Grants compliance officer jobs in bristol, bristol city

About SCEC

SCEC was founded over twenty years ago to provide learning enrichment opportunities to primary school children in disadvantaged communities in south London. Together with our partners, several leading independent schools, we currently operate four schemes in math, literacy, science and art. Children learn through fun, engaging group activities like science experiments, storytelling and mathematical treasure hunts, all taught by qualified teachers with added support from student mentors. Through the schemes, children explore their curiosity, build knowledge and develop their confidence as learners.

Your Role

The Scheme Director is a newly created role that will be pivotal in helping SCEC extend its reach. Reporting to the Board of Trustees, you will help SCEC design and implement an expansion programme as well as coordinating the delivery of the existing schemes via our school partners. You will also serve as a trusted partner to the Board in the administration of the charity.

Similar to a COO, this role straddles the operational and the strategic. We are looking for a confident communicator and relationship builder who can work across varied stakeholder groups. You will have project management experience that can be applied to challenges like process design and change management. You should be able to grasp the big picture and have an eye for the details needed to deliver successful outcomes.  This is an exciting opportunity for the right candidate to join SCEC on a transformational journey working with excellent learning partners and established leaders to improve educational outcomes for children.

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee scheme operations including pupil recruitment, enrolment and attendance to ensure the smooth running of schemes and maximum impact
• Promote the charity to prospective partners and donors
• Support the Board in developing, implementing and monitoring an expansion programme
• Monitor and report on scheme performance and impact
• Prepare and manage budgets and disbursement of funds 
• Build and maintain systems and processes to support scheme operations, compliance and monitoring

Key Qualities

• Passionate about making a difference in the lives of children
• Demonstrated success in developing and implementing strategic plans to achieve organisational goals
• Track record of effectively managing programmes and services, including programme development, implementation, and evaluation
• Committed to working collaboratively to build strong relationships with business partners and colleagues and proactively engaging stakeholders when making decisions
• Self-motivated and highly organised, you have a strong sense of initiative and take a hands-on approach to planning and administration

Child Protection

SCEC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. This is the responsibility of the whole organisation (trustees and staff).  An enhanced DBS Disclosure is required for this role.

For more information, please see the attached Job Description below

We are looking for an experienced, motivated fundraising professional to oversee corporate partnerships and individual giving, embedding the corporate and individual giving journey into all aspects of ERIC’s communications, and broadening the charity’s approach to donor stewardship to treat all service users and website visitors as future donors. You will also oversee all ERIC’s external and internal communications including our website, social media and PR.

As part of ERIC’s Senior Leadership Team, you will contribute to strategic planning, policy and decision-making across the whole organisation. This role provides strategic and operational leadership for ERIC’s fundraising and communications team. You will play a pivotal role in maximising supporter-led fundraising income, ensuring every supporter has a positive experience and feels inspired to continue supporting ERIC.

As Head of Fundraising and Communications, and a Senior leadership team member you will be responsible for implementing ERIC’s overall strategy. Our primary strategic objective in this area is to build our corporate and individual donor base, and you will use user data, stewardship strategy, website user experience, social media, segmented email and online service design to deliver this.

You will work closely with the CEO and provide effective line-management for two staff, and you will work with contractors and freelancers who provide social media support, videography and web development services etc.

ERIC’s reputation is built on providing families and professionals with health information that is accurate, up-to-date, clearly written and accessible. You will work with our team of qualified and experienced staff to ensure that robust systems are in place for checking and approving all the health information that ERIC publishes.

What we can offer you:

In return for your commitment to our cause and to recognise the value of our employees, ERIC offers a range of benefits to support the wellbeing of our employees. These include:

• 25 days of annual leave (plus 8 days paid public holidays per year), rising one day per year as a long service reward up to a max of 5 days.
• Employee Assistance Programme and access to wellbeing resources
• 3% Employer Pension contribution
• Living Wage Accredited Employer

We are also committed to providing learning and development to our employees. During your time with us, we provide support for your professional and career development, including access to digital training programmes and other training as required by the role.

