Head of financial accounting jobs in Manchester

Head of Finance

Reports to: Director of Finance, Data and Innovation

Line reports: 2

Location: London, hybrid working, with minimum 40% of working time in the office

Salary: London £54,000 (salary band £54,000 - £58000; Outside London £51,500 (salary band £51,500 to £55,500)

Hours: 37.5 hours per week

Contract: Permanent

The Head of Finance will lead the day-to-day finance function, ensuring our financial information is accurate, timely and useful. The role will oversee financial reporting, controls, compliance, payroll, budgeting and forecasting, while managing and developing the finance team. The postholder will work closely with budget holders and senior leaders to support good financial decision-making across the organisation. The role will also provide oversight of key operational areas, including premises, health and safety, equipment and outsourced technology support.

In the first 6–12 months, the postholder will be expected to strengthen monthly reporting, improve budget holder support, maintain clear financial controls, support the annual audit and help embed effective finance processes across the organisation.

Financial responsibilities

· Ensure that all financial data is accurately recorded, maintained and reported in accordance with relevant accounting standards and guidelines

· Ensure compliance with relevant financial, tax and statutory obligations, including VAT, PAYE and other reporting requirements

· Lead financial business partnering across the organisation, ensuring budget holders have the knowledge, skills and tools to manage their budgets effectively. This will include:

• • Running effective budgeting and forecasting processes to ensure the organisation has a robust plan
  • Producing monthly management accounts with useful variance analysis to ensure proper financial management

· Alongside the Director of Finance, develop and maintain financial controls to safeguard the charity’s assets, ensuring clear processes are in place and control checks are documented

· Take full management responsibility for the finance team, lead, motivate and develop them to ensure that they are focused, competent and working effectively and efficiently

· Maintain clear review and approval processes so that financial work is properly checked, authorised and documented

· Oversee finance processes for the trading subsidiary, including reviewing postings, accounts and consolidation entries

· Produce or review monthly payroll amounts and postings

· Lead preparation for the annual audit and statutory accounts, ensuring working papers, reconciliations and supporting evidence are complete and accurate

· Ensure restricted funds, grants and project income are recorded, monitored and reported accurately

Operations

· Ensure premises and properties are managed appropriately on a day-to-day basis

· Ensure we comply with H&S standards in our multiple offices

· Ensure the organisation has the resources it needs to do their job through the procurement/ provision of laptops and other equipment

· Work with colleagues to ensure we comply with GDPR

Person specification: Skill / experience 

Essential

A demonstrable interest and commitment to working with, and supporting people from, a refugee background

Financial and Operational Responsibilities

Strong management accounting experience, including business partnering with budget holders to support good decision-making

Good understanding of UK charity accounting, including charity SORP, audit and year-end reporting

Professional accounting qualification or substantial relevant accounting experience

Management experience and ability to support and develop line reports in a welcoming and inclusive environment 

Understanding of key compliance areas relevant to charity finance and operations, including VAT, Gift Aid, PAYE, P11D and GDPR

Good understanding of charity controls and risk management

Advanced Microsoft Excel skills, strong experience using finance systems (we currently use Xledger) and an interest in AI

Experience of charity fund accounting, including restricted funds and grant reporting

Experience of managing/supporting in the management of outsourced technology providers 

Personal Traits

Able to improve processes and deliver practical changes that make finance easier to use across the organisation

Able to manage competing priorities and maintain high standards during busy periods

Self-motivated, organised and able to deliver agreed outcomes on time

Analytical thinker with good problem-solving skills

Practical, flexible and willing to support both strategic and day-to-day finance work

Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to articulate complex information to different audiences

Strong interpersonal and collaboration skills, with the ability to form effective working relationships with other teams

Desirable

Committed to continuous improvement and the use of agile tools to support business change

Considerations 

· As part of our safeguarding commitment to our clients, we carry out pre-employment checks to ensure that successful applicants are suitable to work with adults at risk. These include basic DBS checks for some roles, obtaining references and verifying a candidate’s identity and right to work in the UK.

· We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, sex, sexual orientation, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, race, religion or belief.

