MLC are proud to be partnered with Oak Housing in their search for a Finance Director.
Oak Housing is a For-Profit Registered Provider offering a range of affordable housing solutions to Local Authorities and NHS Trusts in London and the South East. Since being acquired in 2019 by a consortium of real estate professionals and the current management team and organisation has grown from 200 to almost 1000 units and have ambitious plans to triple in size over the next 3 years. Working closely with strategic partners and funds, one of their biggest growth areas recently has been in providing key-worker accommodation, specifically with the NHS.
The Finance Director will sit alongside the Operations Director and report into the CEO. The role is responsible for overseeing all financial activities for the organisation, whilst offering critical strategic direction. The internal finance function is growing, and the organisation needs more strategic involvement at the director level. As the organisation and the role develop, there is scope for this role to grow and develop further and the team reporting into this role will expand in the short to medium term.
Main responsibilities of the role:
- To support the CEO in managing the rigors from day-to-day budget setting / monitoring and cashflows to fund reporting and Board briefings.
- Carry out a review of the present situation, incorporating systems, processes, deficiencies and risk areas.
- Manage, nurture and develop a finance team, implementing sound financial controls and a can-do culture to empower decision making.
- Work with the operations director to prepare the organisation for the regulatory scrutiny that will come as the organisation passes the 1000-unit mark.
- Deliver board-level strategic insight, shaping the future of the organisation and driving growth.
- Flex up and down between a ‘doing’ role and a board-level role involved in decision making about the strategic direction of the organisation.
This role will suit someone who thrives on responsibility and wants to influence a whole organisation without being constrained by pre-existing structures. If you are someone who loves a challenge, is entrepreneurial, wants to think outside the box and be a disruptor, this could be the role for you! Oak is also open to someone stepping up from a Head Of role in a larger organisation into this as a first director position.
To be considered for this role, the successful candidate will:
- Be a fully qualified accountant, ideally with experience in housing or working within a regulated sector.
- Show the flexibility to move from high-level strategic decision making to rolling their sleeves up and getting stuck in to solve problems.
- Have managed teams previously and be able to demonstrate a track record of success.
Please contact Jamie Elliott at MLC Partners for an informal discussion about the role.
An inspirational charity is seeking an inspirational CEO. The Amber Trust is a unique charity, dedicated to funding music opportunities for blind and partially sighted children and young people.
Job title: Chief Executive Officer
Reporting to: Board of Trustees through the Chair
Location: Flexibility to work remotely with at least one day per week in our SW London and other locations for meetings as required
Hours:,30 – 37.5 hours per week TBA with candidate
Contract: Permanent
Salary range: £55 - £60K pro-rata (depending on experience)
Charity overview
The Amber Trust provides musical opportunities for blind and partially sighted children, including those with additional disabilities, via its Music Awards and Music Services.
Amber Music Awards fund instrumental and singing lessons, the purchase of musical instruments and specialist software, funding for concert tickets, and travel to musical activities for vision impaired children throughout the UK. In addition, there are structured programmes in its Music Services.
‘Little Amber’ is a service that offers music resources and quarterly sessions with a specially trained music practitioner to children under five and their families. ‘AmberPlus’ provides music resources and sessions offered on a termly basis to children over five who also have complex needs.’ ‘With Music in Mind’ is a new service for visually impaired children and young people with life-limiting neurodegenerative disease. Amber’s workshop scheme offers music sessions for groups of children in schools, charities and community organisations.
We have also developed extensive online music resources for teachers that are freely downloadable from anywhere in the world.
The Charity has a turnover of around £400k, employs a small central administrative team, and, for the music services, works through a large network of self-employed practitioners.
Role purpose
The Chief Executive Officer is responsible to the Board of Trustees for leading The Amber Trust, developing and realising Amber’s vision and strategy, and playing a key ambassadorial role with funders and other senior stakeholders. The CEO is responsible for the management of the charity and its staff and the execution of Amber’s targets, plans and policies, ensuring that resources are used to best effect in meeting the needs of beneficiaries. The CEO is responsible for initiating and overseeing new initiatives that will ensure Amber plays a leading role in the field of music and blindness in children and young people into the future.
