7 Head of financial accounting jobs in Manchester

The role

As a Finance Manager at Cruse Bereavement Support you will oversee the day-to-day financial transactions made by Cruse Bereavement Support and ensure the accuracy, timeliness, and completeness of all income and expenditure transactions undertaken. You will also assist in implementing the financial control within the team, oversee month-end processes and monthly payroll, and prepare the monthly management accounts and supporting information.  This is a unique opportunity to gain experience at a national charity and make a difference.

How to apply

Your application must consist of a CV and covering letter, which outlines your suitability for the role with reference to the Job Description and Person Specification and should be no longer than two pages. If your application does not contain both a covering letter and CV, your application may not be considered.

The closing date for applications is 16th September 2026, with first interviews taking place week commencing 28th September 2026 via Microsoft Teams.

Please be advised that if you do not hear from us by 28th September 2026, unfortunately on this occasion you have not been shortlisted.

Cruse welcomes and encourages applications from all protected groups as defined by the Equality Act 2010. Appointment will be made on merit.

Criminal Record Checks

All staff are required to complete a Criminal Record check. Staff working directly with clients will be required to complete an enhanced check. We comply with the relevant codes of practice and they can be viewed online: 

· Applicants in England and Wales: DBS Code of Practice

· Applicants in Northern Ireland: AccessNI Code of Practice

Previous convictions will not prevent full consideration of your application to work with Cruse. Our Recruitment of Ex-offenders' Policy & Handling Criminal Record Check Data Policy are available on request by email.

We comply with all relevant data protection legislation and process your data fairly.   

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.

In your role as finance officer, you will work with the Head of Finance to provide finance support and advice to colleagues across the hospice, ensuring we make the most of every penny we raise.

Your attention to detail and technical expertise is essential to maintain high standards of financial integrity at the hospice.

This is an exciting time to be joining the team as we focus on developing our financial systems and processes, making the most of the technology on offer. As finance officer you will have a key role to play in making these changes.

You’ll also be joining a vibrant, committed and driven team who get to see, first-hand, the impact the hospice has on people living in Wigan and Leigh and how we make a difference.

Role requierments 

• Support the production of accurate and timely financial information to support effective decision-making across the Hospice Maintain the integrity of financial records through regular review, reconciliationand analysis of financial data
• Support the production of monthly management accounts, ensuring informationiscomplete, accurate and supported by appropriate documentation.
• Investigate and resolve financial discrepancies, variances and anomalies, identifying root causes and escalating to the Head of Finance Maintain robust financial controls and ensure compliance with Hospice policies, procedures and regulatory requirements
• Build effective working relationships with managers and colleagues across the organisation, providing routine finance support and responding to finance-relatedenquiries
• Contribute to departmental budget monitoring by providing accurate financial information and supporting analysis for the Head of Finance Support the ongoing development of finance systems, digital processes and automation, ensuring financial information remains accurate, reliable and fit for purpose
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, strengthen controls and enhance the effectiveness of the Finance function through continuous improvement initiatives
• Work collaboratively with Finance colleagues to promote knowledge sharing, resilience and business continuity, supporting a flexible and customer-focusedFinance service 

About HCL:

 Open 51 weeks a year, HCL provides accommodation for a Nursery, a professional kitchen and community Café and a flexible space with rooms to hire for a range of activities providing educational and health and social activities such as hosting community meetings and refugee services, a venue for blood transfusion services and a polling station, ESOL and adult learning and social events, bingo and lunch clubs and dancing classes all aimed at combating social isolation, loneliness and anxiety.

Strategic Leadership

• To create a deliverable strategic plan, identify and respond to major external issues.
• Translate our vision into clear operational goals, ensuring long-term growth and stability.

Financial & Governance Oversight

• Stabilise HCL Financially.
• Rebuild relationships with external partners through collaborative working.
• Develop a funding plan for future stability.
• Seek to negotiate Heads of Terms on the lease of the building from Salford Diocese by 2030 or have developed a relocation plan or closure of the centre.

Team Management

• Lead, inspire, and support the management team.
• improve staffing wellbeing, motivation and esteem,
• Implement a plan of continuous professional development.

Partnerships

• Advocacy: Represent HCL publicly, raising awareness of our cause with media, stakeholders, and the community
• Represent HCL at key meetings with existing and potential funders and stakeholders.
• To develop a partnership collaborative strategy across the local voluntary sector, building networks, reducing duplication of and creating effective efficient well governed services for the betterment of the lives of our community.

