Head of finance jobs in Camden, greater london

The National Biodiversity Network Trust is the UK charity dedicated to making biodiversity data accessble and useful. We co-ordinate the National Biodiversity Network, develop the NBN Atlas, support iNaturalistUK and are developing the NBN Record Manager. Our work connects biological recording, digital infrastructure and better decisions for nature across the UK. 

Our vision is Nature thriving everywhere, in all its diversity,.Our mission is Making data work for nature. 

This is a senior and pivotal role. The Head of Finance & Operations is the Chief Executive Officer's trusted strategic and operational partner on finance, governance, people systems, risk and organisational operations. They provide calm judgement, clear information, early warning and reliable follow-through. The role will turn strategy into affordable and deliverable plans, protect the Trust's financial resilience, and ensure that its core systems and controls enable colleagues to do their best work. They will combine strategic leadership with a willingness to enage in the practical detail when needed. 

More details, including on how to apply and a Recruitment FAQ, are available on our website. 

Team: Finance & Resources

Locations: Hybrid – at our office (Argon House, Argon Mews, London SW6 1BJ) and remotely at home. A minimum of two days a week at the office (including our all-staff Wednesday) 

Duration: Permanent (with six months’ probation)

Reporting to: CEO

Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday-Friday

Salary: Starting salary £60,000 

The post holder will be responsible for the following: 

Finance 

• Maintain appropriate and comprehensive finance and accounting policies and procedures including payment authorisations, cash management etc. 

• Provide clear and accurate financial information, budgets and forecasts to the trustees, CEO fundraising team and other departments as required. 

• Manage strategic relationship with key partner organisations such as bookkeepers/auditors/payroll providers/banks etc. 

• Overall responsibility, with support from the external bookkeeper and internal staff, for: 

• Ensuring accurate recording and maintenance of finance data, including accurate classification of income. 

• Ensuring balance sheet and bank is reconciled and reviewed monthly. 

• Preparing and developing monthly Management Accounts. 

• Oversee preparation of the annual financial statements and manage the external audit. 

• Oversee payroll and pension process, engaging with external payroll support, including administering monthly payroll and fortnightly payroll during the Winter Night Shelter season. 

Legal and compliance 

• Overall responsibility for compliance with all legislation / codes. 

• Ensure Companies House, Charity Commission, HMRC and Pensions Regulator requirements 

 are met in a timely fashion. 

Risk management 

• Overall responsibility for risk management, including timely and accurate completion of relevant risk assessments, maintaining and developing the organisation's risk register, and procuring and maintaining appropriate insurance cover. 

• Overall functional responsibility for health and safety. 

Office Management  

• Overall responsibility for information technology across the organisation, which is implemented day-to-day by the IT support providers. 

• Ensure Glass Door has appropriate office space which meets all legal requirements and government regulations, environmental, health and security standards. 

• Organise and review general administrative processes and induct new staff on relevant office processes, including data protection, security and fire safety.

• Support and line manage the receptionist and office volunteers to ensure that we deliver high levels of service to staff, guests and other visitors, creating a warm and welcoming environment 

People Management 

• Manage the HR function: 

• Ensure Glass Door is an attractive and rewarding place to work and staff deliver their potential. 

• Review, identify and implement improvements in the HR function to optimise effectiveness and efficiency. 

• Lead on managing employee relations. 

• Support and line manage the Finance & Resources team (HR Manager, receptionists). 

• Conduct regular supervision meetings and performance appraisals. 

Senior Leadership Team 

• Operate as part of the Glass Door senior leadership team, with a particular remit to ensure that we are fulfilling our financial and compliance objectives. 

• Support the CEO and colleagues in setting the strategic direction for Glass Door. 

• Represent the CEO on internal or external matters, if appropriate. 

Governance 

• Manage the Resources Committee and Finance Committee on behalf of the trustees. 

• Assist in managing the Board of Trustees e.g. co-ordinate diaries, set dates, drafting and circulating agendas and papers. 

