Management Accountant Jobs
The Task Ahead: Finance Manager
As The Difference moves from its early start-up phase into the delivery of our 2025-30 strategy, our programmes and sector-influencing work are expanding to reach more schools and to deepen our impact. Alongside this growth, our team - and the operational function which supports them - is also growing.
As Finance Manager, you will be a key member of the Finance & Operations team. You will hold end-to-end responsibility for the finance function, from reconciliations to budgeting. You will decide where and how our existing processes could be improved, as well as developing new systems that will underpin our work as a larger and more established charity. You will be supported by the Director of People, Finance & Operations, as well as our external auditors.
The Difference is still a small and growing charity. This means that our work is fast-paced, our roles are broad, and there is a culture of being reactive and flexible, as the needs of the organisation evolve. If this sounds exciting rather than daunting, then this could be the role and team for you!
Areas of Responsibility
The Difference is looking for a Finance Manager to lead our finance function in the following ways:
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Oversee our internal bookkeeping, payment, and accounting processes, and improve these systems ongoingly.
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Lead on budgeting and forecasting across the organisation, supporting teams to predict income and expenditure and make sound financial decisions.
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Lead on the production of management accounting information, including internal monthly management accounts, quarterly reports for Trustees, and financial reports for investors.
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Lead on The Difference’s audit process, with external auditors.
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Work with the Development & Impact Manager to update fundraising pipelines, and ensure the availability of high quality income projections for Trustees.
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Support accurate budgeting and reporting for grant funding, including tracking spend of restricted funds.
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Support business planning by working with teams to model potential future work - e.g. costs of expansion of an existing programme; modelling potential new programmes.
Person Specification
Essential – We are looking for the following skills, aptitude and experience; though you may be stronger in some areas than others:
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Values – Your experience evidences shared values with The Difference (see below) and a personal commitment to our mission to improve life outcomes for vulnerable people.
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Finance experience, operational and strategic – Experience across all areas of finance, from accurate invoicing, payments and record-keeping, through to setting and managing budgets, financial modelling and forecasting, and working with external accountants or auditors.
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Finance process development – Experience of developing finance systems; the ability to recognise how processes could be continuously improved, and enact this improvement.
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Leadership of self and others – Confident in identifying skills or information gaps within your team, and drawing on the expertise of others to address these gaps. Able to show how you've continually grown your own skills and those of your team members so that together you can efficiently cover workload and plan ahead.
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Proactive problem-solving – Ability to thrive in a fast-paced start-up environment and to problem-solve: from rolling sleeves up and diving into detail to working collaboratively to build capacity.
Desired – You are more likely to be successful in your application if you have one or more of the following additional experiences:
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Accounting qualification and experience - Some form of accounting qualification and post-qualification experience.
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Early-stage charity/social enterprise experience – You may have specific experience growing charities or businesses for social good at the early or start-up phase.
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Experience of charity finances – You may have worked for or supported other charities, and have experience of working with philanthropic grants, charity accounting, and governance.
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Insight into schools – You may have experience working in the education sector, whether that’s through working for a business or charities that partnered with schools, or through working in a school yourself.
Why Work for The Difference?
Schooling isn’t working for the children who need it most. Every week in England 109 children – equivalent to three full classrooms – are permanently excluded. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Since the pandemic, school suspensions have risen significantly, as has persistent absenteeism. 1 in 5 children are missing more than 10% of their time in school. Children who are excluded or persistently absent are much more likely to already be experiencing vulnerability or disadvantage. They are more likely to live in poverty, have additional learning needs, suffer mental health challenges, or experience a lack of safety outside school. Certain ethnicities are also disproportionately affected, notably Gypsy Roma Traveller and black Caribbean children.
Exclusion and high rates of absence can have a dramatic effect on life chances. These young people are more likely to drop out of education or employment, become vulnerable to long-term mental ill health, or be at risk of criminal exploitation. The Difference believes that children and young people deserve better and that the education system has to change.
Our Organisation
The Difference is a young education charity, founded to change the story on lost learning. By 2030, we want rates of exclusion and absence to be falling nationally and for schools to be better equipped to support all children, including those who may be vulnerable. The Difference was born out of a year of research into school exclusions with think-tank IPPR. This research identified a lack of inclusion expertise in schools and proposed a new leadership development programme to fill this gap. In 2018, Difference founder Kiran hired the team who took this idea from concept to reality, beginning work with our first schools.
