Head of individual giving jobs

Dignity in Dying and Compassion in Dying are partnering with Robertson Bell to recruit a Head of Finance on a permanent basis.

This is an exciting opportunity to join two sister organisations working at the centre of an important and evolving area of public policy and individual choice. Operating with a shared vision and strong collaborative culture, both organisations are committed to supporting people through high-quality information and support services, advocacy and campaigns.

Reporting to the Deputy CEO, the Head of Finance will play a key role in supporting the organisations’ ongoing work by providing integrity and efficiency across financial processes, systems, controls and reporting. This role offers the opportunity to join a collaborative and values-led organisation with a supportive leadership team, flexible hybrid working and the chance to contribute meaningfully within a small but highly impactful environment.

The role:

• Provide integrity and efficiency in the financial processes, systems, controls and reporting across both organisations.
• Prepare statutory annual accounts in accordance with Charity and Company law.
• Work with the Senior Management Team (SMT) to prepare, present and implement annual budgets.
• Monitor and manage financial performance including production of quarterly management accounts, finance reports and ongoing cash flow forecasts.
• Reconcile major balance sheet accounts and revenue reporting between systems.
• Oversee transactional input of income and expenditure transactions, and all payroll procedures.
• Support the Finance and Audit Sub Committees, preparing relevant papers and attending meetings.
• Work closely with auditors and maintain relationships with professional advisors, insurance brokers and bankers.
• Ensure compliance with all statutory reporting and filing requirements, including the Charity Commission and Companies House.
• Provide support and advice to the SMT on financial and relevant matters as they arise.
• Monitor and manage organisational funds on cash deposit platforms.
• Manage partial VAT exemption and VAT reporting requirements.
• Develop and implement financial systems and procedures to ensure best practice and adherence to applicable accounting standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve reporting, operational efficiency and financial processes.
• Line manage and support the development of the Finance Officer.

The organisations:

Dignity in Dying and Compassion in Dying share the aim of improve dying in the UK by putting people in charge of decisions about the end of their life. Dignity in Dying campaigns to change the law to allow the option of assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults in the UK. It is a not-for-profit membership organisation. Compassion in Dying is a registered charity which provides information and support to people to be in control of their end-of-life decisions, alongside gathering evidence to improve culture and policy.

Operating within a collaborative and supportive culture, this role offers the opportunity to work alongside committed and passionate colleagues within a flat organisational structure. The successful candidate will join a team that values initiative, accountability and strong working relationships, while offering the autonomy to take ownership of the finance function and contribute to future improvements.

Essential criteria:

• Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Experience in a managerial finance role, ideally within a charity or not for profit organisation.
• Strong understanding of charity accounting and Charity SORP.
• Experience preparing management accounts, budgets, forecasts and statutory accounts.
• Strong understanding of financial controls, governance and compliance requirements.
• Experience supporting audit processes and working with external auditors.
• Knowledge of VAT reporting and partial VAT exemption.
• Ability to explain financial concepts to non-financial colleagues and managers.
• Self-starter with the ability to manage responsibility within a small team environment.
• Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to quickly establish credibility internally and externally.

If you are a qualified finance professional looking to join a collaborative and mission-led organisation where you can contribute both strategically and operationally, we would love to hear from you. Apply before the 7^th June to be considered!

This role is based in London with hybrid working and an expectation of a minimum of two days per week in the office at Oxford Street.

Crisis is the national charity for people experiencing homelessness. We have embarked on our 10-year strategy for ending homelessness. We know it is not inevitable. We know together we can end it.

About us

Crisis is the national charity for people experiencing homelessness. We know that homelessness is not inevitable. We know that together we can end it.

This is an extremely exciting time to join the team, as we anticipate the implementation of new homelessness legislation that holds the potential to be world leading and seek to develop relationships with the newly elected Senedd and Welsh Government.

You will lead our agenda in Wales to achieve positive and lasting change to end homelessness. This is an extremely exciting time to join the team, as the Wales Government introduces homelessness prevention legislation that will be world leading.

