Permanent jobs for the Arts, Culture and Heritage sector in oxfordshire

The Association for Cultural Enterprises (AfCE) supports over 500 member organisations across the UK and internationally, helping the cultural sector generate earned income through commercial activity. As an Arts Council England-funded organisation, AfCE delivers sector-leading training, benchmarking, data-led insights, events, and advocacy to drive financial resilience in arts, heritage, and culture.

AfCE runs a year-round programme of live training events around the UK and Europe, as well as its signature annual Cultural Enterprises Conference and Trade Show. We have ambitions to grow attendance at these events, as well as growing our membership.

The Association is a charitable organisation, which also has a trading company, Cultural Enterprises (Trading) Limited (CET).

We are looking for a new Finance Manager to join a small, friendly, and ambitious team, to review the day-to-day processes and policies and identify opportunities to improve reporting  and make operational efficiencies. The Association is growing, so now is an exciting time to join our team and work with our members across the cultural sector.

Job Summary

The purpose of this role is to provide sound financial management for the Association and CET through:

• Statutory financial reporting in line with Charity SORP/UK GAAP, including annual returns to Companies House and the Charity Commission

• Management accounting, reporting and analysis to funders, management, staff, and Trustees/Directors

• Preparation and maintenance of budgets, forecasts and plans, including cashflows and project budgets

• Supervision and control of day-to-day accounting transactions, including oversight of the finance aspects of the Apprentice role

• Oversight and implementation of robust financial systems, policies, and procedures

• Responsible for financial queries, working with the Apprentice as first point of contact for external contacts
   

Main Duties

• Supervise day-to-day accounting operations and ensure accurate financial record keeping, including coding, allocations, reconciliations, and tax accounting

• Oversee invoice generation and debt recovery processes

• Process payments and staff expenses for authorisation

• Produce regular management accounts on an accruals basis, providing interpretation and advice to the Executive Team, Finance & Risk Committee, Trustees/Directors, and funders

• Lead on budget preparation and forecasting, including project-specific budgets; monitor and reforecast as needed

• Prepare statutory accounts in compliance with charity SORP and liaise with external auditors and the Treasurer

• Manage contracts with financial services providers, including bookkeepers, auditors, banks, and investment managers

• Attend AfCE and CET Board meetings

• Fulfil company secretarial duties, including:

  • Filing confirmation statements and annual accounts for ACE and CET with Companies House and Charity Commission

  • Filing changes in Trustees/Directors

• Complete Arts Council England (ACE) returns, including provision of financial information for quarterly payment processes when required

• Negotiate and implement insurance policies including:

  • General insurance

  • Cyber security

  • Life assurance

  • Staff sickness policy

  • Trustees’ liability

  • Conference insurance

• Oversee monthly payroll, including statutory payments to HMRC and pension providers, and liaise with bookkeepers for payroll updates or changes

• Review VAT returns for accuracy before submission to HMRC
   

Note on External Bookkeepers
External bookkeepers currently provide support limited to payroll and VAT processing.

Person Specification

Personal Qualities

• Self-disciplined, organised, proactive and self-motivating

• Logical and methodical approach to finance and administration

• Trustworthy, honest, reliable and conscientious

• Confident, professional, and personable, able to communicate easily within a small team and with external stakeholders
   

Professional Competencies

Essential

• Professional accounting qualification such as ACA, ACCA, or CIMA

• Strong knowledge of charity SORP and charity finance regulations, including VAT and Gift Aid

• Experience with Xero or equivalent cloud-based accounting systems

• Strong reporting skills

• Team player with excellent interpersonal skills

• High level of accuracy and attention to detail

• Experience producing management accounts and supporting senior leadership and boards

• Ability to interpret financial data for non-financial colleagues
   

Desirable

• Experience working in a small charity or business

• Understanding of the cultural or charitable sector

• Experience of remote working
   

Benefits

• Unlimited holiday policy

• 5% employer pension contribution

• Life insurance

• Flexible working arrangements by agreement with the CEO

We are an inclusive, equal opportunity employer and value diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of experience, merit and organisational need.

