57 Grants compliance officer jobs in London, Greater London

Job role: Finance Officer
Salary: Circa £38,000 per annum
Contract: Full-time, permanent (34.5 hours per week)
Location: UK-based, predominantly remote, with attendance at the London office once or twice a month


We're looking for a Finance Officer to join a small and supportive finance team within a well-established not-for-profit organisation with an international reach. This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys taking ownership of their work, building strong relationships with colleagues, and contributing to an organisation with a meaningful global impact. The role would particularly suit someone who enjoys working in an international environment and supporting financial activities across multiple countries and currencies.

As part of a supportive team, you will play a key role in ensuring financial operations run smoothly and accurately. You'll work closely with colleagues across the organisation, helping to maintain strong financial controls, support decision-making and enable important programmes and services to be delivered effectively.

As the Finance Officer, you will be responsible for:

• Managing day-to-day finance activities as part of a small finance team
• Preparing and processing UK and international payments
• Managing weekly payroll and supporting related processes
• Completing balance sheet reconciliations and maintaining accurate records
• Posting journals, including accruals and prepayments
• Supporting month-end activities and maintaining clear audit trails
• Assisting with funding transfers to programme partners across multiple countries
• Working with programme and grant teams on invoicing and finance queries
• Supporting budget holders and colleagues with financial processes and systems
• Providing guidance on purchase orders, coding and approval processes
• Investigating discrepancies and resolving reconciliation issues
• Identifying opportunities to improve processes and strengthen controls

To be successful in this role, you will have:


Essential

• Strong experience in a finance role with a good understanding of wider finance operations
• Experience preparing and reviewing profit and loss accounts
• Strong balance sheet reconciliation skills
• Good understanding of double-entry bookkeeping
• Purchase ledger experience within an international organisation
• Excellent attention to detail and experience managing financial data
• Ability to work independently and use initiative
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills
• Confidence explaining financial information and processes to non-finance colleagues
• Experience supporting financial controls, compliance and audit requirements
• Advanced Excel skills, including pivot tables, VLOOKUPs and data analysis

Desirable

• Experience working in the charity, not-for-profit or wider voluntary sector
• Experience working in a multi-currency environment
• Experience using Microsoft Dynamics Business Central or similar finance systems

Why join?

• Predominantly remote working
• 34.5-hour working week
• 26 days annual leave plus bank holidays, increasing with service
• Generous pension contribution
• Healthcare cash plan and virtual GP access
• Employee assistance programme
• Group income protection and life insurance
• Volunteer day programme

We want you to have every opportunity to demonstrate your skills, ability and potential; please contact us if you require any assistance or adjustment so that we can help with making the application process work for you.

Our client operates at the intersection of technology, forensic research, journalism, transparency and accountability, partnering with organisations around the globe and supporting a growing international network of volunteer investigators. It has pioneered the use of open source research methods to investigate some of the most significant issues of public interest around the world. Investigations have covered subjects ranging from the downing of flight MH17 over eastern Ukraine to police violence in Colombia and the illegal wildlife trade in the UAE.

Prospectus are delighted to be leading the search for a Fractional Financial Controller to provide strategic financial leadership, oversee financial compliance and reporting, and help ensure the organisation remains financially robust and well-positioned for the future. The role is required for 2 days per week, for a period of 6 months.

The Opportunity
Working closely with the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Research and Training, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring financial integrity across the organisation. You will combine strategic financial planning with hands-on financial oversight, leading on budgeting, reporting, forecasting and audit management.
This role would suit an experienced finance professional who enjoys working in a mission-driven, international environment and is comfortable operating both strategically and operationally.

Key Responsibilities
Strategic Financial Leadership

• Develop financial models, forecasts and scenario plans to support organisational and programme development.
• Provide strategic financial insight and recommendations to the senior leadership team and Board.
• Lead the annual budgeting process and support longer-term financial planning.
• Help guide major organisational and programme-related financial decisions.

Financial Control adn Reporting

• Produce monthly management accounts and variance analysis.
• Prepare and monitor cashflow forecasts.
• Develop clear and insightful financial reports for internal and external stakeholders.
• Ensure robust financial controls and governance processes are in place.

