of other key stakeholders and partners. They will own and actively manage policy and systems management in the organisation, including oversight of digital infrastructure, as well as lead the HR function in a busy organisation.

Success in the role will balance the following elements:

• Leading the operational delivery of the Festival and programmes including effective stewarding of key relationships and contractors
• Optimising the culture of EIBF through effective management of HR and internal processes
• Effective management of EIBF planning, systems and processes, including digital transformation.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Strategic operations
• Strategic contribution
• Festival delivery
• People and resource management
• Governance and compliance 
• Systems and process improvement
• Leadership and team management 

Essential Person specification:

• Significant senior operational leadership experience within a complex, fast paced organisation
• Proven experience translating organisational strategy into effective operational delivery, systems and processes
• Experience leading organisational change, growth or transformation while maintaining operational resilience • Strong experience delivering complex live events or public programmes, including logistics, production, venues, and supplier management
• Experience managing contracts, procurement processes, and strategic operational partnerships
• Strong understanding of governance, compliance, risk management, and health and safety
• Experience leading HR processes, people management, and organisational culture development
• Experience delivering systems development, digital transformation, or process improvement projects
• Strong understanding of organisational infrastructure including IT, CRM, ticketing. and data governance
• Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to work strategically while remaining practical and hands-on in a small, agile organisation

For more information on key responsibilities and person specifications please see full Job Description on EIBF website. 

Key Dates:

Closing date for applications: Monday 29th June 2026.

Interviews will be held in central Edinburgh during the week of 6th July. Remote interview requests will be considered but in person is preferred.

Crisis is the national charity for people experiencing homelessness. We have embarked on our 10-year strategy for ending homelessness. We know it is not inevitable. We know together we can end it.

Location: Based in either Crisis Skylight Edinburgh (EH8 8BQ), Newcastle (NE1 2AF) or Merseyside (L1 5BD) at least three days per week. There is an expectation of regular travel across all sites and travel to our London head office approximately once every six weeks.

Contract: 12-month fixed term contract or secondment opportunity, including external secondments.

Salary: £74,572 per annum

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to step into a pivotal senior leadership role at a critical moment for Crisis. We are looking for a Director of Operations on a 12-month fixed term contract or secondment, someone who thrives in periods of transformation and can lead a geographically dispersed senior team. If you are energised by complexity, motivated by mission, and ready to make a real difference during a period of change, we want to hear from you.

With a bold new strategic direction placing Client Services at the heart of ending homelessness, Crisis is implementing a place-based approach to system change, becoming a housing provider, and scaling the impact of our nine Skylights and Christmas offer. This role sits at the centre of that change. You will provide strong, values-led leadership across our Skylights in Edinburgh, Newcastle and Merseyside, senior support to the Lead Clinical Psychologist as well the entirety of Client Services across Great Britain. You will be bold in driving continuous improvement, collaborative in your approach to partnerships, impactful in your use of data and insight, and equitable in your leadership.

About you

• Significant senior leadership experience in a relevant sector, such as homelessness, adult social care, health, education, or employment, with a strong track record of inspiring and empowering people and teams through change.
• Excellent networking, partnership-building and influencing skills, adaptable to a range of audiences from frontline staff to senior politicians and funders
• A proven track record in operational leadership: implementing quality standards, compliance assurance, governance, and driving continuous service improvement
• Strong analytical skills and confidence using data to generate insight that improves service effectiveness, alongside experience managing significant and complex budgets
• A commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and an understanding of psychologically informed, trauma-informed approaches when working with people who have experienced complex adversity
• A genuine commitment to Crisis’ purpose and values, and a passion for ending homelessness — we particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience of homelessness

Please see the full Job Pack linked below, for a full list of requirements for this role. We realise that long lists of criteria can be daunting, and you may not want to apply for a role unless you feel 100% qualified. However, if you feel you have relevant examples to answer the screening questions, we encourage you to apply.

We believe diversity is a strength, and our aim is to make sure that Crisis truly reflects the communities we serve. We are actively working towards our organisation being a place where everyone can thrive and make their best contribution to our mission of ending homelessness for good. We know that the more perspectives, voices, and experiences we can bring to this work, the better. We particularly welcome applications from people who have lived experience of homelessness, and people from all marginalised groups, communities, and backgrounds.

Working at Crisis

Our values, Bold, Impactful, Collaborative and Equitable, are at the heart of everything we do as we continue in our mission to end homelessness.

Our staff, members, volunteers and supporters are vital to getting the right government policies in place, providing breakthrough services, and building a supportive community. We’ll lead by example to nurture a positive and ambitious workplace guided by ending homelessness.