Role Description
Accountabilities: To develop, lead and manage The Amber Trust, in particular:
Strategy
• to develop and deliver innovative projects and services in accordance with Amber’s strategy.
• to ensure Amber flourishes, meeting all its charitable objectives and its legal obligations as a charity and a company limited by guarantee, and to honour its duty of care to its staff, beneficiaries and other stakeholders;
• to maintain Amber’s ethos of providing individual and personal support to beneficiaries and their families;
• to lead Amber in the development and implementation of its long- and medium-term strategy and annual business plans in accordance with the strategic direction and policy framework agreed by the Trustees;
Fundraising and events
• to attend, represent and promote Amber at meetings, conferences and other events, enhancing its profile across the UK – occasional evening and weekend work and travel may be required for this;
• to manage volunteers and liaise effectively with fundraisers and individual donors;
• to engage in fundraising and income-generating activity to ensure the sustainability and growth of Amber, including bid writing activity;
• to monitor and evaluate the services offered by Amber as required by external funders and Trustees, writing and submitting reports to deadline
Operations
• to manage and support operations and services and to be hands-on where required to ensure these are delivered;
• to be pro-active in maintaining digital media relating to Amber and its work, including (but not limited to) its web page, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube;
• to manage the budget prudently to ensure Amber’s financial soundness;
• to ensure efficiency and effectiveness externally in service delivery, and internally in its systems, resources and infrastructure;
• to communicate effectively and in a timely manner with Trustees, organising and contributing to regular meetings for the Board, and its Investment, Fundraising, Digital Media, Music Awards and Music Services subcommittees, including the provision of reports, financial information, data on service delivery and all other matters to enable the Trustees to fulfil their governance role.
People management
• to manage staff, setting their objectives and ensuring that these are met, and that colleagues appreciate the ethos and values of Amber, and work in accordance with its strategic objectives, with regular update meetings and an appraisal cycle, and to monitor and recommend to Trustees appropriate remuneration;
• to ensure all staff are aware of current national policies and procedures relating to safeguarding in relation to the children and young people that Amber serves, and are given training annually.
Also to undertake other such duties as may reasonably be required from time to time by the Trustees.
Person specification
The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate that they have the following essential requirements:
Essential criteria
· Proven leadership experience in the third sector
· Proven management experience in at least two organisations
· Demonstrable passion for music
· Experience of measuring the impact of charitable services and driving quality improvements
· Degree level education or equivalent
Knowledge, skills and experience
· Experience of working with trustee boards and an understanding of their role and governance experience
· Experience of programme development and the management of grants
· Familiarity with UK charity law and governance issues
· Awareness of disability issues
· A track record of successful fundraising
· Experience of staff management including personal development, objective-setting, recruitment and performance management
· A high level of computer literacy in standard office packages and CRM systems such as Salesforce ;
Competencies and personal qualities
· The capacity for innovative thinking
· The ability to motivate self and others – of developing a vision and enlisting others to share it
· The ability to see ideas through from concept to implementation and evaluation
· The capacity to operate at a strategic level and to analyse and understand complex issues;
· The ability to prepare and manage budgets;
· Strong organisational, written and oral communication skills, including experience and confidence in public speaking and in effective report writing
· The ability to work in a self-directed manner, and to develop good working relationships with stakeholders
· A commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, treating people from all backgrounds with respect, dignity
· The right to reside and work permanently in the UK
Desirable criteria
· Experience of working with or caring for people with visual impairment
· Familiarity with the UK education system, and in particular, music education
· Knowledge of and familiarity with special education provision, incl]uding special schools
· Familiarity with other regional and national music organisations working in the field of music education.
The closing date for all applications is 9:00 am Monday, 20th May 2024. Initial interviews are planned to take place face-to-face in London on Wednesday 29th and Thursday 30th May 2024.
To apply to the role, please send a CV and covering letter, outlining your motivation for applying for the role and how you meet the essential criteria.
To apply to the role, please send a CV and covering letter, outlining your motivation for applying for the role and how you meet the essential criteria.