Director of Finance and Operations

Help end avoidable blindness worldwide

Right now, 1.1 billion people are living with vision loss - yet the vast majority of this is preventable or treatable. Behind every statistic is a child missing out on education, a parent unable to work, a community held back.

At Orbis UK, we are part of a global organisation that trains eye care professionals, delivers life-changing treatments, and invests in innovative solutions - from our Flying Eye Hospital to global telehealth platform -so that no one is needlessly blind.

In 2025, the UK team raised £7.1m. These funds supported 18 projects across 8 countries. With these funds we delivered 9,908 training sessions for health workers, enabled 469,287 eye screenings, 37,378 treatments and delivered 2.5m doses of antibiotics to tackle trachoma. The organisation’s ambition is to grow our income to £10 million per year within the next five years.

To achieve our next phase of growth and impact, we are looking for a Director of Finance & Operations who shares their ambition to expand access to eye care in the countries where it is needed most.

Why this role matters

As part of the senior leadership team, you will ensure Orbis UK is financially strong, operationally effective, and ready to expand our reach. Your leadership will directly support programmes that restore sight, train clinicians, and strengthen health systems in the communities where we work.

Your impact

You will:

• Ensure every pound is used effectively to maximise Orbis UK’s life-changing impact
• Provide the financial insight that shapes strategic decisions
• Lead the teams that ensure the smooth running of the organisation - finance, HR, IT, and operations
• Strengthen governance, accountability, and sustainability as the organisation grows
• Partner with colleagues in the UK and internationally to deliver lasting change

Who we’re looking for

You are more than technically excellent - you are purpose-driven.

You’ll bring:

• A professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA)
• Experience leading finance in a complex organisation, ideally with charity or public sector exposure
• The ability to translate financial insight into clear, strategic direction
• A collaborative leadership style and confidence working with senior stakeholders
• A genuine commitment to global equity and social impact

Join us

Orbis is not a large organisation; it depends more than most on the value added by the individual. If you believe you can bring not only strong professional skills, but also the personal qualities, commitment to our charitable aims, and collaborative spirit that make a meaningful difference in a small team like ours, we would love to hear from you strongly encourage you to apply.

Recruitment timetable

• Application deadline  Sunday 17th May, midnight
• Shortlisting  Wednesday 27th May 
• First stage interviews  w/c 1st June
• Final interviews  w/c 8th June

To apply, send your CV and cover letter via the link by Sunday 17th May, midnight.

For an informal conversation about the role, please reach out to our exclusive recruitment partner, Bryony Thomas, via the Allen Lane agency website.

We’re committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation, and particularly welcome applications from people currently underrepresented at senior levels, including those from Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic backgrounds, and disabled or neurodivergent candidates.

If you need any adjustments during the recruitment process or in the role itself, we’ll work with you to make that happen.