Breaking Barriers is committed to protecting an adult’s right to live in safety, free from abuse and neglect and for their views, wishes and beliefs to be fully considered when deciding action. 

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. 

Head of Finance and Operations

Salary: £50,000 – £54,000 per annum (depending on skills and experience)

Location: Manchester (Hybrid working with regular office attendance: 2 days a week)

Contract: Permanent, Full Time

About CLES

CLES is an independent economics think tank and charity dedicated to tackling the UK’s most pressing economic challenges. For over 40 years, we have collaborated with local governments, the NHS, national government, universities, and communities to create impactful, practical solutions. Our expertise in community wealth building has gained international recognition, and we embody our progressive ethos by offering a four-day full-pay working week. At CLES, we foster a deeply collaborative and flexible environment where strong relationships are valued, reflected in our regular social activities and annual residential gatherings.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Head of Finance and Operations who will play a crucial role in steering our financial and operational functions. Working closely with our senior management team, you will combine strategic insights with hands-on delivery, ensuring the efficient management of our financial systems, governance, and HR processes. You will be supported by a dedicated Finance and Office Administrator, allowing you to focus on higher-level financial oversight and operational excellence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage day-to-day finances including cash flow, financial controls, and oversight of bookkeeping tasks.
• Prepare and present quarterly and annual management accounts, VAT returns, and payroll submissions.
• Lead the administration of governance, working closely with the board of trustees on compliance and regulatory filings.
• Oversee daily office operations, including IT infrastructure and health and safety.
• Administer HR processes such as recruitment, onboarding, and the management of employee records.

About You:

• You possess a recognised accounting qualification (ideally ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or AAT Level 4, with substantial senior-level charity finance experience.
• Demonstrated experience in financial management, including preparation of management accounts and familiarity with accounting software such as Sage.
• Strong understanding of governance and compliance within a charity context, alongside experience in HR administration.
• Excellent organisational skills and a proactive, solutions-focused approach to work.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with diverse stakeholders, building trust and collaboration.

Our Offer to You:

• A four-day working week with full pay for a 30-hour commitment.
• Flexible and hybrid working options, promoting a healthy work-life balance.
• Generous holiday entitlement, starting at 20 days (the equivalent of 5 full weeks off) and rising to 24 days (6 weeks) with service, plus additional leave for birthdays and Christmas.
• A robust pension scheme with an employer contribution starting at 6% and increasing with tenure.
• A supportive learning and development culture, with a dedicated budget for professional growth and annual team retreats.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

CLES is committed to fostering an inclusive workspace and welcomes applications from diverse backgrounds. We actively encourage candidates from all sections of the community to apply.

How to Apply

Click apply and you will be redirected to our careers page which has instructions on how to submit your application.

Please note, we are operating a rolling recruitment process, so early applications are encouraged. Initial application cutoff is Monday, 24th of August 2026 at 9:00am. Interviews are scheduled for Wednesday, 2nd of September 2026. If we do not fill the position, the advert will remain open for ongoing applications.

We look forward to welcoming you to our team at CLES!

Programme Finance Manager

Manchester, UK

Starting salary for this position is £41,628 per annum (plus contributory pension)

About MAG:

MAG (Mines Advisory Group) is an international humanitarian organisation based in Manchester, UK, and working in 32 countries. We remove landmines and unexploded ordnance to release safe and productive land for communities, and work to reduce the threat of armed violence by supporting governments to safely manage weapons and ammunition. In 1997, MAG was a co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize for our work campaigning for the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention.

About the role:

Reporting to the Head of Programme Finance, you will provide effective financial business partnering to MAG’s Regional and Country Programmes, Strategic Partnerships team and other key internal and external stakeholders. You will ensure the delivery of high quality financial information and support across multi-regional and multi-country activities, enabling informed decision making, strengthening ways of working and supporting the effective financial management of MAG’s multi-country contracts. You will work with your key stakeholders to ensure that contracts deliver value for money and remain compliant with donor and statutory requirements. This role is a key enabler to MAG’s global operations, ensuring that we can deliver on our mission to save lives, ease suffering and enable sustainable development.