• Organise the Annual General Meeting, including drafting papers and corresponding with members. 

• Co-ordinate the annual policy review process for Finance & Resources (finance, legal, HR, data, governance) and Fundraising & Communications (fundraising, communications). 

• Manage the Glass Door complaints process.

Person Specification 

Essential 

Personal Qualities 

• Empathetic attitude towards homeless and vulnerably-housed people. 

• A confident self-starter who will hit the ground running. 

• Ability to operate at a range of levels; with both gravitas and relate-ability 

• A team worker with an open, collaborative style and a practical, “can-do” approach. 

• Commitment to our values of being welcoming; being open to all, without prejudice; 

compassionate; believing individuals can turn their lives around; and knowing we can have a 

bigger impact when we work together. 

• Commitment to and understanding of the issues relating to equality of opportunity and the 

ability to implement change in this area. 

• Ability to adhere to and implement Health & Safety, HR and operational policies. 

Qualifications and Experience 

• Minimum CIMA or CIPFA qualification. 

• Minimum five years’ in-house employment experience post-qualification. 

• Experience of leading and inspiring a team. 

• Experience of budgeting and financial planning, including modelling / scenario planning. 

• Experience with month end reporting. 

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities 

• Excellent working knowledge of accounting software systems e.g. Xero. 

• Fully conversant with best practice in accounting procedures. 

• Excellent organisational skills with strong attention to detail, especially record-keeping and 

electronic filing. 

• Strong written English and numeracy skills. 

• Excellent skills in Microsoft Office software (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat Pro, and 

databases). 

• Good interpersonal and verbal communication skills. 

• Ability to forward plan and schedule workflows. 

• Ability to relate to and work with people from a range of backgrounds. 

Desirable 

• ACA or ACCA qualification. 

• Experience of working with homeless people or similar disadvantaged client groups and an 

understanding of their needs. 

• Experience of working in the not-for-profit sector. 

• Experience of charity accounting/ the SORP. 

• Experience of risk management. 

• An understanding of GDPR and health and safety legislation. 

Who we are

Chefs in Schools is a young, ambitious charity that’s rapidly growing. Our mission is to improve kids' health, through improving school food & food education. Working in areas of high deprivation, we support and train schools and their kitchen teams to serve the best, freshest and tastiest food possible, alongside meaningful food education. We share our learning and resources freely, aiming to inspire and enable others to follow our lead.

We’re backed by some of the biggest names in food and have ambitious targets to ensure every child has access to incredible school food and food education, setting them up for life with the skills and knowledge to feed themselves well.

About you and the role

This is a pivotal role, at a pivotal moment for us. We are entering a critical growth phase, which includes rapidly expanding our own operations and managing significant external partnership. As Head of Finance & Systems, you will be accountable for ensuring we have the right systems and structures in place to grow at pace without detriment to good governance.

The purpose of this role is to lead on our finance strategy, and ensure all of our systems, reporting and processes are helping to drive forward the charity and deliver on our objectives at scale. You will work closely with the Chief Executive and Directors to ensure that financial planning is effective and supported by accurate data analysis. You will report directly to Trustees as required and ensure that the highest standards of transparency and probity are maintained. 

You will be joining the team during a period of growth in the size and complexity of our delivery. We currently have 24 employees and anticipate growing significantly in the next twelve months. You will have a crucial role in shaping our systems and processes to ensure we can scale effectively, both our existing programmes and a new membership-based programme that is in development. We’re looking for an experienced finance professional with an interest in effectively using technology and systems to drive efficiency, without compromising on accuracy or compliance. 

You will oversee all financial administration, ensuring this is carried out proficiently and in line with all legal and regulatory requirements, including ultimate responsibility for ensuring that all statutory filings are made accurately and on time. Your role will also encompass ensuring that we operate within legal & regulatory frameworks and stay up to date with changes in relevant legislation.