International Finance Manager  

Reports to: Finance Director 
Contract: Part-time 

Role Purpose 

As International Finance Manager, you will work alongside the UK Finance Manager overseeing the full lifecycle of all financial transactions with particular focus on funder grants managed through HOST — across both Project Hosting and Hosted Grantmaking services. You’ll ensure every grant is managed with accuracy, compliance, and care so that funds reach the world’s change-makers safely, transparently, and on time. 

You will be responsible for ensuring that funder requirements, hosted partner needs, and HOST’s financial integrity align seamlessly. This means managing due diligence, contracting, reporting, and financial monitoring for all funder grants — whether they are received on behalf of a single hosted partner or distributed through multi-grant programmes. 

Working at the heart of the Delivery Circle, you’ll collaborate with the Partnerships, Legal, and Finance teams to ensure HOST’s grant management systems are reliable, scalable, and trusted — enabling funders and movements alike to focus on what matters most: delivering impact. 

Core Responsibilities 

1. Grant Lifecycle Management (Project Hosting & Hosted Grantmaking) 

• Manage the end-to-end administration of all funder grants, from due diligence and contracting to financial tracking, reporting, and closure. 

• Ensure every grant is correctly recorded in HOST’s financial and project management systems (Xero, ClickUp, HOSTHub). 

• Liaise with hosted partners and funders to clarify grant conditions, budgets, and deliverables. 

• Track grant progress, disbursements, and reporting deadlines to ensure compliance with funder terms and HOST policies. 

• Lead on the preparation and review of all grant agreements, amendments, and financial schedules in collaboration with the Legal Lead and Partnerships Manager: Funders. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly grant activity summary to Finance Manager and Partnerships Director. 

2. Financial Oversight and Reporting 

• Monitor the flow of all grant income and expenditure, including restricted and unrestricted funds, ensuring timely reconciliation with Finance. 

• Prepare detailed financial reports and proposal budgets for funders, hosted partners, and internal stakeholders, ensuring accuracy and compliance with agreed budgets. 

• Support income deferrals, accruals, and revenue recognition processes as part of monthly and annual financial cycles. 

• Maintain audit-ready records for all grants and subgrants, ensuring transparency and accountability. 

• Work with the Data Analyst to integrate grant data into HOST’s KPI and impact dashboards. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly reconciliation and quarterly financial performance report. 

3. Due Diligence and Compliance 

• Lead due diligence processes for all incoming funder funds and outgoing subgrants, ensuring alignment with HOST’s AML, CTF, and sanctions compliance frameworks. 

• Review and verify partner documentation, including governance, financial statements, and risk assessments. 

• Collaborate with the Legal Circle to ensure all grant agreements meet compliance requirements across relevant jurisdictions. 

• Maintain a live due diligence tracker for all funders, hosted partners, and hosted grantmaking recipients. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly compliance report; real-time escalation of risks. 

4. Project Hosting Grant Management 

• Manage funder grants received on behalf of Hosted Partners (HPs), ensuring restricted fund management, compliance, and accurate reporting. 

• Support hosted partners in interpreting funder terms, building compliant budgets, and submitting financial reports. 

• Coordinate with Community Support Leads to provide responsive guidance on grant use and expenditure tracking. 

• Ensure that all HP grant income and expenses are recorded accurately and reconciled with funder agreements. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly hosted partner grant activity and variance report. 

5. Hosted Grantmaking Grant Management 

• Work with the Partnerships Manager: Funders to manage multi-grant programmes, including collective and participatory funds. 

• Administer hosted grant cycles — including application reviews, disbursements, and financial reporting from grantees. 

• Ensure accurate funder reporting and financial documentation for each hosted grantmaking initiative. 