Please note that as part of MAG's commitment to safeguarding, this post is subject to background checks before an offer of employment is confirmed. For more information on MAG’s approach to safeguarding and background checks on our website.

MAG is committed to the principles of diversity, equality and inclusion. If you think you would be suited to one of our roles we would welcome your application regardless of your background. We strive to provide an inclusive and supportive working environment where all employees feel respected and supported in fulfilling their potential.

About you:

You will be a finance professional with significant experience in either commercial or NGO environments, including preparation of business planning in complex scenarios and multiple currencies. You should be curious and risk aware, with strong analytical and evaluation skills, the ability to gather information from diverse sources tactfully and convert findings into detailed, actionable solutions. You will be a strong communicator over a range of mediums, able to engage stakeholders from varied backgrounds in a clear and constructive way. You should have strong experience of using mid-range accounting systems and reporting tools (e.g. PS Financials, Sage, SUN etc.), and advanced knowledge of of Microsoft Excel and database reporting tools to add value to business processes and reporting. You will be skilled in proactive problem-solving and have an innovative and solution-oriented approach, along with the flexibility to travel to remote and insecure locations at short notice.

We’re looking for someone with:

· Strong experience of financial management, analysis and reporting

· Advanced analytical and problem solving skills

· Effective financial business partnering and stakeholder management skills

· Experience managing multi-country, donor-funded contracts or complex grants

Benefits and Further Information:

• Salary: £41,628 per annum and this increases with service.

• Pension: MAG has a salary sacrifice group personal pension plan in place, and matches employee’s contributions up to 5%.

• Leave: We recognise our staff work hard and need the appropriate time out to stay motivated. Annual Leave starts at five weeks each year and increases with service to six weeks.  We also offer paid sick leave, and the amount of the entitlement increases with service. Once you’ve been with MAG for two years, you’re entitled to 13 weeks. MAG also has policies on compassionate leave, flexible working and family leave, including maternity, paternity, adoption and surrogacy leave.

• Insurance: MAG provides personal accident insurance and life assurance to all staff, as well as medical and repatriation insurance for any period spent overseas whilst working for MAG.

• Professional Subscriptions: MAG will pay for the cost of your annual subscription/membership fee for one professional body in certain circumstances.

• Employee Assistance Programme: MAG offers free access to Health Assured, a service providing 24/7 confidential support and expert advice on a wide range of issues.

This role is based in the UK, therefore, a pre-existing right to work in the UK is a requirement and MAG will not be able to sponsor visa applications. Please note that if you have not declared your right to work in the UK on your application, we will not be able to consider you for this role.

We are happy to receive flexible working and job share requests in your application. If you are applying with an existing job share partner email us at recruitment [@] maginternational [.] org for further guidance. 

HOW TO APPLY

Please apply by submitting an application detailing your suitability for the role through the link below before the closing date of 12:00 (midday) on Monday 17th August 2026.

The Southmead Project is seeking an experienced and motivated Fundraiser to support the charity’s long-term financial sustainability.

The postholder will identify, research and secure funding from trusts, foundations, charitable bodies, statutory funders and other appropriate sources. They will lead on developing high-quality, persuasive funding applications and reports that clearly communicate the impact of the Southmead Project’s work and the needs of the people it supports.

Working closely with the CEO, Head of Finance and trustees, the Fundraiser will develop and deliver an annual fundraising plan, maintain a strong funding pipeline, and support the organisation to diversify its income. The role will require excellent writing, research, relationship-building and organisational skills, alongside a strong commitment to the charity’s values and mission.

• Develop an annual fundraising plan, alongside the Head of Finance and CEO.

• Carry out ongoing prospect research to identify new sources of funding from trusts, foundations, charitable bodies, statutory funders and other appropriate sources.

• Maintain a fundraising pipeline, ensuring that opportunities, deadlines, applications and reporting requirements are monitored effectively.

• Build and maintain a database of prospective and current funders, including key contacts, deadlines, funding priorities and application requirements.

• Monitor relevant local, regional and national funding opportunities, including being a sponsored charity at community events.

• Produce funding applications for trusts, charities, foundations and statutory bodies as an ongoing part of the charity’s income generation.