Are you passionate about music, inclusion and making a real difference?  The OHMI Trust is looking for someone to lead our Instrument Development programmes.  The heart of our mission is to make music truly inclusive for people with physical impairments and in this role you will be driving forward the development and delivery of adapted musical instruments.  It is creative, purposeful work and we are looking for someone who cares deeply about the impact that music can have.

Our team is looking for someone who lives and breathes our passion as much as we do and will put the work (and the miles) into bringing our mission to life. You will do this through:

• Developing a strategic approach in how we can increase the range of instruments and supportive apparatus available, working with instrument makers and technologists where necessary. 
• Identifying potential entrants for our OHMI Competition, which is where we challenge developers and instrument makers to adapt or create instruments that can be played without the use of one hand and arm.
• Supporting our OHMI Music-makers, a project that works with partner organisations to bring music lessons to individual students or a whole class by providing adapted instruments.
• Making sure we are communicating with our funders and Board of Trustees about our progress and impact.

And as a key member of the team, you will support us in promoting our great work at various key conferences and workshops.

No two days look the same here at the OHMI Trust, but a week could look like this:

· Arranging meetings with student groups working on instrument related engineering projects.

· Joining an online meeting to develop the strategy for overcoming a specific instrument production challenge.

· Writing an application for funding towards the next instrument/piece of equipment that is needed.

Hours: 18.75 per week, but flexible. Some weekend and evening work will be expected, as circumstances and opportunities require. This post is subject to a 6-month probation period.

Location: flexible within the UK – this is a home/remote working role but there will be travel throughout the UK and there is an advantage in being located within easy commuting distance of the West Midlands, where the rest of the staff are currently based.

Deadline for application: 5pm 4th July.  Interview date: 23rd July in person.

Accountable to: OHMI's General Manager and, through her, the Board of Trustees

What we are looking for:

Essential

• A passion for improving inclusion in music-making, including an understanding of the barriers to participation for those with physical disabilities
• Strong organisational skills, including an ability to prioritise workloads effectively, manage multiple tasks and work flexibly as part of a team
• Excellent communication skills, written and verbal, with the ability to adapt style and content to a range of different audiences and contexts
• Familiarity with standard office software (e.g. Microsoft Word and Excel) and an ability to build knowledge of new systems effectively
• Willingness and ability to travel throughout the UK as required for the job (travel expenses covered)

Desirable

• Technical skills - experience of working with instrument makers, designers or manufacturers
• Disability confident - experience of working with people with physical disabilities

If this role sounds like a great fit for you, we would love to hear all about it!  Tell us why you are interested and what skills you can bring to this position by sending a written statement along with your CV to Rachel Wolffsohn.  We will be holding in person interviews on 23rd July in Birmingham so please hold that date in your diary. 

You can find out more about us and our work on our website and if you have any questions about the position, please get in touch with Rachel.

We are a Disability Confident Committed employer and as such commit to offer an interview to all disabled candidates who meet the Essential criteria.

Modern Art Oxford is offering an exciting opportunity within its Exhibitions team.

Coordinator, Exhibitions & Live Programmes 
Salary: £26,520 
Contract: Permanent 
Hours: Full-time – 40 hours per week including regular evenings and weekends with time off in lieu 
Based: Modern Art Oxford, 30 Pembroke Street, Oxford OX1 1BP 
Line Manager: Curator, Exhibitions & Live Programmes

Working as Coordinator, Exhibitions & Live Programmes you will support the Exhibitions team in the research, administration and delivery of exhibitions, commissions and live programmes. A highly organised individual with an eye for accuracy, you will ensure appropriate and ongoing communication across departments to realise projects successfully, within budget and to the highest standard. 