Audit, Compliance and Tax

• Lead and coordinate the annual financial audit process.
• Act as the primary contact for external auditors.
• Ensure compliance with Dutch financial regulations and taxation requirements.
• Oversee statutory reporting and tax filings.

Grant and Donor Finance

• Design and monitor budgets for donor proposals, institutional grants and funding applications.
• Track restricted and unrestricted funding streams.
• Ensure expenditure aligns with donor requirements and grant agreements.
• Support accurate financial reporting to funders.

About You
We're looking for an experienced and proactive finance professional who can provide confidence, rigour and strategic insight in an international and fast-moving environment. 

You will bring:

• Significant experience as a Financial Controller, Finance Manager, Head of Finance or similar senior finance role.
• Proven experience managing audits and acting as the lead contact for external auditors.
• Strong experience in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and management reporting.
• Excellent analytical and communication skills, with the ability to present financial information clearly to non-financial audiences.
• A collaborative approach and the confidence to work closely with senior leaders and Board members.

Essential

• Demonstrable experience managing financial operations and taxation matters in the Netherlands.
• Strong understanding of Dutch accounting standards, tax requirements and regulatory compliance.
• Familiarity with Exact accounting software.
• Experience preparing and coordinating annual audits.
• Ability to operate independently in a fractional capacity.
• Fluent English language skills.
• Right to work in either the Netherlands or the UK.

Desirable

• Experience working within a charity, foundation, non-profit or grant-funded environment.
• Experience tracking donor-restricted funding and grant budgets.
• Experience supporting internationally distributed organisations.

Interviews: 1st and 2nd October

At Prospectus we invest in your journey as a candidate and are committed to supporting you with your application. We welcome candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds. Please let us know if we can help you with the application process in any way. We are more than happy to make any reasonable adjustments to enable all interested candidates to apply. If you have any disability and would like assistance with completing an application, please contact Catherine Bunting at Prospectus.

We're looking for an experienced Management Accountant who is excited by the role finance can play in creating social impact. Working closely with colleagues, senior leaders and trustees, you'll provide the financial insight, forecasting and analysis needed to support effective decision-making, ensure strong financial stewardship, and help us make the best use of our resources to deliver our strategy, Leading with Hope. This is an opportunity to combine technical accounting expertise with a commitment to using finance as a tool for positive change. 

About the role:

The Fundraising Manager will play a key role in securing sustainable income to enable Amber to achieve its mission. Working closely with the CEO, you will develop and deliver fundraising across a diverse range of income streams, building strong relationships with funders, supporters and partners.

As Amber's sole fundraising professional, you will lead all aspects of income generation, building on established income streams such as trusts and foundations, community fundraising, individual giving and events, while developing income streams that are at an earlier stage, including legacy giving and corporate sponsorship. You will work closely with the CEO and colleagues across the organisation.

This is a varied and rewarding role that combines strategic planning with hands-on fundraising, offering the opportunity to make a direct impact on the lives of blind and partially sighted children through music.

Main duties and responsibilities:

- Planning and Monitoring

- Trusts and Foundations

- Community Fundraising

- Corporate Sponsorship

- Individual Giving

- Events and Campaigns

About us

The Alliance for Youth Justice is an alliance of more than 70 non-profit organisations advocating with and for children to drive positive change in youth justice across England and Wales. We mobilise our members’ frontline expertise, children’s lived experience, and evidence from research to champion a child-centred, rights-based and trauma-informed system that treats contact with the justice system as a sign of unmet need and systemic failure, prioritises support over criminalisation and gives every child the opportunity to thrive.

We're widely recognised as the most influential group campaigning for improvements to the system, with trusted access to decision makers, working towards three goals: keeping children safe from the youth justice system through prevention and diversion; racial justice across the system; and custody as a last resort for children.

About the role

Following the launch of our new strategic approach, our Operations and Membership Lead will provide the operational, financial and administrative backbone of the organisation — keeping our finances and governance on track, and coordinating our network of over 70 member organisations.