• Analyse data and feedback collected through outcomes processes for report writing.

• Build and maintain positive relationships with funders, partners and relevant stakeholders, including the corporate sector as part of the charity’s income diversification strategy.

• Attend monthly meetings with the Senior Leadership Team and trustee meetings as required.

• To work within the framework, spirit and ethos of the Southmead Project’s Equal Opportunities Policy, and actively engage in promoting the policy within the charity and in all dealings with clients and other agencies.

• To follow the Southmead Project policies, procedures and professional code of conduct as outlined in the Team Handbook.

• All members of staff, paid and unpaid, are required to undergo the   enhanced level of Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Please see job description for full details.

We can’t fix issues like poverty, inequality, health and climate change alone. We are fully conscious of the scale of the challenge that faces the country and the urgent need to respond. That’s why the School for Social Entrepreneurs exists, to empower and equip people with entrepreneurial ideas and solutions to grow the social economy. The social economy is a movement of organisations and enterprises that prioritise people and planet. Together, we are committed to tackling the greatest social and environmental challenges of our time.This is a new and exciting role at a significant time of growth for the School for Social Entrepreneurs. In the coming year. we are developing new programmes, working with leaders who are developing small community led social and environmental projects as well as leading larger charities and social businesses developing social investment and housing solutions.

We’re not a traditional funder. Our grants tend to be small, but they punch above their weight, helping social and environmental entrepreneurs take the next step to grow their organisations. Our grants run alongside learning programmes, challenging and supporting leaders. We’re innovative in how we do this, through both traditional and enterprise grants. We lead on Match Trading™, a grant that challenges leaders to grow their trading income, and we are working on further grants innovations.

You will work with our Grants Team, Project Co-ordinators and Assessment Lead to develop and support grant management across a range of programmes. Your role will be to lead on specific programmes, including supporting assessment, onboarding and grant management. You will ensure that grantees are fully supported to manage their grants and ensure that grant management is compliant, auditable, efficient, and timely. You will support the development of grant policies and processes, writing grant paperwork and documentation, overseeing payments, and reporting to the wider Programmes Team and others about our work.

You don’t need to have managed grants before, but you do need to have a good understanding of a wide range enterprises and charities, gained through experience of training, business consultancy or development support. You will have a good understanding of business models, legal structures and financial systems that social and environmental organisations and community run and owned businesses may use. You will need to understand social enterprise finances, be able to read accounts, budgets, cashflows and have a good knowledge of social enterprise income streams.

We need someone who understands how hard it is to start up and grow social and environmental enterprises and can support people from diverse backgrounds in managing their grant, finances and growing their business.

Are you up for the challenge?

Interviews: Friday 18th and Friday 25th September (online)

Area Manager Role

Location: London (field-based with some home working)
Salary: £46,000
Contract: Full Time
Closing Date: 24 August 2026

Join FARA and Help Transform Lives Through Retail

Founded over 35 years ago, FARA Foundation is a UK registered charity and a successful charity retailer with a network of 39 vibrant shops across London. FARA raises vital funds to support vulnerable and disadvantaged children, young people and their families in Romania, providing services that help break the cycles of poverty and give young people a better start in life.

We are looking for an exceptional Area Manager to lead and develop a portfolio of 10+ charity shops, supporting Shop Managers to deliver outstanding commercial results while creating welcoming, community-focused spaces that embody FARA’s values and mission.

This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially-minded and people-focused leader who enjoys developing others, driving performance, and contributing strategically to a charity retail operation.

The Role

Reporting to the Trading Director, you will be responsible for supporting and developing a group of Shop Managers, helping them maximise sales, donations, Gift Aid income and community engagement while ensuring shops operate safely, compliantly and efficiently.

As a member of the Senior Management Team, you will contribute to the wider development of the trading business, lead operational projects, and play a key role in delivering FARA’s long-term retail strategy.