• Support the development of grantmaking templates, workflows, and SOPs for scale-up through HOSTHub. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly hosted grantmaking fund performance review. 

6. Collaboration with Partnerships and Delivery Teams 

• Work with the Partnerships Circle to ensure clear communication between funders, hosted partners, and internal teams. 

• Support the Finance Team in cash flow forecasting, funder fund management, and budget reforecasting. 

• Coordinate with the Legal and Operations teams to ensure integrated service delivery across all funding streams. 

• Collaborate with the Training Lead to deliver guidance or workshops on grant compliance and reporting for hosted partners. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly Delivery Circle coordination meeting. 

7. Process, Systems, and Continuous Improvement 

• Develop and maintain Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for all grant-related workflows, including contracting, reporting, and closure. 

• Support the automation of grant management systems through HOSTHub to increase efficiency and reduce administrative burden. 

• Identify bottlenecks, recommend process improvements, and support implementation across teams. 
  Reporting cadence: Quarterly systems and improvement review. 

8. Risk Management and Audit Support 

• Identify and mitigate risks across the grant portfolio, ensuring early escalation of financial or operational concerns. 

• Support external and internal audits, providing complete and accurate grant documentation. 

• Maintain a continuous improvement mindset toward compliance, ensuring HOST remains audit-ready at all times. 
  Reporting cadence: Real-time escalation of risks; quarterly risk review with Finance and Legal. 

Key Relationships 

Internal: Finance Manager, Finance Officer, Partnerships Manager: Funders, Partnerships Director, Legal Lead, Finance & Operations Director, Data Analyst, and Training Lead. 
External: Funders, hosted partners, hosted grantees, and auditors. 

Performance Indicators 

• 100% compliance with funder and grant reporting deadlines. 

• 100% of grants processed with complete due diligence and documentation. 

• Zero unresolved financial discrepancies in grant records at month-end. 

• All funder and hosted partner reporting delivered on time and to standard. 

• Continuous improvement in efficiency and accuracy of grant management workflows. 

• Positive feedback from funders and hosted partners on financial clarity and service quality. 

Qualifications/Experience 

• Internationally recognised finance qualification. 

• Ideally use of Sage but not essential. 

• Experience of the not for profit sector. 

• Experience managing Grants advantageous. 

Here at Youth4Youth, we have grown a strong, tight-knit community of individuals who are passionate about making a difference and improving the lives of young people across the UK. Our growing team, who are primarily volunteers, all contribute, significantly, to the impact that we have as a charity on our direct beneficiaries, regardless of the department that they work in of the level of time that they are able to commit. Our services primarily offer a peer-support network to young people right across the UK, allowing them to access a peer mentor who is of a similar age to them and somebody that they feel more comfortable speaking with.

If successful, you will be joining a growing team of diverse, but likeminded individuals, collaborating to increase the reach of the Charity and improve support provisions available to young people. All of our volunteers and employees are remote workers, but that doesn't stop us keeping in touch and maintaining a strong positive culture amongst our whole team.

If you are interested in applying for this role, and would like to find out more, you are welcome to join our Chairman and outgoing Volunteer CEO in one of the following informal drop-in sessions. This will provide you with an opportunity to learn more about the charity, its mission and how you may partner with the Chair to lead Youth4Youth through the next stages of its journey. Sign up is required:

• Wednesday 26th November - 12:00pm
• Wednesday 26th November - 6:00pm
• Friday 5th December - 12:00pm
• Friday 5th December - 6:00pm

Contact us directly to be added to one of these sessions, or sign up via our direct recruitment page.

About the role

We are seeking a transformational and visionary Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) to lead a national youth focused organisation, dedicated to promoting peer-led early intervention support for those in need. The successful candidate will be the first employed leader, propelling Youth4Youth from its robust foundations to the next stages of its development. The CEO will be responsible for turning our recently developed, yet ambitious, strategy into reality. This role provides an exceptional opportunity to make a significant and lasting impact from the outset.