Finance, operations and governance (70%) — manage bookkeeping in QuickBooks, coordinate banking, prepare management accounts, support grant financial reporting, maintain internal systems (SharePoint, IT), lead on policy compliance (safeguarding, GDPR, health and safety), and support Board governance and statutory filings.

Membership coordination (30%) — manage the end-to-end membership process from enquiries to renewals, coordinate member surveys and data, and organise our events — quarterly member meetings, roundtables and webinars.

Anti-racist, anti-oppressive practice runs through how we work with our Board, staff, members and stakeholders.

About you

You have experience in an operations, finance or administrative coordination role within a non-profit or membership organisation, including managing the full financial cycle within a charity and a working knowledge of charity fund accounting. You're practically experienced with QuickBooks (or equivalent), highly proficient in Microsoft 365, SharePoint and Excel-based tracking systems or CRMs, and bring exceptional organisational skills, discretion and a proactive, self-motivated approach. You have a personal commitment to anti-racism, social justice and child rights.

Why join us

We're a small team of three punching well above our weight, with real scope to shape how we work and few layers of hierarchy. We offer flexible, trust-based home working (within core hours), plus 25 days' leave (pro rata), Christmas office closure, and a 5% employer pension contribution.

We encourage applications from historically marginalised groups even if you don't meet every requirement, and we do not use criminal records to exclude candidates.

Please download the reruitment pack to find out more and read the full job description and person specification.

The Associate Director (Investments) role will design and lead a new mission-aligned strategy that puts racial justice and community power at its centre - redefining how our capital can be put to work to restore dignity and collective care within communities.

This is not a conventional investment role. It will take all of us, including our grant partners to imagine, design and build. Your role is to hold this with bravery and humility, and a willingness to shift as we continue to learn and deepen our strategic ambitions.

We are looking for someone who is as comfortable engaging with communities on the ground as they are with fund managers and wealth advisers - someone who understands that the way capital moves is itself an act of power, and who brings the vision, relationships and technical grounding to help Tudor use its assets in genuine service of our mission.

You will sit on the Senior Leadership Team, serve as Tudor's primary investment adviser to the Board and Finance
& Investment Committee, and lead a working group of trustees and partners as we chart this new course. 

Salary: £50,000–£55,000 FTE, pro rata (0.6 FTE: £30,000–£33,000)
Hours: 3 days per week / 0.6 FTE
Contract: Permanent
Location: Predominantly remote, with regular travel to our London office as required
Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer (COO)
Application deadline: 20 October 2026
Start date: As soon as possible

About the role

Migrateful is looking for an experienced Finance Manager to lead the financial management of our growing charity.

With annual income of over £1 million and operations across London and Bristol, this is a senior role combining hands-on financial management with budgeting, forecasting and strategic financial insight. A significant proportion of both our income and cost base relates to our trading activities, primarily the delivery and sale of cookery classes, so we are looking for someone with experience of managing finances in an organisation with substantial trading activity, alongside charitable and fundraising income.

You will work closely with our COO and CEO, external bookkeeper and accountant, Senior Management Team and Finance and Risk Sub-Committee to ensure that Migrateful has robust financial information, controls and processes to support good decision-making and long-term financial sustainability.

You will take ownership of the finance function while working with colleagues across the organisation to ensure that budget holders understand their financial position and are supported to manage their budgets effectively.

Key Responsibilities

Financial planning, budgeting and forecasting

• Lead the annual budgeting process in partnership with the CEO and COO. 

• Produce regular forecasts, cash-flow projections and scenario modelling to support organisational planning and decision-making.

• Monitor performance against budget, identify emerging risks and opportunities, and recommend corrective action where required.

• Work closely with the COO, through a business partnering relationship, to provide timely financial information and insights on all aspects of operations (especially cookery class delivery).

• Support budget holders to understand and manage their budgets and financial targets.

Management accounting and internal financial reporting

• Work closely with our external bookkeeper and accountant to ensure transactions are accurately recorded, restricted funding is correctly allocated and balance-sheet accounts are reconciled.

• Review monthly management accounts and investigate significant variances.

• Produce clear monthly financial reporting and narrative for the Senior Management Team. 

