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DIRECTOR OF FINANCE - OPERA NORTH
STRATEGIC FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP IN THE ARTS
Opera North, one of the UK's leading opera companies, is seeking an accomplished Director of Finance to provide strategic financial leadership and ensure robust financial management across the organisation.
Reporting to the General Director, you will lead the financial operations and governance framework of Opera North and its affiliated organisations, working closely with the Board of Trustees and Senior Leadership Team to devise sustainable financial strategies that deliver the company's artistic ambitions and strategic priorities. You’ll be taking over from a well-respected senior finance leader who is moving on after years of brilliant service, leaving a legacy to build upon and facilitating a substantial handover period.
This is a senior role requiring significant experience in complex financial and regulatory environments, with strong charity accounting knowledge highly desirable. You will lead a dedicated finance team while building productive partnerships with stakeholders across the organisation, external auditors, and professional advisers.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership
- Lead financial operations and governance across Opera North, Opera North Trading Ltd, Opera North Future Fund and Friends of Opera North
- Contribute to company strategy across all business areas, providing financial analysis and guidance on activities, plans, targets and business drivers
- Work with the General Director and Board to develop sustainable and viable financial strategies
Financial Management & Reporting
- Provide budgets and financial modelling, offering robust challenges to planning processes where necessary
- Produce regular management accounts, annual income and expenditure budgets, improving their effectiveness as managerial tools
- Prepare information on capital expenditure, property management and reserves management to enable effective Board assessment
- Ensure timely and accurate compliance with requirements of Arts Council England, Charity Commission, Companies House and other external stakeholders
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, manage and support the continuous professional development of the finance team
- Support the development of financial skills and awareness across budget-holders to achieve continuous improvement in financial planning, forecasting and budget management
- Develop procedures and policies to support the company's financial performance
Compliance & Governance
- Liaise with providers of professional services including auditors, tax advisers, insurers, lawyers and pension providers
- Work closely with the People Team to ensure efficient payroll and pension arrangements in line with legislative and HMRC requirements
- Maintain awareness of changes to leadership and governance legislation, communicating implications to non-finance colleagues
- Ensure an effective governance framework is in place
BENEFITS PACKAGE
- Competitive salary commensurate with experience
- 35 hours per week
- 33 days annual leave inclusive of 8 statutory holidays
- Pension scheme: Opera North contributes 5.5% of basic pay after 3 months' service (employee contribution 2.5%)
- Professional development opportunities
- Access to Opera North performances and cultural activities
- Based at the Howard Opera Centre, Leeds
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
Qualifications & Professional Standing
- Full professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA)
- Professional membership of recognised accountancy body
Experience
- Senior manager or director level experience
- Substantial professional experience in a complex financial and regulatory environment
- Preparing and presenting management accounts, reports and data at board level
- Liaising with auditors and other professional advisers
- Management of a payroll function
- Managing teams
Technical Knowledge
- Knowledge of relevant legislation affecting financial reporting and taxes
- Good knowledge of VAT and Gift Aid
- Strong Excel skills
- Comfort with different accounting software
Skills & Attributes
- Excellent communication skills with ability to explain complex financial information to stakeholders with varying levels of financial knowledge
- Ability and willingness to review and improve internal systems
- Commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
HIGHLY DESIRABLE
- Knowledge and experience in charity accounting
- Understanding of charity law and guidance
- Knowledge and experience in preparing creative tax reliefs
- Professional experience of the arts sector
ABOUT OPERA NORTH
Opera North is one of the UK's most vibrant opera companies, creating extraordinary experiences for audiences across the North of England. The organisation values creativity, collaboration and cultural impact, operating with a strong commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion.
EQUITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
Opera North promotes equity, diversity and inclusion in our workplace and makes recruitment decisions by matching our needs with the skills and experience of candidates. As we work to address underrepresentation in our workforce, we are particularly keen to hear from applicants from the global majority or those with other protected characteristics.
The successful candidate must have the right to work in the UK or be ready to obtain it.
GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES
All Opera North employees are expected to:
- Represent company values and purpose to create extraordinary experiences every day
- Work collaboratively with all team members
- Act as an ambassador for Opera North, following all policies and procedures
- Ensure everyone visiting Opera North is welcomed and treated with respect
APPLICATION PROCESS
Broster Buchanan are acting as recruitment partner for this appointment.
To apply, please send your CV and covering letter to Lucy Rider at Broster Buchanan
Application deadline: 13th March 2026 Interviews: 25th & 26th March
For a confidential discussion about this opportunity, please contact Lucy Rider at Broster Buchanan.