Youth4Youth has secured funding to appoint a CEO for one year, with the expectation that the appointed leader will focus on securing long-term sustainable funding, thereby transitioning this position into a permanent role at the end of the fixed-term period. Additionally, the CEO will facilitate the appointment of further roles to support our mission as further funding becomes available.

Responsibilities 

• Collaborate with the Chair of the Board and Trustees to establish and execute organisational strategy in alignment with the charity’s vision, mission, and objectives. This includes ensuring effective governance and legal compliance, and providing sound, evidence-based recommendations to the Board of Trustees.
• Champion continuous improvement, ensuring Youth4Youth remains a leading provider of youth-led early intervention wellbeing services. Identify and develop opportunities to expand the charity's reach and impact across the UK.
• Oversee effective financial management, ensuring the organisation can continue delivering its services efficiently. Lead the development of sustainable funding streams, enhance fundraising strategies, foster partnerships, and drive growth in commercial activities.
• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships within and beyond our sector to maximise partnership opportunities. Explore the delivery and co-delivery of commissioned services and access broader funding sources previously untapped by the charity.
• Ensure that youth perspectives are central to decision-making processes about the charity's future. Establish systems to continuously gather input and feedback from our target beneficiaries.

This position offers the chance to advance an organisation with solid foundations, enhancing its reach and impact across the UK through a volunteer executive leadership team and a growing network of approximately 100 volunteers nationwide. The CEO will be instrumental in crafting a strategic vision that translates into operational success, building and strengthening partnerships across the four nations, developing sustainable funding streams, and ensuring the delivery of high-quality services.

Skills 

• Exhibit a profound passion for Youth4Youth's mission and demonstrate a strong commitment to enhancing the impact of our services.
• Possess substantial experience in senior and/or strategic leadership roles, with proven abilities to both develop and implement organisational strategies.
• Have the capacity to influence effectively, both internally and externally.
• Are action-oriented and adaptable to the demands of a dynamic and growing organisation, with the ability to manage multiple priorities concurrently.
• Excel in a fast-paced and varied work environment.
• Show a strong commitment to good governance and compliance.
• Possess excellent written and verbal communication skills, along with exceptional interpersonal abilities.
• Embrace inclusivity in all aspects of their work, demonstrating approachability, active listening, and empathy towards others.

While prior experience in youth-led or youth-focused organisations is not mandatory, candidates must demonstrate passion for our mission and an understanding of our strategy. Experience working with young people is preferred but not required.

Benefits of working with Youth4Youth

• 28 days paid holiday, plus public holidays (pro-rata)
• Remote working, with flexibility allowed
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme, Health Cash Plan & Life Assurance
• Defined contribution pension with a 6% employer contribution
• Access to a range of discounts via charity partner platforms

The hiring process

1. Pre-application information sessions (Optional)
2. Application Deadline: 19th December 2025
3. First round interviews to be conducted in early January 2026
4. Second round interview (including a presentation)

Please let us know if you require any accommodations for the interview process, and we’ll do our best to assist.

Role: Chief Executive Officer

Reports to: Chair of the Board of Trustees

Salary: £60,000 p.a. (pro-rata)

Hours of work: 20 hours per week (Part-time, 0.5FTE)

Location: Remote, with travel required

Contract type: 1 year fixed term contract, with potential to become permanent

Note: Right to work in the UK is required to be able to apply for this position

As Managing Director, you will provide strategic direction for the charity, employing a collaborative leadership style to ensure that the achievement of the charity’s vision and objectives is supported by an engaged and culturally healthy staff team.

You will ensure the projects are run in-line with our policies, legal requirements, and budgets, with an overarching understanding of the charity’s finances and fundraising.

You will also be a figurehead for the organisation, effectively networking, partnering and influencing across sectors.

Lastly, but most importantly, you will be passionate about the transformative power of connection across division, and how the projects we create serve this core purpose.