Core duties are:

• Work closely with and support the Board in the overall strategic, financial and organisational development to secure its long-term sustainability.
• Financial planning, management and reporting.
• Identify funding opportunities and deliver bid development.
• Support Board development in line with modernising effective board Governance.

Organisational Management

• Lead the delivery of new projects and contracts once funding and contracts have been secured, ensuring the provision of all appropriate monitoring information.
• Work with the Senior Management Team to plan the effective delivery of services to ensure the highest possible standards are achieved.
• Ensure the effective delivery of services, by the deployment of staff and volunteers, which is value for money.
• Lead a whole company approach to promoting and publicising the range of activities and services available to the local community.

Operational Management

• Be responsible for HCL's day-to-day operation including, health & safety, safeguarding policies and procedures, customer service and the relationship with our landlord.
• Ensure that all HCL's relevant legal obligations are met.
• Support the use of IT and digital media across HCL's work by ensuring IT systems are secure, well maintained and managed with a development plan to meet HCL's needs.

People

• Co-ordinate and contribute to staff recruitment, selection processes and contracting.
• Conduct regular performance reviews of staff, identifying, organising and supporting team and individuals' training and learning and development opportunities.
• Lead and manage HCL's equality, diversity, inclusion, anti-racism and equal opportunities strategies and practices.
• Promote and ensure good practice and compliance with relevant employment law and health & safety regulations in HCL's building and any external sites where staff are working.

Legal and contracting

• Be responsible for legal compliance and good practice across HCLs business processes in line with charity and company law.
• Monitor HCL's funding agreements ensuring accurate and timely reporting to funders.

Please see the Job Description for full details of the role and responsibilities.

To successfully lead the Grants team and raise voluntary income from a range of Grantmakers including Trusts, Foundations and local Government grant funders contributing to an overall team target of £1-million +. Working effectively with a grants team of three, and across the organisation, you will meet team annual targets of circa £675,000 through finding new opportunities, building excellent relationships with funders and managing the team effectively. This will lead to more young people reached by Eikon’s services.

Responsibilities

Income generation

· Lead responsibility for raising current annual team target of £675,000 for restricted and unrestricted income

· Work to agreed metrices including an annual target of £220,000 - £250,000/year with a pipeline including statutory, national & regional grant funders (some being invite only).

· Develop and lead networking plan (internal/external) to secure long-term grant and statutory funding opportunities to help increase financial income year on year.

Account Management

· Lead a stewardship framework, ensuring excellent account management of funders across the team (including own portfolio)

· Lead plans for the year, thinking creatively to develop new engagement opportunities such as panels, breakfast meetings and other events

· Collaborate with other leads and managers in the team to maximise opportunities through relationships, for example Major Donors, Corporate partnerships and Individual Givers.

Management

· Line management two staff members (Senior Grants Fundraiser and Trust Fundraiser), creating a positive and supportive working culture supporting them to meet their targets

· Lead on managing pipeline information on Donorfy, being able to pull reports for information and analysis including:

o Provision of data and narrative for monthly team meetings

o Contribution to Board reporting with narrative and pipeline information

o Analysis for annual planning sessions

Quality and standards

· Ensure all staff and volunteers understand and deliver within Eikon’s safeguarding policies and practices when taking part in fundraising activities.

· Ensure all activities follow the relevant Fundraising Codes of Practice and Eikon’s Ethical Fundraising Policy.

· Prepare relevant Grant Agreements and contractual information.

· Carry out risk assessments for all activities for which you are responsible.

· Carry out required basic due diligence on new funders.

Finance and resources

· Budget responsibility with authorisation up to agreed limits

· Operate within organisational approved budgets, policies and procedures.

Communications and relationships

· Work collaboratively with the Communications Lead to devise annual communications and marketing plans, ensuring Eikon is strategically positioned externally.

· Work collaboratively with service leads ensure new services developed meet funder needs and requirements

Strategy/transformation work

· Lead on developing and delivering annual grants plan

· Participating in a Leads network, contribute regularly to organisation matters including strategies, annual plans and budgeting.

Organisational requirements

· Work within Eikon’s equal opportunities, health & safety, and safeguarding policies at all times

· Understand and act when safeguarding issues need to be escalated

· · This is a flexible working role. You must be available to attend regular external meetings across Surrey and occasional meetings at Eikon’s New Haw office. Some meetings may take place outside normal working hours or at weekends.

· Work co-operatively and under the management of The Eikon Charity staff to ensure the highest quality of delivery and support

· Work within Eikon’s internal policies, safeguarding and data protection regulations

· Be responsible for equipment/resources

· To promote, monitor and maintain health, safety and security in the working environment