• Produce clear quarterly financial reporting and narrative for the Finance and Risk-Committee

• Translate financial information into accessible insights for colleagues and trustees who do not have a finance background.

• Prepare financial papers for Board and Finance and Risk Sub-Committee meetings and support trustees to understand Migrateful's financial position.

• Support the COO in convening and servicing the quarterly Finance and Risk Sub-Committee.

Income, expenditure and cash and treasury management

• Oversee sales invoicing and credit control, ensuring invoices are raised accurately and outstanding debts are followed up.

• Review and approve expenditure within delegated authority.

• Oversee fortnightly payment runs and supplier payments.

• Oversight on monthly payroll processes

• Maintain oversight of organisational cash flow.

• Manage our bank deposits at Flagstone to optimise interest income whilst maintaining appropriate levels of liquidity 

Audit, compliance and governance

• Lead the annual external audit and preparation of statutory accounts, working with our external accountants and auditors.

• Ensure compliance with all  relevant charity accounting and other statutory  requirements, including the Charities SORP and HMRC.

Financial controls and systems

• Maintain and continually improve Migrateful's financial policies, procedures and internal controls, including delegated authorities, segregation of duties, anti-fraud measures and reserves.

• Identify opportunities to make financial processes more efficient, accurate and automated.

• Ensure financial systems and processes remain appropriate as Migrateful grows.

Fundraising, funder reporting and restricted funds

• Support the CEO and fundraising team with budgets, financial information and projections for funding applications.

• Maintain effective oversight of restricted funding and grant expenditure.

• Prepare financial information for use in funding applications and reports.

Person Specification

Essential

• Significant experience of financial management within a charity or not-for-profit organisation

• Strong knowledge of charity accounting, including restricted and unrestricted funds.

• Experience of working in a charity or not-for-profit that has a significant level of earned income (and associated expenditure)

• Experience of producing and interpreting management accounts, budgets, forecasts and cash-flow projections.

• Experience of leading or playing a significant role in annual budgeting and year-end audit processes.

• Strong understanding of financial controls and the ability to identify and improve financial processes.

• Knowledge of the Charities SORP and charity statutory reporting requirements.

• Experience of organisations generating significant trading income alongside charitable/fundraising income.

• Excellent Excel or Google Sheets skills and confidence working with accounting and financial systems.

• Strong analytical skills and the ability to turn financial information into clear advice and recommendations.

• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to explain financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues and trustees.

• Highly organised, accurate and able to manage competing deadlines independently.

• Collaborative and comfortable working with colleagues across an organisation.

• Able to attend meetings at our London office when required.

• Commitment to Migrateful's mission and values.

Desirable

• ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent qualification, or part-qualified.

• Experience working in a charity of a similar size and complexity.

• Experience working directly with trustees or a Finance and Risk Sub-Committee.

• Experience supporting fundraising teams with grant budgets and restricted-fund reporting.

• Experience of payroll and workplace pensions.

• Experience improving or automating finance systems and processes.

Right to Work

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. Migrateful is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this role.

Successful applicants will be required to provide evidence of their right to work in the UK before starting employment.

Application Process

To apply, please send your CV and a cover letter explaining why you are interested in the role and how your experience meets the person specification.

Applications close on 20th October 2026.

Applications will be shortlisted and interviews held on a rolling basis, so we encourage you to apply early. We may close the vacancy before the advertised closing date if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications.

We are looking for the successful candidate to start as soon as possible.

The Vacancy

This exciting role combines supporting the management of Methodist historic places of worship and other spaces across Britain with interpretation and audience development. The Methodist Heritage Officer will advocate for Methodist Heritage, contribute to delivering the Methodist Heritage Strategy 2026-2032 and work towards our historic spaces being sustainable, welcoming and engaging. For example, you will aim to develop and promote a compelling and integrated missional visitor offer with our museums, and resource the pilgrimage opportunities offered by our historic chapels.