About You

We are looking for someone who can demonstrate the following competencies:

• Values-led leadership: A strong commitment to FARA’s mission, vision and values, with the ability to lead, coach and develop Shop Managers in a supportive, accountable and collaborative way.
• Commercial focus: Experience of achieving results through others, using KPIs, budgets and financial reports to improve sales, contribution, Gift Aid, stock generation and controllable costs.
• People development: Strong line management skills, with experience of recruitment, induction, performance management, succession planning and handling employee relations matters.
• Retail operational excellence: A sound understanding of shop operations, including pricing, culling, density, curation, sales space, sorting, layout and the ability to coach managers to improve the retail proposition.
• Compliance and risk management: Working knowledge of health and safety, risk assessments, fire risk assessments, regulatory requirements and the ability to maintain safe, compliant shops.
• Project and planning skills: Experience supporting target setting, five-year plans, shop improvements, refits, relocations or other operational projects.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven experience in an Area Manager, Regional Manager or equivalent multi-site retail role (or demonstrable desire to gain wider experience).
• Strong track record of leading teams to achieve and exceed commercial and operational KPIs.
• Excellent commercial awareness with the ability to analyse financial and operational data.
• Experience in coaching, developing and motivating staff.
• Experience handling employee relations issues, including performance management, disciplinary and grievance matters.
• Knowledge of health and safety, risk management and compliance requirements.
• Strong organisational, planning and project management skills.
• Ability to build effective working relationships across a wide range of stakeholders.
• Proficient IT skills to perform a range of professional functions on excel, word and other applications.

Desirable

• Experience within charity retail or the not-for-profit sector.
• Experience recruiting and managing volunteers.
• Knowledge of retail refurbishment, relocation or property projects.
• Understanding of Gift Aid and donation-led retail operations.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Additional Information

• Travel across London will be required.
• Participation in an on-call rota approximately one weekend per month will be required.
• Occasional cover for colleagues during periods of annual leave/absence will be required.

How to Apply

If you are an inspiring retail leader who can combine commercial expertise with a passion for people development and social impact, we would love to hear from you.

To apply, please submit a CV and a cover letter (maximum 2 pages) by email outlining how you meet the skills & experience required for the role and why the role excites you.

Join FARA and help us grow a retail operation that changes lives, strengthens communities and delivers lasting impact.

NCT is the national charity for pregnancy, birth, infant feeding and early parenthood. 

Our vision is simple: a society where everyone who becomes a parent feels confident, connected and safe. 

Through our For Every Parent strategy, we're working to make that vision a reality. We support parents with trusted information, practical help, local communities and a stronger voice in the issues that matter to families. 

For 70 years, we've been by parents' sides through the excitement, uncertainty, wonder and challenges of becoming a parent. Today, our volunteers contribute more than 70,000 hours of community service each year, helping parents build friendships, find support and feel less alone. 

We educate and empower parents with evidence-based information and support. We advocate and act by listening to parents' experiences, raising their voices and campaigning for change. No judgement. No exceptions. 

About the role 

• We are seeking an experienced People and Inclusion (P&I) professional to join our passionate team and contribute to the meaningful work that transforms the lives of parents and families. Your role will work within a small P&I team, which is part of our overall Organisational Services Directorate.  Key duties include:
• Deep and proactive partnering with our charity’s managers as a trusted advisor on People and Inclusion matters across the employee lifecycle.  We rely on our talented staff team to deliver a range of important services for all parents so need our people to feel included, connected and supported to do their best work; 
• Efficient management of People administration and the operational People function to deliver an excellent employee experience.  This will include ensuring our HR System (IRIS Cascade) is optimised for our teams, delivering timely and accurate management data to inform decision-making and ensuring our People policies and practices operate at a minimum in line with employment legislation and aspire to be best practice throughout.  You will manage our People and Inclusion Coordinator and will partner with the Payroll team; 
• Leading the delivery and continuous development of employee equity, inclusion and wellbeing initiatives that support diversity and create belonging for all of our people.  Ensuring that equity, diversity and inclusion (ED&I) is embedded across all of our work is one of our Charity’s key strategic aims; 
• Taking a remote first approach as we have a home-based workforce and working in in partnership with the communications team to deliver motivational, supportive and informative updates alongside connection and engagement opportunities; 
• Build focussed management development, learning and community-building opportunities for our People managers. 