Location: Crisis Skylight South Wales, 163 St Helens Road, Swansea, SA14DQ. Option of hybrid working from home (minimum 1 day a week in the Skylight) with the ability to travel across Wales and within the UK for training and meetings.

Contract: Fixed term up to 11 months (available as a secondment)

Salary: £57,452 per annum

About the role

As Head of Policy and Communications in Wales you will lead a team working across policy, public affairs and communications to deliver the changes needed to address homelessness in Wales. After the formation of a new government in Wales, this role will be working closely with politicians, government officials, sector leads, and people with lived experience of homelessness to ensure Crisis’ goal of ending all forms of homelessness in Wales is a priority and bring about the changes needed to meet this goal.

About you

To be successful in this role you will have excellent knowledge and experience of developing and securing policy change at a national government level and raising the profile of an organisation through advocacy and strategic communications.

Ideally you will have experience across policy, public affairs and media work, and excel at building stakeholder relations. You will be an experienced spokesperson and understand how to communicate policy matters in a simple and concise way. You will have understanding and knowledge of developing policy and influencing objectives informed by frontline staff and working with people with lived experience of an issue and staff.

Please see the full Job Pack linked below, for a full list of requirements for this role. We realise that long lists of criteria can be daunting, and you may not want to apply for a role unless you feel 100% qualified. However, if you feel you have relevant examples to answer the screening questions, we encourage you to apply.

We believe diversity is a strength, and our aim is to make sure that Crisis truly reflects the communities we serve. We are actively working towards our organisation being a place where everyone can thrive and make their best contribution to our mission of ending homelessness for good. We know that the more perspectives, voices, and experiences we can bring to this work, the better. We particularly welcome applications from people who have lived experience of homelessness, and people from all marginalised groups, communities and backgrounds.

Working at Crisis

Our values, Bold, Impactful, Collaborative and Equitable, are at the heart of everything we do as we continue in our mission to end homelessness.

Our staff, members and volunteers are vital to getting the right government policies in place, providing breakthrough services, and building a supportive community. We’ll lead by example to nurture a positive and ambitious workplace guided by ending homelessness.

As a member of the team, you will have access to a wide range of employee benefits including:

• A competitive salary. Please note our salaries are fixed to counter inequity and we do not negotiate at offer stage
• Interest free loans for travel season ticket, cycle to work, and deposit to secure a tenancy
• Pension scheme with an employer contribution of 8.5%
• 28 days’ annual leave (pro rata) which increases with service to 31 days and the option to purchase up to 10 additional days leave
• Flexible working around the core hours 10am-4pm
• And more! (Full list of benefits available on website)

Alongside our excellent staff benefits, we will support your ongoing development to build your skills, experience and career.

When you join us, you will have the opportunity to join our staff diversity networks, which aim to champion issues across the organisation, enable staff to be their authentic and best selves and contribute to making Crisis a truly diverse organisation.

When you join us, you will have the opportunity to join our staff diversity networks, which aim to champion issues across the organisation, enable staff to be their authentic and best selves and contribute to making Crisis a truly diverse organisation.

How do I apply?

Please click on the 'Apply for Job' button below. Our shortlisting process is anonymised as part of our commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion. We do not ask for CVs, instead we ask you complete the work history section and answer the screening questions for us to be able to assess you fairly and objectively. At least two members of staff score all applications.

Closing date: Sunday 14th June at 23:59

Interview date and location: Friday 26th June, in-person at Crisis Skylight South Wales, 163 St Helens Road, Swansea, SA1 4DQ

AI in Job Applications

We understand some candidates use AI tools when applying. Whilst we welcome the use of technology to support clear communication and structure, we want to learn more about you, so please ensure that your application reflects your own skills, knowledge and experiences.

Accessibility

We want our recruitment process to be as accessible as possible. If you need us to make an adjustment or provide additional support as you apply for a role, please contact our Talent Acquisition team to discuss how we can help.