The responsibilities, skills and experience listed below are intended to give you an idea of what we need for this role. If you don’t meet every requirement, but feel as though you would be able to work with us to deliver the majority of them, we would urge you to apply anyway. We are dedicated to building a diverse and inclusive workplace, and for us the most important ‘experience’ is passion for our mission. You may be just the right candidate for this, or other roles.  

We want to get to know you at the interview and understand we can do this best if you’re at ease. We’re an inclusive employer and work hard to create a welcoming working environment for everyone, including appointing a neurodiversity champion to help us identify how we can make our work environment work for everyone. If you need adjustments to the interview process please let us know.

As we work with children & young people, an offer of employment will be subject to satisfactory references and DBS clearance, in line with our safeguarding policy.  

Key responsibilities:

• Developing a comprehensive financial strategy that supports the delivery of the charity’s objectives and activities.

• Have ultimate oversight of the external audit and production of the statutory accounts, supported in delivery of this by the book-keeper.

• Produce the monthly management accounts and bespoke financial reports—including accurate forecasting, restricted fund tracking, and variance analysis—ensuring decision-makers have clear, actionable data.

• Forecasting cash flow and managing the treasury position.

• Manage the contract and performance of the bookkeeper  and outsourced payroll providers; setting strict monthly closing deadlines, enforcing data accuracy, and ensuring they deliver a clean trial balance for management accounting.

• Oversee sound financial administration, management and governance across the organisation, ensuring robust financial controls in place and operating effectively.

• Provide leadership and guidance to all things finance related, providing mentoring and support to the team, and coaching on financial awareness. 

• Accountability for monitoring that the organisation’s services are, and will, run to budget, supporting budget holders and reporting promptly on risks 

• Support the Partnerships & Impact team and Programme Managers with financial inputs to funding proposals and ensure restricted funds are used in compliance with grant conditions.

• Developing our systems strategy, including reviewing suitability of our current systems (Quickbooks for accountancy, Beacon CRM, PLEO for expenses management, Survey Monkey for data collection etc. ) and ensuring optimal use of systems, maximising automation, and using AI where appropriate.

• Constantly seeking to develop and improve the organisation’s financial systems, policies and procedures to promote dynamic, best practice and up-to-date application of tools, systems and approaches

• Supporting the organisation’s data governance by ensuring financial systems (e.g., Quickbooks, payroll, expenses) are secure, compliant, and integrated in line with data protection principles.

• Leading an effective risk management process.

• Ensuring the organisation’s compliance with charity law, in accordance with the Charity Commission in England & Wales and all financial reporting requirements.

Essential Skills & experience:

• Charity Finance Experience: Practical, senior-level experience working within a UK non-profit finance function, including a strong working knowledge of the Charities SORP and accounting for restricted vs. unrestricted funds.

• Hands-on Management Accounting: Proven experience independently producing monthly management accounts, cash flow forecasting, and variance analysis from scratch.

• End-to-End Audit Management: Experience preparing year-end audit files, reconciling balance sheet control accounts, and acts as the primary point of contact for external auditors.

• Accountancy Qualification: Full or partial qualification through an accredited body (ACCA, CIMA, ACA, CIPFA). 

• Tech Literacy & Data Reconciliation: Comfortable troubleshooting and navigating modern finance tech stacks (e.g., Xero, Pleo) and pulling financial data/reports from a CRM system (e.g., Beacon).

• Vendor & Staff Management: Experience supervising junior staff (or office managers) and actively managing the performance, timelines, and accuracy of outsourced providers (e.g., bookkeeping and payroll).

Desirable skills & experience

• Systems Implementation: Past experience project-managing a software migration or building native integrations/automations between a CRM system and accounting software.

• Broader Operations/HR Exposure: Basic familiarity with HR administration, GDPR workflows, or managing organizational risk registers in a small team environment.

• Sector Passion: A demonstrable interest in food education, children’s health, or food systems.