About you: 

• You will relish the opportunity to work in a values-driven, collaborative and parent focussed organisation where our commitment to ED&I is central to all of our work; 
• You thrive in a busy operational environment with multiple priorities, and you enjoy taking a pragmatic and strategically detailed approach to improving imperfect processes and systems.  You also prioritise building positive relationships and collaborating with colleagues. 
• You will have a CIPD Level 5 Qualification (or demonstrable equivalent) and will demonstrate an interest in continuing professional development, including ensuring you are up-to-date with the practical implementation of UK employment legislation and People best practice; 
• You will have significant previous experience operating as a People Business Partner, People and Inclusion Manager or senior HR/People Advisor or similar across the full employee lifecycle.  Your key experience will include: overseeing the efficient and effective deployment and development of an HR system; effective partnering with managers; analysing People data and trends; developing and embedding ED&I principles and practices; and supporting organisational change projects. 

The Senior Risk Relationship Manager provides pivotal leadership in risk management, operational resilience, governance and data protection across Hope for Justice and Slave-Free Alliance globally.  Advising on both threats, and opportunities across the organisation’s portfolio, producing insights on emerging themes, particularly those affecting modern slavery and human trafficking, and NGO operations

Operating at the second line of defence (L2), the role delivers independent oversight, guidance, and constructive challenge, strengthening risk management and compliance across the organisation. It supports and holds operational teams to account, ensuring risks are effectively identified, managed, and aligned with organisational risk appetite and governance requirements.

Aligned with ISO 31000 principles, the role leads the development, maturation, and embedding of an enterprise risk approach that integrates risk into strategy, operations, and organisational culture, enabling clear ownership across both centralised and decentralised functions.

The postholder works closely with operational and security leaders to strengthen organisational readiness for, and response to, major incidents and crises, ensuring effective escalation, coordination, and learning.

The role also incorporates Data Protection within the remit and is responsible for monitoring and advising on the organisation’s compliance with all applicable data protection laws.  provide objective oversight without conflicts of interest. 

It is not expected that the role holder is an expert in every aspect of data protection legislation from the outset, but must be able to upskill as needed, interpret requirements, and collaborate with external specialists where appropriate. Their role focuses on promoting good data protection practice across the organisation, including ensuring staff awareness and adherence to internal processes (e.g. completion of training, conducting DPIAs, and following approved procedures) and leading on the creation of these where gaps are identified. 

Main Duties

Risk Management

• Lead the strategic and operational development of the organisation’s risk framework, ensuring alignment with ISO 31000 and organisational context
• Coordinate appropriate identification and management of risk across all senior leadership and accountable roles, ensuring coverages of all 12 classifications of risk per the HfJ framework: (Security; Safeguarding; Health & Safety; Financial; Corruption; People & Culture; Cyber, Information and IT; Governance; Legal & Compliance; Reputational; Quality; Strategic)
• Develop and oversee an annual roadmap and schedule to monitor, evaluate, and report on organisational risk maturity, risk strategies and risk transfer.
• Maintain and continuously improve risk reporting tools, registers, and dashboards for global risk tracking and visibility.
• Coordinate training and communication that promote collaboration and ownership of risk across functions.
• Provide clear and accessible risk reporting to senior leadership, country directors, and the Board of Trustees (via subcommittees).

Risk Governance

• Lead coordination of the Risk & Compliance Committee, supporting the Chair to ensure key risks are accurately reported, well understood, and actively managed with Trustee oversight and governing mandates.
• Facilitate the setting of risk appetite and thresholds by the Board of Trustees, supporting their legal duties relating to risk, and ensuring organisational accountability.
• Author and maintain core risk policies in line with governance appetites and policy frameworks.
• Provide clear, concise and decision-oriented risk reporting to senior leadership and the Board of Trustees

Strategy Integration

• Support strategy owners to plan and monitor achievement against commitments, identify delivery risks, and develop mitigation strategies.
• Author the organisation’s annual Strategic Risk Outlook along with relevant country/thematic briefings.
• Embed risk-based thinking into decision-making, strategic planning and programme delivery to identify both threats and opportunities.