The role provides the opportunity to build on your existing skills and experience in the research, planning and delivery of contemporary art exhibitions and events. You will be trusted to use your initiative in problem solving and encouraged to contribute ideas. This job is an integral role in the team, aimed at an early-career arts professional with roughly 2 years of experience.

Person Specification
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate an enthusiasm for contemporary art and a willingness to gain a broad range of curatorial skills and experiences. They will have strong administration skills, with demonstrable experience, a proactive mindset and the ability to be flexible. They will have a keen attention to detail and an ability to prioritise and deliver multiple strands of work to deadlines. Good planning and communication skills are essential in this busy, demanding and exciting environment. They will be comfortable working as part of a team, and sharing responsibilities and tasks where necessary.

Essential:

• A keen interest in contemporary art and visual culture.
• Highly organised and methodical with experience of managing and updating records and databases.
• A solutions-focused, proactive and flexible attitude.
• A motivated, proactive self-starter who takes initiative with the ability to work collaboratively as part of a team.
• Rigorous attention to detail.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Good time and workload management skills.
• Proficient IT skills – MS Office, Excel in particular.
• At least two years’ experience in an administrative role.

Desirable:

• An undergraduate degree in an Arts and Humanities subject.
• Knowledge of the Adobe suite including inDesign, Photoshop and Sketch Up.
• Experience of working within an arts organisation.

About Us
Modern Art Oxford is one of the UK’s leading contemporary art spaces. Our programmes offer opportunities for all for inspirational exchange and creative participation, both in person and online.

Modern Art Oxford is Oxford’s only public space dedicated to contemporary art and culture. We pride ourselves on innovative and ambitious programming, our commitment to education, and our confidence in the power of visual culture and art to enact positive social change.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus public bank holidays
• Employees are entitled to a discount in our Modern Art Oxford Shop and Café. 
• There is an Employee Assistance Programme through Gemelli. 
• Discounts, Cycle-scheme and Tech-scheme program available through BHN Extras.
• An auto-enrolment pension scheme is in place with Legal & General. Under pension auto enrolment legislation, the employee will pay 5% (before tax relief) and the employer will pay 3% of qualifying earnings to the Legal and General plan. 

Applications must be received by midnight on Sunday 29 June, 2025. 
Interviews planned for w/c 7 July, 2025.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

We are committed to improving the diversity in our workforce in order to better reflect the diversity of our local communities. All job vacancies are advertised here as part of a fair and open process. We welcome applications from people of all cultures and ethnicities, including those that may experience racism, as part of our Anti-racism Action Plan.

No agencies please.

The Director of Finance and Resources is responsible for managing the charity’s finances efficiently and accurately, ensuring that all financial activities are carried out in compliance with statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements. Playing a key role in strategic planning, including planning for future budgets and allocation of resources in collaboration with the CEO and Board, the Director of Finance & Resources also leads on HR and IT for the Trust and supports the implementation of good governance practices. The role oversees the production of monthly management accounts, line-managing the Finance Officer who takes care of day-to-day financial functions. You will provide financial recommendations to the Finance & Audit Committee (which meets quarterly), ensuring that the Trust’s financial practices adhere to statutory regulations and legislation. The Director of Finance & Resources also leads on the Trust’s annual audit and production of Annual accounts, filed with the Charity Commission. For this role you will need to have strong experience in finance, accounting or a related field, demonstrating excellent analytical skills and numerical proficiency alongside capability to think strategically and facility to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing.

Everyone associated with the Trust works remotely and has always done so. Our team, Board, volunteers and partners are UK-wide and so meetings and events are held regularly in London and across the country. You will report to the CEO and line manage the Finance Officer. As a member of the Senior Management Team, you will regularly collaborate with our Board of trustees and, particularly, the Chair and members of the Finance & Audit Committee.

Some core hours will be required but a degree of flexible working will be possible. Some travel will be expected in order to attend in-person meetings. The Trust is committed to each team member’s professional development and offers regular opportunities to undertake formal and informal training.