Benefits

You would be joining a friendly, supportive team who works hard but believe in a healthy work/life balance. We were voted one of CODE Hospitality’s happiest places to work in 2024. We seek a diverse range of perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge. Joining a small, collaborative team means you’ll be able to contribute to and draw on various projects and strategic insights.

We offer 33 days of holiday per year including bank holidays, 3 additional office closure days over the Christmas period as well as wellbeing days over the summer school holidays.  We also have a Cycle to Work scheme, hybrid working, enhanced parental leave, and free access to the CODE app for discounted restaurants & hospitality venues. We are committed to developing our team and will support you with relevant training opportunities including £250 towards elective training and development of your choice.

We also offer Bupa Dental Insurance, Income Protection Insurance, as well as access to the Aviva Smart Health Platform which offers health benefits including free rapid access online GP appointments, free counselling and wellbeing support.

Application process

In line with our commitment to ensuring a fair and unbiased recruitment process, we invite candidates to answer a series of questions related to their day-to-day job. 

We recommend that you develop your answers offline and copy them in when you’re ready to ensure you don’t lose your work if interrupted.

Your answers will go through our sifting process: all answers will be anonymised, randomised and then reviewed by a panel of reviewers. A long list of candidates will then additionally have their CVs reviewed. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a 30 mins online interview. Successful candidates will be invited to attend a second, in-person interview at our office in Brixton, London.

Expected duration of this application process: 7 weeks

First interviews will be held 1st -4th September

Head of Finance (12-Month FTC)

A well-established Housing Charity is seeking a Head of Finance on an initial 12-month fixed-term contract. Reporting directly to the Finance Director, this role offers a unique opportunity to operate as the number two in finance, playing a key role in both strategic leadership and operational delivery while supporting a period of transformation across the finance function and wider organisation.

The organisation is recognised for its commitment to delivering high-quality services and creating positive outcomes for the communities it supports.

This role is ideally suited to an experienced finance professional looking to step into a high-impact leadership position, driving improvements across people, processes and financial insight.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the finance function, providing stability and strong leadership during a period of organisational change.
• Drive the Finance Business Partnering function, improving budgeting, forecasting, cash flow management and financial planning.
• Take ownership of the year-end audit, statutory accounts, month-end reporting, and strengthen financial controls and reconciliations.
• Lead finance transformation by improving processes, reducing manual ways of working and preparing the function for a future finance systems implementation.
• Produce high-quality management reporting and dashboards to support decision-making across the organisation.

Requirements

• Fully qualified accountant with experience in social housing, charity, or care and support.
• Proven leadership experience, with the ability to manage, motivate and develop finance teams.
• Experience operating at both a strategic and operational level, with a strong focus on business partnering.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge and advanced Excel skills.
• Excellent analytical, systems and communication skills.

This is an excellent opportunity to make a lasting impact within the finance function while supporting a wider organisational transformation. There is a genuine opportunity for the role to become permanent, making it an ideal position for someone seeking both an immediate challenge and long-term stability.

The organisation is looking to appoint quickly, so candidates available at short notice / immediately available are encouraged to apply.

This is an opportunity for a senior role within the Finance Department of the Diocese of Southwark.The role involves the statutory and management accounting of a large Diocese, with around 300 parishes and clergy, £30m turnover and £300m balance sheet.You will work closely with the Director of Finance accounting for a major charity and supporting a wide range of parishes.

The job is wide ranging, and you will be given a high degree of latitude and responsibility in a collaborative relationship with the Director of Finance.

Post Introduction

In conjunction with the Director of Finance you will manage the efficient operation of the finance function though management and statutory accounting, internal control and cash management.

You will manage the accounting system covering processes for nominal ledger, purchase and sales ledger, stipends and payroll.

Through the work of the department you will contribute to the effective stewardship of resources and the transparent accountability that is the hallmark of the Diocese of Southwark.

Main Responsibilities

Working alongside the Director of Finance you will produce the annual financial statements and work with him on managing the annual audit process.