Role

We seek a Finance Manager to lead the day to day running of the charity’s finances including overseeing the work of our outsourced financial provider. As a grant giving organisation, there will be regular interaction with the programmatic workstreams in this position, offering a fantastic opportunity for the right candidate to increase the capacity of a field-leading charity, help empower researchers in the Global South, and contribute to one of the world’s most important climate debates. If you are an ambitious qualified finance professional, this is an opportunity to step into a role with purpose, international influence, and real impact.  

Working with the COO, you will undertake organisational financial planning, budgeting and forecasting so that the senior staff and trustees have comprehensive information for decision making. Furthermore, in cooperation with the Development Manager, this role will support the submission of funding bids and reporting to funders to ensure the continued growth of the charity.

Responsibilities

As this is a new role, responsibilities are expected to evolve but some key items include:

• Financial Oversight: Overseeing the outsourced finance provider, ensuring service delivery meets organisational needs and deadlines. You will be the primary liaison between our financial services provider and the staff, ensuring that they make payments on behalf of the organisation, runs payroll, completes the bookkeeping via QuickBooks, the monthly management accounts, and the annual statutory accounts. 
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Preparing and monitoring annual organisational budgets including a mid-year adjustment, cash flow forecasts, financial models and annual accounts to support the annual business cycle and fundraising bids.
• Reporting: Finalising monthly management accounts prepared by outsourced financial provider, deliver financial reports for the COO, senior leadership, and trustees, and preparing donor financial reporting.
• Financial Strategy and Investment Oversight: Working with the COO to manage financial resources and reserves including developing the investment policy to support the long-term goals of the charity.
• Audit & Compliance: Leading on annual audits, maintain compliance with UK charity finance regulations, and ensure adherence to funder requirements.
• Programmatic financial support: Working closely with the programmes teams to ensure their payments processes run smoothly with the outsourced financial provider, and regularly reviewing their grant and event expenditure is in line with their own managed budgets.
• Process Improvement: Identifying opportunities to streamline financial processes and implement best practices, such as working with Operations to improve payments & expenses software, opening new bank accounts, or finding new platforms to reduce international payment fees.

Key relationships:

• Supervised by COO 
• Primary liaison with our outsourced financial provider (including a management accountant, payments officer and bookkeeper)
• Works with the Development Manager
• Grants Manager
• Operations team

Summary

EduSpots is an innovative, dynamic, and community-orientated UK and Ghanaian registered charity which connects, trains, and equips grassroots voluntary educators (named ‘Catalysts’) to drive community-led change through education spaces named ‘Spots’. Our vision is of a world in which communities unite to create the futures they want to see, through education.

Since 2016, through collaborating with over 400 local voluntary community educators and actors – named ‘Catalysts’ – who take a central leadership role in the development of the network, we have supported 50 communities in creating and running community-led and owned education spaces named ‘Spots’’. Together, we are developing a model for a community-led education space with accompanying network engagement that could have global relevance. 

Our Ghana-based team creates collaborative learning opportunities through three leadership programmes for Catalysts which are increasingly facilitated by the EduSpots app: the Ignite, Catalyse and Inspire Mentoring Programmes. These enable the Catalysts to lead EduKidz (early years education), DigLit (digital literacy), EcoSTEM (STEM and environmental education) and Ignite Equity (gender equity) clubs for learners typically aged 3-16, alongside locally designed education projects, reaching over 10,000 learners of all ages annually. 

We are in an exciting period of our development, having more than doubled our income, programme breadth and reach in the last two years, with a recent independent evaluation by Expectation State offering further evidence in support of our model’s outcomes. We have been recently selected for two accelerator programmes, who are supporting us as we consider the scaling potential of our model. In the period, we are aiming to double our network reach, bringing an additional 50 Spots into the network.