About You

We are seeking an experienced Christian heritage professional, who is passionate about the development of Methodist Heritage and its use as a tool to deliver contemporary Christian mission. You will work with our four nationally accredited museums, but also with our many other heritage sites and historic chapels. Working with the expert volunteers in the Methodist Heritage Committee and teams at our heritage sites, as well as Connexional (national) staff team colleagues in archives, property and communications, for example, you will be someone who can ensure coordinated best practice for the Church in heritage management in relation to historic properties, advise on collection care and develop engaging interpretation and outreach.

This role has an occupational requirement to be a practicing Christian in accordance with the Equality Act 2010.

We are also open to considering remote/homeworking arrangements (salary may vary accordingly).

If you meet most of the requirements, we encourage you to apply; transferable skills and experience will also be taken into consideration.

Disclosure and Barring Service

An enhanced DBS disclosure is required for this position.  The Methodist Church will cover the associated costs.

Informal Enquiries

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Jo Hibbard, Director of Heritage & Art .

For questions or reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please email HR Team.

Key Dates

Closing Date for Applications: 1 October 2026

Interviews (on-site in London): 12 October 2026

Please note: We reserve the right to close this advert early if sufficient applications are received. 

Waltham Forest CVS is the borough's independent infrastructure body for the voluntary, community, faith and social enterprise sector. We help local organisations to be well run, well funded and well connected, and we represent the sector's voice to the council, the NHS and other partners.

We are a small team doing a lot. In any given week we might be helping a new group get its governance right, running a network meeting, making the case for the sector with the council, or getting a grant out of the door. That range is what makes the work interesting. It also means the administration has to be solid, because when it isn't, everything else slows down.

This is a hands-on role supporting the Chief Executive and, through her, the rest of the team. You will manage the diary and the inboxes, service our board and sub-committee meetings and take the minutes, keep records and systems in order, help with events and training, and handle the day-to-day office and finance administration. You will be the first voice a lot of people hear when they get in touch with us.

We are looking for someone organised and accurate, who can juggle competing demands and finish things without being chased. You will need sound judgement and real discretion — you will see confidential material — and a straightforward, approachable manner with everyone from a volunteer running a lunch club to a council director. Experience in the charity, private or public sector is welcome but not essential. What matters is that you can run a busy office well and want to do it somewhere the work means something.

We are seeking an experienced, commercially astute and forward-thinking Director of Finance to provide strategic leadership of the organisation's financial management, planning and governance. This is a pivotal executive leadership role responsible for ensuring financial sustainability, supporting organisational growth, driving operational excellence, and enabling the charity to maximise its impact.

The successful candidate will be a qualified finance professional (or qualified by experience) with extensive experience of financial leadership, budgeting, forecasting, financial control, and strategic planning. They will bring a proactive and innovative approach to financial management, identifying opportunities for organisational development, efficiency, improvement, and sustainable growth.

Ideally, candidates will have experience within the charity, not-for-profit or public sector environment and possess a strong understanding of charity accounting, governance and regulatory compliance.

Director of Finance: £80,000 - £85,000 + Benefits | Hybrid | London

For a small (but mighty) international NGO undergoing significant organisational change and transformation, we are recruiting their new Director of Finance on a contract to permanent basis. Reporting to Deputy Executive Director, this pivotal role will lead the Finance team through this change, as well as contributing significantly to the change underway. This role will support the Regional offices, providing hands-on finance support to staff while contributing to a strategic and operational context in transition. The Finance Director will embed new practices and ways of working and build the team to produce deliverables for the long-term.

Main Duties:

• Plan, execute, and deliver global operating budget for 2027 strengthening budget monitoring, reporting, and cash-flow forecasting
• Present management accounts, financial forecasting, and remodelling to the Board
• Oversee the implementation of the Finance Systems plan
• Produce financial modelling and costings for Executive team to evaluate organisational change options
• Lead the International Grant Accounting team to provide first-rate business partnering support, and compliance with donor requirements
• Lead the Finance team to transition to a smooth month-end reporting schedule and monthly and quarterly management accounts
• Implement financial policies to ensure compliance and identify and close gaps in controls
• Ensure compliance with statutory, legal and taxation requirements across the UK, Netherlands, US and Canada including charity commission and companies house
• Review and strengthen all controls and accounting processes
• Support the Project, Donor and Global audits