You will produce monthly management accounts on a timely basis as key financial information for the efficient management of the Diocese and for the information of Trustees. The Diocese uses XLedger and you will become the primary contact and knowledge base for the system, developing its reporting and functionality.

You will be responsible for the financial systems and processes of the finance department, and manage part of the finance team.  You will oversee the team members responsible for payroll, stipends, purchase ledger and banking.  

You will work with a wide range of people throughout the organisation, and have key relationships with those working on generous giving and vocations.

The Ideal Candidate

You must be a qualified accountant.

We are looking for someone is a qualified accountant, with charity accounting experience, and:

• a high degree of ability with accounting software packages, managing data flows into and out of such systems.  
• experience of staff management and supervision, and who also enjoys building relationships outside the finance team.

You will be someone who:

• is most comfortable and productive working as part of an open and collaborative team.
• responds quickly to changing priorities, and can manage these while maintaining adherence to the deadlines that financial reporting cycles demand.
• has an affinity with the aims and values of the Church of England.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             About Us: 

Southwark is a diverse and vibrant Diocese in so many ways, from the energy of the inner city to the beauty of the Surrey Hills. We are one of the largest Dioceses in the Church of England, serving the people of South London and East Surrey. We take joy in the distinctiveness and variety of God’s gifts and people. You will find churches that offer welcome, care and dignity in Christ’s name to their parishes; chaplains walking along side those in education, hospitals, and prison; and pioneering communities seeking to reach out and serve in new ways. 

We seek to be Christ-centred and outward-focused in all we do. 

 Applications will close on Friday 7th August 2026. Interviews will be held in the week commencing 17th August                                                                                                2026.

Terrence Higgins Trust is looking for an experienced Head of Finance to lead our finance function and shape our financial strategy. This is a senior leadership role with organisational influence: you will oversee financial planning, reporting, compliance, audit, treasury and controls, while ensuring that high-quality financial insight supports confident decision-making across our Executive, Board and wider teams. 

We are seeking a qualified accountant who can combine technical expertise with clear communication, collaborative leadership and a commitment to our values. If you are motivated by strengthening financial sustainability, developing high-performing teams and using finance to support life-changing services across the UK, we would be delighted to hear from you. 

We welcome applications from candidates based anywhere in the UK and are committed to flexible ways of working. While the role can be undertaken from any UK location, we would particularly welcome applications from candidates who are able to work on a hybrid basis from our London office, enabling regular collaboration with colleagues across the finance team and wider organisation. 

Position: Global Head of Finance

Location: London or Bath, with a minimum of 3 days per week in the office

Contract type: Permanent

Salary range: £56,000 to £62,000 per year, dependent upon experience

Applications: Please apply via the application form linked in this job posting by 10 August. 

About EJF

The Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) is a global non-profit organisation working to protect the natural world and our fundamental human right to a secure environment. We work at the frontlines of environmental injustice, alongside communities most affected by climate breakdown, biodiversity loss, and exploitation - transforming evidence into action, and injustice into lasting change.

Through field investigations, rigorous research, and strategic international advocacy, we expose environmental crime, challenge impunity, and catalyse systemic reform. Our work delivers real-world impact, shaping policy, strengthening governance, protecting vital ecosystems, and defending those who risk their lives to safeguard them.

Our campaigns span four interconnected areas: oceans, climate, forests and wetlands, and the training, protection, and empowerment of environmental defenders and investigative journalists. From illegal fishing and plastic pollution to deforestation, land grabs, and climate breakdown, we confront some of the most complex and urgent crises of our time - always with a focus on accountability, equity, and durable solutions.

EJF has a diverse team of campaigners, filmmakers and community mobilisers working across four continents, united by a shared ambition: to protect people by protecting the planet. We are bold, evidence-led, and impact-driven. We speak truth to power - and we build pathways to a fairer, more resilient future. Join Us.