For more information about our work please visit

@Crisis_Cymru on Instagram

@CrisisWales on X

Crisis Skylight South Wales on Facebook

Registered Charity Numbers: E&W1082947, SC040094

About Care4Calais and the Legal Access Department

Care4Calais is a volunteer-based charity providing essential aid and support for refugees in France and the UK.

In northern France we operate year-round from Calais, working alongside communities in Calais and Dunkirk to provide warm clothing, bedding and service provision to displaced people who live in difficult and dangerous conditions.

Across the UK we collect and distribute clothes, shoes, mobile phones and other essential items, as well as providing psycho social support and interaction, including language lessons, sport and music workshops. We also help with vital access to medical and educational services.

Our Legal Access Department is an access to justice project that exists to support people seeking asylum in the UK by facilitating access to legal representation and offering holistic support to people throughout the asylum process. The department, made up mostly of specially trained volunteers, works tirelessly to ensure that people feel informed, empowered, and far less isolated and alone. We conduct one-to-one, complex casework for people seeking asylum for a variety of matters, over the years we have supported thousands of people to secure legal representation. Our current casework channels include securing legal representation and support for people’s asylum claims, challenges to unsuitable accommodation and potential removal from the UK (for example under the current UK-France ‘One in One out’ deal), and support for young people in their age dispute matters. Our teams work remotely across the UK. The Department seeks to adapt and amend our services based on the needs of the communities that we work with.

About the role

The aim of the role is to support and inspire volunteer teams to undertake the individual one-to-one casework and support that lies at the heart of what the Legal Access Department does, furthering access to justice for people seeking asylum and refugees. The Casework Manager will be responsible for the casework conducted by our Asylum Team, which focuses on securing legal representation for our client's asylum claims and offering holistic support through the difficulties of the asylum process. Casework managers will use their experience and understanding of the UK asylum system and conducting complex casework to guide their teams, working collaboratively with each other and the Head of Department to respond with agility to a fast-moving policy environment.

Responsibilities

Volunteer Management

• Lead existing team(s) of volunteers to undertake their specified roles as agreed with the Head of Department
• Conduct quarterly 1:1s with volunteers to give and receive feedback, reaffirm commitments, review caseloads, support with more complex cases, and ensure volunteer wellbeing. Escalate any issues and/or concerns to the Head of Department where necessary.
• Motivate and engage volunteers, taking into account the remote nature of the roles, collaborating with other Casework Managers.
• Facilitate regular team meetings and/or virtual drop ins for volunteers to ensure continued engagement and space to raise issues or concerns.
• Support volunteer caseworkers undertaking their roles, providing advice on casework and stepping in to support clients where required. Provide casework cover when volunteer caseworkers are otherwise unavailable.
• Supervise the casework conducted to ensure that volunteer caseworkers adhere to casework procedures so that every client receives the same level of service. Where volunteers may struggle to adhere to procedures ensure that concerns are identified and raised in a timely manner to reach an appropriate solution.
• Support volunteers to raise safeguarding / protection concerns through the appropriate channels. Escalate concerns where necessary. Support volunteer caseworkers through debriefs.
• Recruit, train and onboard new volunteers with the support of the Head of Department as required.
• Manage own, limited, complex caseload of clients where required to support the volunteer casework team.

Casework Management

• Oversee the appropriate collection and management of confidential client information and data, ensuring that volunteers adhere to organisational policy at all times.
• Keep team procedure documentation up to date, implementing changes where required to keep pace with the ever-changing policy environment. Work with the Head of Department to proactively adapt the casework services provided to suit the needs of the communities we work with.
• Work with the Head of Department to proactively identify systemic issues seen regionally and/or nationally and influence the direction of the Department. Contribute to evidence gathering and furthering strategic litigation cases supported or undertaken by the Department.
• Report on team progress to the Head of Department via pre-arranged channels and format.
• Attend relevant external meetings representing the organisation as needed, ensuring that knowledge and learning is shared across the department.
• Build and maintain robust understanding of the policy landscape impacting people seeking asylum in the UK, identify and attend external training opportunities, ensure that any learning is passed on to other staff and volunteers across the organisation.
• Build and maintain relationships with key partners and stakeholders, including, but not limited to local authorities, legal teams, and other NGOs focused on support of people seeking asylum.
• Attend and contribute meaningfully to team meetings