Person Specification:

• CCAB qualified with strong finance senior management / leadership experience within an international, multi-donor organisation
• Proven ability to deliver accurate and timely financial reporting
• Proved ability to implement, improve, and manage financial systems and controls, during periods of transition and change
• Proven delivery of statutory audits and UK compliance (ideally including US/Canada/EU)
• Strong experience of grant management, and cost allocation
• Leadership skills, including financial and operational staff, and those in remote locations
• Available at short-notice and able to commit to at least 6-months, ideally with a desire to move into a permanent role

________

As an employer, we are committed to ensuring the representation of people from all backgrounds regardless of their gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, race, religion, ethnicity, age, neurodiversity, disability status, or any other aspect which makes them unique. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds to apply and would encourage you to let us know if there are steps, we can take to ensure that your recruitment process enables you to present yourself in a way that makes you comfortable.

Take the next step in your fundraising career

Lauderdale House is looking for an experienced fundraiser who is ready for a role with more responsibility and the opportunity to help shape how fundraising develops across the organisation.

This is our first dedicated fundraising role, but you won't be starting from scratch. We have successful previous trust fundraising, established education and community programmes, previous individual donors and a large community of people with a long-standing connection to Lauderdale House.

Working closely with the Director, you'll help develop fundraising into a consistent and sustainable income stream, with a particular focus on Trusts & Foundations andIndividual & Legacy Giving.

You'll develop and manage a pipeline of trust and foundation applications, write compelling applications and reports, build relationships with funders and develop approaches to encourage longer-term support.

You'll also help establish our individual and legacy giving programme, researching and cultivating prospective donors, making fundraising approaches, developing donor stewardship and putting appropriate systems in place for donor data and Gift Aid.

Alongside this, you'll contribute to fundraising strategy, impact and evaluation, cases for support, fundraising communications, reporting and compliance.

About you

We're looking for someone with solid practical fundraising experience and a track record of securing income who is ready to take the next step in their career and possesses all or most of the following:

• a successful track record in fundraising relevant to this role, preferably in arts, heritage and/or community organisations;
• experience managing your own fundraising workload or portfolio with a good degree of independence;
• the confidence to use your judgement, make recommendations and move work forward without extensive day-to-day supervision;
• experience taking responsibility for fundraising targets or income goals;
• a strong understanding of fundraising trends, especially within the arts, heritage and community sectors;
• an understanding of the role of fundraising in organisational growth;
• knowledge of fundraising regulations, data protection, ethical standards and best practice;
• experience using CRM systems, databases or other tools for data mining and supporting prospecting;
• strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills and the confidence to develop relationships with funders, donors and prospective supporters;
• the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues who aren't fundraising specialists;
• excellent verbal and written communication skills;
• the ability to influence people and inspire trust;
• strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines and priorities;
• creative and lateral problem-solving skills and the ability to deal with the unexpected;
• a positive attitude and willingness to help where needed;
• confident use of Microsoft Office and the ability to learn other relevant software;
• excellent and accurate attention to detail;
• an interest in arts, heritage, education and/or community activity and the impact organisations such as Lauderdale House can have; and
• a commitment to equality and diversity.

You don't need to have previously been a Head of Fundraising or run an entire fundraising function. You might currently be a Fundraising Officer, Senior Fundraising Officer, Development Officer or similar and be ready for a role with more responsibility and scope to use your own judgement.

Above all, we're looking for someone who combines fundraising knowledge and real experience with initiative. You won't be expected to arrive knowing everything about Lauderdale House, but you should have enough fundraising experience to recognise opportunities, recommend a course of action and confidently take responsibility for delivering it.

About Lauderdale House

Lauderdale House is a Grade II* historic house in Waterlow Park, Highgate, brought to life as a busy arts, heritage, education and community centre. Around 80,000 people visit us each year, and in 2028 we will celebrate 50 years as an arts and education centre.