Incident & Crisis Management

• Serve as a core member of the Incident and Crisis Management Teams (IMT/CMT), advising and supporting leadership and country teams during critical incidents.
• Coordinate internal investigations into serious incidents, liaising with the Charity Commission as required.
• Maintain the incident register, ensure robust documentation, and facilitate post-incident reviews, learning and feedback to risk registers.
• Support development of the organisation’s complaints, accountability and whistleblowing mechanisms. 
• Strengthen organisational readiness and resilience for potential high-impact events.

Data Protection

Compliance & Governance 

• Keep the organisation on track with UK GDPR and equivalent laws in other regions. 
• Make sure policies are up to date and actually used in day-to-day work. 
• Offer clear, practical advice on what the law requires and how teams can meet it. 
• Act as the central point of contact to the Information Commissioners Office (and other authorities) in the event of major data related incidents.

Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs) 

• Lead the DPIA process and ensure alignment across the organisation. 
• Help teams understand when a DPIA is needed and how to assess risks. 
• Step in on complex or high-risk DPIAs to guide decision-making and agree on safeguards. 
• Initiate DPIAs and involve the right people; providing oversight and guidance. 
• Check that decisions and DPIA findings align with legal obligations. 

Advisory & Support 

• Act as the go-to person for data protection questions from staff. 
• Support project and operational teams to build privacy into new systems and ways of working. 
• Advise on lawful bases, consent, transparency, and everyday compliance questions. 

Training & Awareness 

• Lead the organisation’s training and awareness activities relating to data protection. 

Risk Function: 

• Connect DPIA outcomes with wider organisational risks. 
• Ensure systems are designed with strong security and privacy controls. 

Key Result Areas

• Consistent application of the organisation’s risk management framework. 
• Clear and timely reporting of key risks and opportunities to governance bodies. 
• Continuous improvement in risk maturity and learning culture. 
• Professional, transparent, and effective incident and crisis management.
• Strong collaboration between risk, operations, and programme teams.
• Integration of risk considerations into major organisational strategies and initiatives. 
• Consistent DPIAs in line with organizational risk.

Soft Skills

• Strategic thinking – ability to connect detailed risks to big-picture objectives. 
• Stakeholder engagement – builds credibility and trust at all levels.
• Adaptive communication – explains complex issues clearly and constructively.
• Problem-solving – confident and calm in uncertain situations.
• Execution – confident in the high-quality delivery of deep and complex work
• Collaboration – works effectively across teams and geographies.
• Emotional intelligence – empathetic, balanced, and composed in high-pressure situations.
• Resilience – maintains professionalism and focus through organisational change. 
• Integrity – upholds confidentiality and ethical standards at all times. 

Technical Skills

• Strong understanding of enterprise risk management, ISO 31000, and governance structures.
• Experience analysing and reporting risks across multiple jurisdictions. 
• Proven ability to design and maintain risk policies, frameworks, and guidance.
• Skilled in digital systems for risk and incident management (Power BI, Excel, PowerApps).
• Understanding of safeguarding, security, and cyber risks within an NGO context.
• Familiarity with Board governance processes and committee reporting.
• Experience leading after-action reviews and embedding organisational learning.
• Knowledge of modern slavery and human trafficking risks in global operations.

Experience

• Minimum six years of relevant experience managing programmes, operations, or risk in international development, humanitarian, or human rights contexts.
• Experience managing serious incidents in security, safeguarding, reputational, or crisis areas.
• Experience working with Data Protection issues and management thereof
• Experience working across multiple countries or sectors (desirable). 

Education

• Educated to degree level
• Professional certification in risk management (ISO 31000, Institute of Risk Management), Global Governance, or a related field. With two additional years of professional experience desirable. 
• Project management certification (PMD Pro, PRINCE2, Agile) desirable. 

We expect all our employees to understand and uphold the standards outlined in the Hope for Justice Safeguarding policies, acting with due care and attention to safeguard the wellbeing of anyone that encounters our work and reporting concerns if they do arise.