We won the Tes International Award in 2018 and the Big Give Supporters’ Choice Award in 2022, and we were recently selected as a finalist for the 2023 Their World Scale-Up Innovation Prize. In 2021, our Founder was a Finalist in the UNESCO-backed $1 million Global Teacher Prize.

We are excited by our future. 

About this role 

The Global Head of Operations is a new role being introduced in 2026 with the core purpose of strengthening systems, processes and strategic delivery across both EduSpots Global and EduSpots Ghana, offering hands-on support to the CEO and wider staff across a range of areas.

In this senior role, you will work closely alongside the CEO, offering her the advice and skills needed to move EduSpots successfully through a complex period of growth in a challenging fundraising context, enabling more learners and Catalysts to participate in a unique community-led model of education, whilst sharing our practice more widely.

We are looking for an organised and empathetic strategic leader, ideally with strong or developing skills across project management, finance, HR and MEL skills and an ability to work independently in a fast moving work environment.

This role has the potential to grow into a Director of Global Operations or Deputy CEO role in time for outstanding candidates, and carries significant organisation-wide responsibility.

Candidates should hold a genuine passion for educational equity, a strong belief in the power of community-led models to transform lives at scale and a high level of flexibility in a fast-changing yet friendly and playful work environment.

Whilst this role is remote, and open to all global candidates, you will need to have understanding and experience of UK law, accounting and policy development, or a strong appetite to build experience in this area quickly.

Main duties and responsibilities 

Systems

• Work with the CEO and staff to proactively strengthen systems and processes across the organisation, including monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks and operations. 
• Support the wider team with IT, including general skill development, leading the Google Space system. 
• Monitor compliance to organisational policies and lead the quarterly review of the organisational risk register, working with the Ghana Head of Operations. 

Finance 

• Work with the Finance and Admin Officer to produce monthly and quarterly global management accounts, cash flow analysis and to complete the annual audit. 
• Lead the financial planning of the organisation, working with the CEO and the Ghana Head of Operations to create the annual budget. 
• Work with the Ghana Head of Operations to strengthen financial systems, processes, and training across the organisation. 
• Work with the Ghana Head of Operations to prepare budgets for funding bids as needed.
• Work with the grants team to track grant spending and produce consolidated financial reports (including expenditure from the UK and Ghana) for donors. 
• Ensure EduSpots’ new accounting software (QuickBooks) is fully embedded and utilised.
• Oversee bank account management, including payments, checking bank statements, and reviewing bank reconciliations for UK and Ghana.
• Ensure staff payroll (likely to be outsourced) and payments to freelancers / consultants are done accurately and in a timely manner.

HR

• Work alongside the CEO, Head of Operations, Safeguarding and Inclusion Managers  and wider staff to develop strategies to sustain and strengthen a high performing and friendly work culture. 
• Work across the team to strengthen HR and performance management structures, informed by best practice and legal frameworks. 
• Lead the recruitment of staff, consultants and volunteers in the UK (advertising roles, drafting contracts, contacting referees and completing all filing and administration relating to recruitment).
• Onboard new staff, provide training on policies and procedures, and track key information (leave, appraisals, etc) for UK staff. 
• Regularly review and keep the Staff Handbook up to date.
• Depending on skill-set, work with the CEO to lead professional development for staff across the organisation, liaising with trustees and advisory group members.

Administration & Governance

• Manage and maintain databases and our Google Drive system. 
• Ensure compliance with GDPR and adherence to our child safeguarding and protection policy. 
• Maintain insurance renewals, tracking and filing.
• Review and keep up to date all organisational policies in line with current legislation, working with the Trustees and Directors. 
• Assist the CEO in the administration relating to EduSpots’ governance, including board meeting arrangements and minute taking.
• Support the CEO in all ad-hoc tasks that arise, working closely alongside her to ensure the smooth running of the organisation. 

Strategic insight 

• Work closely with the CEO and staff/Catalysts across the organisation to ensure all EduSpots’ decision-making is strategic and in the best interests of the Catalysts, Sparks and Communities we partner with. 