The Difference is now a 22-strong team delivering multiple school leadership programmes, alongside a growing research and policy arm. The team is supported by our Youth Advisory Board, made up of young people who have experienced exclusion and who provide their expertise and insights on how school inclusion work should be done. This work is needed more than ever. Effects of COVID-19, coupled with the spiralling cost of living, have substantially increased levels of vulnerability. Schools serving excluded pupils face under-funding. The Difference has had excellent early impact but there is work ahead to capture this, share learning with schools and policy-makers, and grow our capacity to lower exclusions across England.
Our Values
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High Expectations - We are ambitious for excellence from young people, colleagues and ourselves. We don’t believe in writing off someone’s potential because of their identity or experience of crisis.
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Strong Relationships - We prioritise genuine relationships over transactional interactions, and know that this requires deliberate relational practice. We see colleagues and partners as people first and their roles second; and know this greater trust allows us to take more risks, gain more feedback and have greater impact.
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Internalised Locus of Control - We work hard to reframe difficult situations to discover what we have within our power in terms of solutions. We take it upon ourselves to walk towards challenges and can take a high level of ownership and agency in our work/
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Pragmatism - We believe leadership means recognising current limitations and striving for improvements within and beyond them. We develop consensus and chart new ways forward, challenging false and extreme positions like “zero exclusions” or “no excuses”.
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Scientific approach - We take a diagnostic approach to unpicking causes of problems. We are loud and proud of our failures, recognising failing fast and often is key to finding the best solutions. We test solutions and are willing to use data and feedback to make adjustments and choose new directions.
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Not Squeamish about Structural Inequality - We believe patterns of inequality can and should be disrupted. We strive to be clear-eyed about these inequalities, and both the individual practice and system-changes required to address them. We push ourselves to overcome awkwardness in talking about this; and begin by acknowledging our own biases and blind spots.
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Asset-based - We work hard to avoid deficit thinking and aim to start with what’s strong, not what’s wrong. We are careful not to frame our colleagues and stakeholders - particularly young people and families – as victims but instead to recognise their agency.
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Wise selves - To both enjoy work and do their best, we want to make decisions and work with others in our “wise” - or regulated - selves. We also want to bring our compassionate self to those we work with, externally and internally, to support one another through challenging times.
How To Apply
To apply, please complete all sections of the application form by midnight on Sunday 19th May.
First round interviews will be held during the week beginning 27th May, over video call. Please indicate if you would not be available to attend an interview during this week.
If successful in this stage, second round interviews (including a task to be completed the same day) will take place on the week beginning 3rd June, at our office in Bethnal Green.
We are committed to building a diverse team and strongly encourage applications from under-represented groups in the charity sector such as people from black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ people, people with disabilities, people with experience in the care system, non-graduates and first-in-family graduates.
As part of our commitment to fairer recruitment, all applications will be assessed with names and any protected characteristics redacted.
Recommended Reading
If you’d like to understand more about The Difference and what we are trying to achieve, we would recommend the following:
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The research which underpins our organisation.
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Our latest Impact Report, sharing our work in 2023
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
An exciting opportunity to help lead The Maypole Project into our next exciting phase of growth and development; an opportunity not only to help shape the future of the charity, but in turn transform the lives of hundreds of children and young people with complex medical needs.
The Maypole Project has, for over 20 years, been supporting families through the toughest and most stressful periods of their lives following a child’s diagnosis with complex medical needs. The diagnosis of a complex need in childhood can affect people from all walks of life, can impact all aspects of their lives, and brings with it a lifetime rollercoaster of events and emotions. The Maypole Project promises to be alongside every family member, every step of their way to help them live their lives to the fullest.
To fulfil our five-year strategic development plan, we are seeking key skills in our new CEO which will be increasing our ability to reach out to as many people in need of The Maypole Project expertise in psychological and social support by creating new partnerships, new support networks and reaching into new geographical areas,
Reporting directly to the Chair of the Board of Trustees and with the support of Head of Developments, the CEO will lead the management of the organisation, drive its strategic development and, together with the Board, secure the future success of the organisation.
The post holder will promote The Maypole Project, its ambitions, values and objectives through every aspect of their work.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
About the role
The St Pancras Community Association (SPCA) is a charity delivering high quality services for Camden residents, especially the lively and diverse community of the St Pancras and Somers Town ward. As the Director of SPCA you will lead and guide a highly skilled and motivated team to make the SPCA a community hub and a centre of excellence which has a positive impact on the lives of local residents.
The governance of SPCA is overseen by a Board of Trustees. The Director will report directly to this Board and work closely with Board members.
Key responsibilities
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To build strong relationships with members of the local community, community groups, representatives and service providers to ensure that strategies and services are based on an understanding of the community’s needs and the contribution that SPCA is best placed to make as part of the of the range of local support services.