Salary: £37,818
Hours: Full-time, 35 hours per week
Contract: Permanent
Holiday: 25 working days plus public holidays
Location: Lauderdale House, Waterlow Park, Highgate N6 – on-site, not suitable for remote or hybrid working

How to apply

Please send your CV and a covering letter to Director Katherine Ives, with the subject ‘Application for Fundraising Manager’.

Your covering letter should explain why the role interests you and how your experience meets the essential requirements. We'd particularly like to hear about fundraising work you have personally been responsible for and examples of income you have successfully helped to secure.

Please also include contact details for two referees and let us know at what point they may be contacted. We will not contact referees without your permission.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Director Katherine Ives.

We welcome applications from people from all backgrounds and are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process.

Application deadline: 9am on 5 October
First interviews: w/c 12 October
Second interviews: w/c 19 October

Head of Housing Development

Location: London/Hybrid

Salary: £80,000.00 per annum

Weekly Hours: 35

Reference: YMC1237090

About YMCA

Founded in England in 1844, YMCA today is a global Movement and the world's largest youth-focused charity, reaching more than 58 million people across 119 countries. In England & Wales, we are a federation of 80 local YMCAs, based in over 700 communities across 168 local authorities, supporting young people and communities to reach their potential. We are also the largest provider of supported accommodation in the country — a role that puts housing at the heart of our mission.

YMCA England & Wales is a £23 million organisation of more than 400 colleagues, supporting the wider Federation. Combined, the Movement's turnover across England & Wales reached £386 million in 2025–26. As we grow our income and impact, housing is one of our clearest opportunities for scale: through our 10,000 Homes ambition, we are building a national platform that will let local YMCAs deliver affordable and supported housing faster, at lower risk, and with a unified voice. As we take this ambition forward, we are seeking an established and inspirational Head of Housing Development to lead one of the most pivotal roles in our organisation.

About The Opportunity

This is a brand-new role. Our Head of Housing Development will establish and lead our national Housing Centre of Expertise: the capacity- and capability-building engine behind our 10,000 Homes ambition. This is not a scheme-delivery role — local YMCAs build, own and operate their own homes. Instead, you will mobilise the talent and resources of the Federation around a shared platform for scale: guiding local YMCAs from feasibility through to investment-readiness, brokering the partnerships and expertise no single YMCA could assemble alone, and leading a single national conversation with strategic partners including Homes England, the Greater London Authority and Welsh Government. You will establish a panel of preferred development partners, support funding bids, and help YMCAs learn from one another rather than rebuilding expertise scheme by scheme. Success will be measured by the pipeline and capability you build across the movement, not by any single project.

About You

You bring real knowledge of social and affordable housing development, including structuring significant financing models, grant regimes and the regulatory landscape, alongside hands-on experience of property development projects and securing private and public-sector funding. You know how to build strategic partnerships, convene and influence people you do not manage, and translate strategy into coordinated action across independent partners. Experience mobilising change across a federated, membership or infrastructure organisation would be a strong advantage, combined with an in-depth knowledge of  Homes England, Greater London Authority and Welsh Government or similar agencies. Above all, you are a natural relationship-builder who can represent YMCA with confidence at a senior, national level, while helping local YMCAs move further and faster together than they could alone.

Your role

We are seeking a Finance & Operations Leader to lead Design for Good’s finance, operations and organisational effectiveness, combining strategic thinking with hands-on delivery.

Reporting directly to the Managing Director (MD), you will lead the organisation’s core finance, operational and enabling functions, ensuring we have the financial and operational infrastructure, people systems and governance frameworks needed to deliver our mission.

This is a hands-on senior leadership role, suited to someone who is both strategically minded and operationally confident — a collaborative leader who can lead suppliers, strengthen systems and financial processes, and take ownership of day-to-day operational delivery in a growing global charity.

Key Responsibilities

Financial leadership, planning and sustainability

● Support the MD in developing the annual organisational budget and take overall responsibility for financial performance, controls and processes.

● Work closely with the external accountants to ensure timely and accurate management accounts, annual accounts, financial reports, forecasts reporting for the MD, Board and Finance Committee.

● Take ownership of cash-flow forecasting, reserves management, financial planning and financial controls to support the organisation’s long-term financial sustainability.