Other areas 

• Depending on experience, you may in time take on management responsibilities for some staff, but this role is principally a systems strengthening and quality improvement role, working closely with the CEO to offer advice and additional capacity. 
• Depending on experience, you may support with grants writing / management and/or community fundraising. Experience of fundraising would be of significant benefit to the organisation in this key leadership role. 

Personal Specification 

Essential 

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience of operations in a small/medium charity context. 
• Self-starter with the ability to hit the ground running and work with minimal supervision with high levels of flexibility.
• Self-motivated, with an ability to motivate and energise others.
• High level strategic understanding, critical thinking and the ability to strengthen systems in a fast-paced high performance environment.
• Excellent communication, both oral and written.
• The ability to thrive and adapt in a fast-paced, creative and impact-driven culture. 
• Strong administrative skills with a high level of attention to detail. 
• Experience in creating user-friendly tools and processes to support project and quality management.
• Experience using Google Suite, with strong Excel skills.
• Tech savvy – ability to learn new tech tools efficiently.
• Experience coordinating others. 
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills with strong empathy and cultural sensitivity 
• Strong personal alignment with the mission, vision and values of EduSpots. 

Highly desirable 

• Experience supporting charity Boards, and working with external bodies including auditors, tax authorities, and other official bodies is highly desirable.
• Experience complying and strong familiarity with UK charity regulations and requirements.
• Experience preparing budgets and financial reports for donors/grants. 
• Experience of working in a cross-cultural team.
• Experience of working with an international charity would be advantageous. 

Please send a tailored covering letter and CV addressed to the CEO Miss Cat Davison by Wednesday 31st December with a hope to meet shortlisted candidates for a first-round interview in the week starting Monday 12th January. 

Contract: 1.0 FTE (37.5 hours per week), permanent with 6-month probation period

Salary: £56,650-70,000 per annum, depending on experience

Location: Remote working, with option to use co-working space

Start Date: As soon as possible

Reports to: Executive Director

Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK.

How to Apply

Closing Date: 4th January 2026 (23:59 GMT)

To apply, please submit the following: 

• Cover letter (maximum 2 pages)

• CV

Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date, your application has not been successful on this occasion.

About BASIC

BASIC is an independent, non-profit think tank working to safeguard humanity and Earth's ecosystem from nuclear risks and interconnected security threats, for generations to come. Our vision is for a global security consensus founded on multilateralism, the recognition of the indivisibility of security, adherence to Earth's planetary boundaries, and consideration of future generations.

For nearly 40 years, we have built a global reputation for groundbreaking dialogue and incisive thought leadership to strengthen international peace and security. We are an intellectually and culturally diverse team of 20 expert-practitioners with deep institutional experience, headquartered in London with additional presences in Berlin and Rome. We are independent, receive no core funding from any state, and our project work is funded transparently.

BASIC's approach to resolving contemporary nuclear dynamics is centred on dialogue as both a practice and a philosophy. We interpret dialogue broadly, recognising that meaningful engagement takes many forms: from facilitating direct strategic conversations between adversaries grounded in conflict resolution principles, to developing networks and diplomatic initiatives that build consensus around shared objectives, to shaping the intellectual foundations of policy discourse through rigorous research and thought leadership.

BASIC is a fast-paced and rewarding environment with an exceptionally positive and inclusive team culture. We have experienced rapid growth over the past decade and are well-suited to people who are motivated by our mission, able to work at a sustained pace, keen to develop professionally, and enjoy being part of a collaborative team working on consequential issues.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary with room for growth

• 30 days annual leave (pro rata), plus bank holidays and closure days over the December festive period

• Employer pension contributions of 5% (above the national minimum)

• Flexible working arrangements, with set days (Wednesdays required) but flexibility on hours

• Remote working with option to use co-working space

• 1-2 all-staff in-person team away day per year, as well as other in-person working opportunities

• Opportunities for professional growth and development

• Excellent team culture built on respect, openness, and inclusion

The Role

BASIC is seeking a hands-on Financial Controller to lead our finance function during a period of sustained growth. The Financial Controller will work across Programme teams ensuring strong financial management and reporting to funding partners, maintain strong financial controls, ensure compliance with charity finance regulations, and provide accurate financial reporting to our Directors and Board of Trustees.