If you require any adjustments to the application process, please let us know.
Recruitment Agency 
21 - 50
Thank you!
One third of our world has not yet heard the Good News of Jesus.
Global Disciples International is a rapidly growing mission movement that equips clusters of local churches—primarily in Africa, Asia, and Latin America—to train local believers as disciple-makers, enabling them to share the Gospel, multiply disciples, and plant sustainable churches within their cultures among least-reached people groups.
Having experienced remarkable expansion—from just a handful of programmes in 1996 to over 4,000 active programmes today, training tens of thousands of disciple-makers annually—the ministry has seen explosive multiplication in its impact and reach.
With bold missional ambition to significantly increase in scale, Global Disciples is intentionally transitioning from a predominantly US-headquartered model to a more decentralised, globally dispersed structure that empowers regional and national leadership, fosters local ownership, and aligns with its commitment to indigenous, culturally relevant mission. We currently have hubs in Africa, Asia and Lancaster, Pennsylvania and are looking at expanding our presence in Europe and Asia.
In this dynamic season of accelerated growth and structural evolution, the organisation is seeking a strategic CFO to serve as a key financial architect—engineering optimal financial infrastructure, systems, and processes that provide robust support, ensure efficiency and compliance across borders, and enable sustainable scaling to fulfil the ministry's God-given vision for greater global impact.
You will be someone with a proven track record in a senior financial leadership role in an international organisation, preferably within a ministry or mission context, and with experience overseeing additional areas like IT in entities of comparable complexity and scale. You will be a mission-aligned finance leader with a deep understanding of financial management and financial engineering, enabling you to strategically shape how Global Disciples maximises its global impact. You will have an open and servant-hearted leadership style with a natural ability to build and maintain strong, cross-cultural relationships. You will be passionate about our vision to train up disciple-makers to take the Gospel to the least-reached around the world.
We envisage the Chief Financial Officer being based in either one of our hubs in Europe, Africa or Asia.
Thank you!
Director of Finance and Commercial Services
Help shape the future of a values-led consultancy transforming public services.
GGi is a leading independent management consultancy dedicated to improving governance across public services, third-sector organisations and mission-driven entities. We work with boards and leaders of some of the UK’s most interesting public purpose organisations to deliver lasting societal impact, and we pride ourselves on our ethical approach, collaborative culture and commitment to better governance.
Our clients are making a big difference to people’s lives throughout the UK. They include the NHS, local authorities, charities, housing associations, sports and arts bodies, regulators and community interest companies. Our work is interesting and diverse, and we have built a values-driven team who enjoy the work we do. We are very committed to individual development and properly budget time for learning together. Have a look through our website and it will give you a picture of the work we do and the type of team we have put together.
Following significant growth in 2025, GGi is now scaling rapidly, with ambitions to double in size by 2028. We are seeking a Finance and Commercial Services Director to join our senior leadership team at a pivotal moment in our journey.
The opportunity
This is a newly created, senior leadership role reporting directly to the Chief Executive. You will take ownership of GGi’s four year business plan, commercial performance and operational insight, while leading the adoption of modern digital systems to support growth.
This role offers genuine influence, autonomy and variety. You will work closely with the CEO, Board and senior team to professionalise systems, improve visibility of performance and ensure the organisation scales in a financially robust, values-aligned way.
GGI is committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation and welcomes applications from candidates of all backgrounds.
Key responsibilities
· Lead financial strategy, governance, budgeting, forecasting and cash flow
· Oversee outsourced finance operations and embed audit-ready processes
· Drive pricing strategy, commercial input to bids and margin improvement
· Develop KPIs and dashboards to support high performance and decision-making
· Lead adoption of a unified digital platform (finance, CRM, project tools)
· Provide clear insight to the Board on growth, risks and opportunities
About you
· Values driven professional with an interest in making a difference
· Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
· Senior finance leadership experience in consultancy, professional services or a mission-driven organisation
· Strong commercial, pricing and performance management skills
· Confident working with data, dashboards and financial models
· Interest in digital transformation and efficiency through technology
· Collaborative, ethical leadership style aligned with a flat structure
What we offer
· Salary: £80,000 plus generous company bonus
· Genuine work/life balance with remote working and regular in-person leadership meetings with occasional client travel
· Benefits: Contributory pension
· Impact: Opportunity to shape a growing consultancy with real social impact
· Culture: Supportive, learning, values-driven and collaborative
Closing date: 27 February 2026
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.