As part of Hope for Justice/Slave Free Alliance, you will benefit from an excellent package including:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata)
• 1 day Marriage Leave
• Birthday Day
• Enhanced employer pension contributions
• Company sick pay
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Access to our Employee Rewards Platform, providing discounts and offers for well-known retailers
• Free, confidential Employee Assistance Programme for staff and their family
• Professional development opportunities
• Professional memberships paid
• Flexible and hybrid working

Applications will be reviewed and interviews held on a rolling basis. The advert may be removed prior to the closing date if the position is filled. If you are interested in this role please ensure to submit your application as soon as possible.

This role will join an ambitious programme developing the capacity of the Libraries Connected public library networks. We want to help them evolve as strategic partnerships able to deliver social impacts at scale and to secure resources and investment from national, regional and sub-regional government. Be key to the development of libraries as essential social infrastructure, and help them secure the resources they need to make an impact. 

The role is part of a small team of two Regional Managers, supported by an Administrator. 

By developing our existing regional networks into formal, resourced structures we can enable the regions to: 

• Secure investment for the service and for the libraries from regional and devolved / combined authority funds.
• Create unique regional offers to meet specific needs across and within the regional areas.
• Deliver at scale. For example, the Yorkshire & Humber regional network has 15 library services, and 348 library buildings. 
• Create opportunities for cost saving – through joint procurement and shared / collaborative services. 
• Share good practice and experience on a formal and integrated basis. 

We have 9 regional networks in England, covering all library services and ranging in size from 9 to 33 services. Within each region they provide hundreds of library branches, thousands of staff, and serve millions of service users.  They have a long tradition of working together as peer support networks and to deliver activities such as festivals, marketing, and staff training. 

Please see the attached job description for a full description of the role, including person specification. 

Frequent travel within the UK may be required for the role.

About Libraries Connected 

We are an independent charity that supports, promotes and represents public libraries. Our work is driven and led by our membership, which includes almost every library service in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Crown Dependencies (Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man).  

Across the areas we serve there are 176 individual library services with around 3,000 library branches serving over 61 million people. 

Our unique approach is to bring these services together to share experience, expertise and evidence – driving innovation and impact across the public library sector.

While senior library leaders sit on our board and committees, we work with library staff at all levels.

As well as providing practical support, training and advice to libraries, we represent them to government and raise their profile in the media. We also develop and lead national library projects with cultural, academic and corporate partners.  

We work to a strategic plan that runs until 2027, organised around four themes: drive, grow, connect and engage.  

We generate income from membership subscriptions, commissioned services, events and grants. As an Arts Council Investment Principle Support Organisation, part of our core funding in England comes from the Arts Council to help embed their Investment Principles across the library network.   

Our values 

• We are supportive. We respond to the varied, emerging needs of our members and their communities to enable libraries to learn from each other, and other sector leaders, so that they can safeguard and improve their services.  

• We are inclusive. We work with our members and partners to design and deliver our work and to determine our strategic priorities because we are committed to representing the diverse communities and libraries which we serve.  

• We are open. We are in constant communication with our members and partners on all levels to learn from their experiences, reflect on our practice and develop our services. We welcome challenge and new directions for our work.  

• We are ambitious. We believe that libraries are an essential part of the solution to a range of society’s needs. We promote innovation and collaboration to ensure that libraries are recognised locally and nationally.  

Working at Libraries Connected 

We are a friendly, collaborative team of around 20 staff based all around England and Wales. 

We value diversity and are committed to promoting an inclusive working environment. We strongly believe that inclusive and diverse organisations are not only better places to work, they are more innovative, make better decisions and are more successful. We value people who bring unique perspectives and knowledge to our team. 

We want to make our recruitment process as fair as possible. To reduce bias, we shortlist candidates based on their responses to up to six application questions. These are designed to tell us about your values, experience, attitudes to work, and transferable skills. We do not ask for a separate cover letter or supporting statement. 

We offer flexible working as standard, helping work fit around family and caring responsibilities. Many of our staff work their hours in different ways, including flexi time and compressed hours. We are open to discussing what would work for you and be possible for the role. 

All roles are remote and are open to applicants who live anywhere in the UK. We provide staff with a home office set-up including laptop, monitor and phone. There is the option to work from our central London office or use a co-working space if it is not possible to work from home. 

We welcome requests for adjustments to our standard recruitment processes for anyone who needs them.