About the role:

This is a rare opportunity for an experienced, precise and conscientious qualified accountant to join a dynamic, high-impact team working to protect the global environment and defend human rights. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, you'll lead the international finance team and provide financial insight and analysis to the CEO and Senior Management Team to support a fast-growing, ambitious charity.

This role is right for you if you're an energetic, meticulously organised finance professional with a strong commitment to protecting the environment and the people who depend on it. You'll work globally to ensure EJF's financial administration runs efficiently in every country where we operate, securing value for money so that resources are focused on delivering impact.

Key responsibilities:

• Maintaining and improving EJF's global financial policies, systems, controls and processes, ensuring they are applied consistently in every country where EJF operates. 

• Managing six finance staff working in the UK and overseas.

• Ensuring the production of accurate, accessible and insightful monthly and annual global financial reporting for internal and external audiences.

• Providing strategic financial forecasts, insights and advice to the CEO, Senior Management Team and Trustees to inform planning and decision-making.

• Preparing budgets for funding proposals and ensuring accurate and timely financial projections of spend against grants and reporting to funders.

• Leading the annual organisational budget process, including multi-year financial plans.

• Mentoring team leads on financial budgeting, tracking and expenditure oversight.

• Monitoring and ensuring value for money in expenditure, identifying and removing inefficiencies and waste. 

• Developing and executing EJF's treasury strategy, including managing currency risk and reserves.

• Overseeing payroll and pensions, working with external providers where relevant. 

• Completing regulatory returns as required by the Charity Commission and statutory bodies in the countries of operation.

• Leading the annual external audit and overseeing the preparation of statutory accounts.

• Managing financial risk, including safeguarding EJF against fraud, and maintaining relationships with auditors, banks and other professional advisers.

Essential skills and experience 

• Demonstrable commitment to EJF’s vision, mission and values and a determination to change the world for the better.

• Qualified accountant with a superb eye for detail. 

• Minimum of six years' work experience, preferably in the international charity sector, including responsibility for managing a finance team.

• Demonstrable experience designing and implementing financial controls and securing good value for money through procurement and commissioning.

• Strong IT skills, and experience managing IT systems and/or databases.

• Excellent communication skills, in writing and in person.

• Proactive and solution-oriented, highly organised and self-motivated.

• Enthusiastic, outgoing and friendly, able to work in a growing, diverse, international team with minimal supervision.

• Experience of working with the UK Charity SORP and the production of the annual report and accounts.

• Experience with multi-currency income & expenditure and management of the processes around sub-grants to overseas partners.

• Ability to travel to EJF's countries of operation to assess the development and implementation of financial systems and to manage finance staff.

Desirable skills and experience

• Employment or volunteer experience in the not-for-profit sector.

• Experience using Iplicit.

• A track record of producing budgets and financial reports for successful international projects in the Global South funded by bilateral donors.

We strongly encourage candidates from underrepresented backgrounds in the environmental and human rights sectors to apply. If you believe you would be a great fit but don’t meet every requirement, we would still love to hear from you.

What we offer

We offer a rewarding package designed to support your well-being, flexibility, and professional growth:

• 22 days’ annual leave (exclusive of bank holidays), increasing with each year of service, plus additional paid leave between Christmas and New Year.

• Private healthcare package.

• Generous pension scheme, with employer contributions increasing over time.

• Flexible working hours and hybrid working (typically 3 days in the office / 2 from home).

• Cycle-to-work scheme.

• A dynamic, supportive, and inclusive working environment, with genuine opportunities for professional development and career progression.

• The chance to contribute to an organisation delivering real-world impact for people and planet.

Application process

To apply, please complete the application form linked in this job posting. This includes:

1. A personal statement outlining your suitability for the role (max 2 pages)

2. Your CV (max 2 pages)

The deadline for applications is 18:00 BST on 10 August, 2026.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

Candidates must have the legal right to work in the UK.

EJF is an equal opportunity employer, committed to diversity within the workplace.