The Financial Controller will oversee the small finance team, including line management of a Finance Assistant and management of an external bookkeeper consultant. This team will be responsible for the majority of financial accounting, processing payroll, and accurate bookkeeping, for which the Financial Controller will be ultimately accountable.

The role includes managing restricted and unrestricted funds in accordance with funder requirements and programme needs, preparing statutory accounts for external audit, and overseeing payroll processing. This role reports directly to the Executive Director to prepare annual budgets and financial strategy, and works closely with the Board's Financial Development Committee to present its implementation.

The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant with strong technical accounting skills, experience in charity finance, and a proven track record of effective financial management of a growing organisation. You should be comfortable both managing a small team and working hands-on when needed, building collaborative relationships across the organisation. You will need to be a multitasker with the ability to work at pace, and be willing to develop the finance function and best practices to enable the organisation to grow further.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Accounting and Reporting

• Oversee the maintenance of accurate financial records and bookkeeping in accordance with charity accounting standards (SORP)

• Prepare monthly management accounts including variance reporting and rolling forecasts

• Prepare annual statutory accounts and manage the annual independent audit process in its entirety

• Manage restricted and unrestricted funds in accordance with funder requirements

• Provide accurate and timely financial reporting to the Board of Trustees, Executive Director, and funding partners

Financial Operations

• Oversee day-to-day finance operations including payment processing, staff expenses, and cost allocation (including staff costs)

• Oversee monthly payroll using QuickBooks (led by Finance Assistant)

• Manage treasury functions including bank and cash management

• Oversee procurement of key assets such as IT equipment

• Cashflow management

Grant and Budget Management

• Support budget development for funding bids and proposals

• Monitor spend against grants and projects, working towards full cost recovery

• Prepare financial reports for donors and funding partners

• Lead annual budget-setting and forecasting processes in collaboration with the Board and Executive Director

Financial Systems and Controls

• Develop and maintain robust financial systems, processes, and controls

• Continuously improve finance processes and identify efficiencies

• Advise on financial governance and best practice

• Manage financial risks and opportunities (e.g., insurance, foreign exchange)

Team Management and Stakeholder Relations

• Line manage the Finance Assistant and oversee external bookkeeper consultant

• Build collaborative relationships across the organisation

• Manage relationships with key external stakeholders including banks, international transfer services, and audit partners

• Work closely with the Board's Financial Development Committee and BASIC's Treasurer

Please note: This list is not exhaustive. Other tasks may be required as they arise.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

• Qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent) or part-qualified with significant relevant experience
• Proven experience in a mid-level to senior finance role, with responsibility for financial accounting and reporting
• Experience managing restricted and unrestricted funds
• Experience preparing statutory accounts and managing audit processes
• Experience in a growing organisation, implementing and improving financial systems and controls
• Strong technical accounting skills and understanding of financial controls
• Excellent numeracy and attention to detail
• Proficiency with accounting software (experience with QuickBooks highly desirable)
• Strong Excel/spreadsheet skills
• Excellent communication skills, able to explain financial information to non-finance colleagues
• Highly organised with ability to manage multiple priorities and work to deadlines
• Proactive and solutions-oriented, with ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Comfortable working hands-on when needed while also providing strategic oversight
• Ability to work at pace in a fast-growing organisation
• Commitment to BASIC's mission and values

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience in charity finance and understanding of charity accounting standards (SORP)
• Experience line managing finance staff
• Experience in an international organisation or with international funding
• Understanding of charity governance and regulatory requirements