Person specification

1. In-depth understanding of the UK asylum system
2. Dedication to social justice with a clear understanding of the challenges faced by vulnerable populations, or a willingness to learn about these
3. Ability to work sensitively with a diverse range of people, demonstrating cultural competence, respect and compassion
4. Able to build positive relationships with a range of stakeholders including those from displaced communities, legal teams, and other charities
5. Clear leadership ability, with the capability to act with initiative and drive
6. An understanding of the volunteer experience including potential challenges volunteers may face
7. Self-motivated and used to managing multiple priorities to meet deadlines
8. Collaborative team member with excellent verbal and written communication skills
9. Strong digital literacy, including ability to work on Google Workspace and Office 365
10. Resilience in the face of challenging and emotionally demanding situations, with a positive and solution-oriented mindset

Whilst not essential, we welcome applications from people with the following skills

     12. Proficiency in one or more of the languages spoken within asylum seeking communities, such as, but not limited to:               Arabic, Farsi, Pashto, Dari, Kurdish Sorani, Tigrinya or Amharic

     13. Experience leading and managing volunteer teams from varied backgrounds

Application process

Please apply via CharityJob and submit your CV and a letter of interest. In this, please outline your interest in the role and how you meet the criteria set out in the ‘person specification’. Please include any skills, relevant experience and examples of how you exemplify each point. We recognise that skills and experience come from more than just employment history and encourage anyone who meets most of the specification for this role to apply, even where this experience comes from outside traditional employment structures. If you are interested in applying but do not have all the experience necessary, we encourage you to contact us at admin [@] care4calais .org to set up an informal chat with our staff. We can discuss why you would like to apply for the role and what skills or experiences you have which could be relevant.

The recruitment process will include two interview stages which will both be conducted online. We will be reviewing applications as they arrive and reserve the right to close the advert before the closing date. Care4Calais receives a very high volume of applications for roles we advertise and therefore we are unfortunately unable to offer feedback to applicants who are not successful in securing an interview. We do, however, thank you for your interest and taking the time to apply for this role.

Care4Calais is dedicated to cultivating a diverse and inclusive work environment and recognises that this is invaluable to our ability to serve the communities we work with. We therefore welcome and encourage applications from diverse backgrounds including from Black, Asian and Minority-Ethnic communities, people from refugee and migrant backgrounds, and people with lived experience of the UK or EU immigration systems.

We are a proud member of the Experts by Experience Employment Network (EBE), which aims to create a charitable sector led by individuals with lived experience of the asylum system.

As part of our membership, we are dedicated to creating inclusive employment practices that recognise and accommodate the unique circumstances and strengths of people with lived experience. We actively move away from a one-size-fits-all approach, ensuring our recruitment processes are fair, supportive, and accessible.

We warmly encourage applicants with lived experience to make use of the guidance and resources available on the EBE website (ebeemployment). In addition, applicants with lived experience are welcome to connect with the EBE support team for tailored assistance with completing the application form and, where available, one-to-one interview preparation.

Importantly, we recognise the significant cultural, linguistic, and experiential insights that individuals with lived experience of the UK asylum system bring to this role. As such, all applicants from this background who meet the essential criteria will be automatically shortlisted and invited to interview. If you are a candidate with lived experience, please let us know in your application. We respect that people’s identity is not defined by their past experiences and will not expect candidates to describe their lived experience at interview unless they wish to do so.

If you have any questions about this or need additional support with the application process for any reason, please contact us at admin [@] care4calais .org