As a member of the team, you will have access to a wide range of employee benefits including:

• A competitive salary. Please note our salaries are fixed to counter inequity and we do not negotiate at offer stage.
• Interest free loans for travel season ticket, cycle to work, and deposit to secure a tenancy.
• Pension scheme with an employer contribution of 8.5%
• 28 days’ annual leave (pro rata) which increases with service to 31 days and the option to purchase up to 10 additional days leave.
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, shared parental, and adoption pay.
• Wellbeing Leave to be used flexibly
• And more! (Full list of benefits available on website)

Alongside our excellent staff benefits, we will support your ongoing development to build your skills, experience, and career.

When you join us, you will have the opportunity to join our staff diversity networks, which aim to champion issues across the organisation, enable staff to be their authentic and best selves and contribute to making Crisis a truly diverse organisation.

How do I apply?

Please click on the 'Apply for Job' button below. Our shortlisting process is anonymised as part of our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We do not ask for CVs, instead we ask you complete the work history section and answer the screening questions for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively. At least two members of staff score all applications.

Closing date: Tuesday 9 June 2026 at 23:59

Stakeholder panel interview: Thursday 25 June 2026 online via Microsoft Teams

Main panel interview date and location: Friday 3 July 2026 at Crisis Skylight Edinburgh

AI in Job Applications

We understand some candidates use AI tools when applying. Whilst we welcome the use of technology to support clear communication and structure, we want to learn more about you, so please ensure that your application reflects your own skills, knowledge and experiences

Accessibility

We want our recruitment process to be as accessible as possible. If you need us to make an adjustment or provide additional support as you apply for a role, please email our Talent Acquisition team to discuss how we can help.

Registered Charity Numbers: E&W1082947, SC040094

Help shape the future of a national charity making a difference across the UK 

At Volunteering Matters, we believe stronger communities start with people. Every day, we bring people together through volunteering to reduce loneliness, improve wellbeing and create lasting social change in communities across the UK. 

As we deliver an ambitious new five-year strategy, we are looking for an exceptional Director of Financial Assurance with significant senior finance leadership experience to help shape our future sustainability, strengthen financial resilience and provide the strategic insight that enables confident, impactful decision-making. 

This is a rare opportunity to take on a senior leadership role with genuine influence across a national charity at a pivotal point in its journey. 

A strategic leadership role with real impact 

This new role is about providing the organisation with a clear, forward-looking financial picture, strengthening financial assurance, improving forecasting and helping ensure long-term sustainability in an increasingly complex funding environment. 

Working closely with the Chief Executive Officer, Board and Finance & Audit Committee, you will play a central role in helping the organisation navigate growth, investment, risk and opportunity. 

This role line manages the Finance Manager, ensuring strong operational finance while maintaining clear separation between operational delivery and independent oversight. 

Most importantly, you will be excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of a national charity that creates real impact in communities every day.   A

Why join Volunteering Matters? 

This is an opportunity to join an organisation with a clear social purpose, ambitious plans and a culture built around flexibility, inclusion and collaboration. 

We offer: 

• Flexible home-based working across the UK

• A senior leadership role with genuine strategic influence

• The chance to shape organisational sustainability and future growth

• A supportive and values-led culture

• Meaningful work that positively impacts communities across the UK

Our Values  

Everything we do is guided by our values: 

Empowering | Inclusive | Compassionate | Positive | Straightforward 

Disability Confident 

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. 

 Diversity & Inclusion   

Volunteering Matters welcomes all applicants and are keen to ensure our team reflects the diversity of the UK and the communities we serve. We encourage applications from disabled, LGBT and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, along with candidates with any protected characteristics and from disadvantaged groups.   

Benefits   

Our employee benefits reflect our culture which is built on an approach of full flexibility with accountability, and designed to let you make your most positive contribution; we offer: 

• Flexible Working by Default (re hours & place of work)  

• Unlimited Annual Leave  

• Employee Pension scheme  

• Life Assurance  

• Cycle to Work Scheme  

• Season Ticket Loan  

• Employee Assistance Programme  

• Enhanced sick and family leave.   

• Lifestyle Discount Scheme   

We are also open to discussing job share applications.   

 GDPR Statement   

If you apply for a role with us, we will retain your contact details including your name, address, email address and phone number to help us manage your application for up to six months.  We will not use your personal data for any other purpose or share it with any third party. You can contact us at any point to update your personal information or ask us to delete it from our records.       

Policy on AI-Generated Applications  

Applications are accepted on trust, and we expect all submissions to reflect the applicant’s own words, experiences, and motivations. While tools such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) may support the application process, applications should not be generated wholly by AI.   

Interested? 

Please send an updated, complete CV and cover letter via the Charity Job Apply button above. In your application clearly state which role you are applying for. In the cover letter please demonstrate how you would fulfil the role requirements, what previous relevant achievements you have (both in life and at work), what skills & experience you can offer, and what you believe you can contribute to Volunteering Matters.   

Right to Work in the UK 
Please note that while we hold a license to sponsor employees on a skilled worker visa, the number of applications we can make each year is very limited. Unfortunately, this role does not meet the criteria for sponsorship, therefore, you must already have the right to work in the UK to be considered for this position.