● Ensure compliance with Charity Commission requirements, Companies House requirements (for any trading subsidiary) and charity SORP accounting standards.

● Lead the annual independent examination process and manage relationships with external auditors/examiners and other financial advisers.

● Oversee payroll, pensions, VAT returns and day-to-day financial administration, working closely with the external accounts team.

● Oversee restricted fund accounting, ensuring accurate tracking of grant expenditure, compliance with funder requirements and timely financial reporting.

Operations, systems and organisational effectiveness

● Lead and strengthen the organisation’s operational infrastructure, ensuring systems, processes and ways of working are effective, efficient and fit for purpose.

● Maintain an overall organisational plan, coordinating priorities, timelines and dependencies across the organisation.

● Identify and implement opportunities to improve organisational systems, operational processes and internal coordination to strengthen effectiveness and support sustainable growth.

● Oversee the day-to-day running of the organisation, including office management, IT systems, supplier contracts and operational compliance.

● Ensure the organisation’s IT and digital systems effectively support current and future organisational needs, including identifying and implementing opportunities for AI to improve efficiency and support organisational goals.

● Lead procurement and contract management, ensuring value for money, appropriate controls and effective supplier relationships.

● Lead financial and operational planning for key organisational activities, including the logistics and delivery of major events.

● Oversee joiner and leaver processes, ensuring a consistent, compliant and effective experience and that all required processes are correctly followed.

Governance, risk & compliance

● Lead the management, monitoring and reporting of the organisational risk register, ensuring key risks are actively managed and appropriately reported to the Board and relevant sub-committees.

● Ensure compliance with relevant legislation and regulatory requirements, including employment law, GDPR, health and safety and charity law.

● Act as the organisational lead for data protection, ensuring effective and compliant data protection practices across the organisation.

● Provide the Company Secretary function, including preparing Board papers and minutes, supporting the administration of the Finance and Risk Committees, and maintaining statutory registers and records.

● Work closely with the Chairs of the Finance and Risk Committees to support effective Board oversight of financial, operational and organisational risks.

● Ensure organisational policies are kept up to date, appropriately reviewed and approved by the Trustees.

Key Requirements

● Demonstrable experience in a senior finance and operations leadership role within a charity, not-for-profit, public or values-led organisation.

● Strong experience leading organisational operations and enabling functions, including finance, governance, compliance, IT and organisational infrastructure.

● Strong financial management experience, including budgeting, forecasting, management accounting, financial controls, audit processes and financial planning.

● Experience contributing to organisational strategy, operational planning and decision-making as part of a senior leadership team.

● Good understanding of governance, organisational risk management and regulatory compliance within a charity or not-for-profit environment.

● Experience working in a fast-paced environment, managing competing priorities, complexity and operational risk while maintaining a high standard of delivery.

Preferred Skills and qualifications

● At least 5 years’ experience in a managerial finance and/or operations role.

● Ability to operate confidently at both strategic and operational levels, balancing long-term organisational planning with hands-on delivery and problem-solving.

● Strong financial and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret, present and communicate financial information clearly to non-finance audiences, including Boards and senior leadership teams.

● Ability to influence, advise and support decision-making at senior leadership and Board level.

● Strong organisational and problem-solving skills, with the ability to strengthen systems, improve operational processes and enhance organisational effectiveness.

● Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills, with the ability to build trust and collaborate effectively across teams and with external stakeholders.

● Strong IT and digital systems skills, including experience with finance systems, CRM platforms and organisational technology tools.

● Ability to navigate complexity, manage organisational risk, exercise sound judgement and make sound decisions in a values-led environment.

● Excellent time-management and prioritisation skills, with the ability to manage multiple competing demands and deliver to deadlines.

Knowledge & Understanding

● Good understanding of charity finance, governance and regulatory compliance, including charity SORP and restricted and unrestricted fund management.

● Good understanding of people administration, employment legislation, organisational risk and operational compliance, including safeguarding responsibilities.

● Understanding of how financial management, operational infrastructure and people practices contribute to organisational effectiveness and the delivery of mission and impact.