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To develop and deliver a business plan based on a financially sustainable strategic vision and which maximises the use of existing and emerging funding and income generation sources and opportunities.
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To provide a caring and highly supportive working environment which enables all staff and partners to fully contribute their skills, knowledge and perspectives.
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To manage, plan and monitor budgets to ensure the continuing financial sustainability of the Centre and to work with the Treasurer to ensure that the Centre is operating effective, and compliant accounting practices, policies and procedures.
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To ensure that SPCA fulfils its legal and procedural obligations under relevant legislation.
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To maintain an effective and transparent working relationship with the Board of Trustees to
ensure that Trustees are kept informed of opportunities, threats and challenges and are fully involved in decision making.
Main tasks
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Overseeing all fundraising activities from trusts, the local authority, local businesses and the community.
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Overseeing the development and implementation of an income generation strategy that includes maintaining and securing funding from statutory bodies, charitable trusts and any other relevant agencies/organisations and delivering charged services.
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Forming collaborative partnerships with organisations and agencies from all sectors that can be developed into services and business ventures
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Line managing key staff and ensuring that effective line managing processes are in place for other staff and volunteers. The postholder will directly line manage approximately xxx staff.
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Holding monthly staff meetings where everyone is heard and respected
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Ensuring all employees receive appropriate line management, where issues and problems
that arise are handled with sensitivity and a high priority is given to staff development.
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Overseeing the recruitment and induction of new staff in accordance with the SPCA’s Equal Opportunities.
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Ensuring arrangements are in place for the systematic collection and review of employees opinions and the opinions of service users and potential users
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Ensuring effective systems are in place for monitoring and evaluating project performance.
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Attending meetings of the Board of Trustees as appropriate.
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Keeping the Chair, and other Trustees as appropriate, informed about SPCA’s business
between formal Board meetings.
Person Specification Essential
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Experience of managing an organisation or department at a senior level.
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Experience of delivering services and activities which have had a measurably positive impact
on communities or specific groups.
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Experience of financial planning and maintaining financial sustainability by activities such as
securing external funding, securing sponsorship and charging for services.
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Experience of delivering successful marketing and promotional activities.
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Experience of staff management and successful team building.
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A commitment to advancing and developing equal opportunities and anti-
discrimination/anti-harassment policies.
Desirable
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Experience of managing an organisation within the voluntary and community sector.
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Experience of developing policies, procedures and practices for voluntary and community
sector organisations.
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Understanding of the current and likely future funding environment of voluntary and
community sector organisations and awareness of external strategies, policies and developments affecting voluntary and community sector funding.
To apply, please send a CV and cover letter - which include 3 areas you are passionate about and would like to spearhead at the centre along with previous experience that enable you to do this leadership role. Please send this by the 17th of May.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD - Senior Fundraising Executive, Humanities
The University of Oxford is a stimulating work environment, which enjoys an international reputation as a world-class centre of excellence. Our research plays a key role in tackling many global challenges, from reducing our carbon emissions to developing vaccines during a pandemic.
We are looking for a new senior fundraiser to join our energetic team to raise major gifts for a range of posts, scholarships and other priorities across the Humanities. Oxford is the world’s leading university for humanities teaching and research. The University’s scholarship in languages, literature, history, philosophy, religion & the arts – from the earliest civilisation to the present day – enriches our understanding of humankind, and informs how we engage with historic issues and contemporary concerns.
About the Role
This fundraiser will work closely with senior academics in the Humanities Division. The post will focus primarily on funding for posts, scholarships and access and outreach in the academic faculties as well as securing support for the activities of the Cultural Programme and Schwarzman Centre for the Humanities. An interest and appreciation for the arts and humanities is essential.
To Be Successful You’ll Need:
- To be an experienced development professional with a strong track record of securing major gifts and the ability to secure gifts in the range of £100k-£1m+
- Confidence to work with people from a range of backgrounds, both internally and externally
- The ability to think creatively in prospecting, cultivation and stewardship
What We Offer
Your happiness and wellbeing at work matters to us, so we offer a range of family friendly and financial benefits including:
- Flexible hybrid working
- An excellent contributory pension scheme
- 38 days annual leave
- Membership to CASE
- A comprehensive range of childcare services
- Family leave schemes
- Cycle loan scheme
- Membership to a variety of social and sports clubs
- Discounted bus travel and Season Ticket travel loans
Application process:
- Click the link to ‘Apply’ and follow the on-screen instructions. You will be taken to our online Applicant portal.
- Applications should consist of a full CV and a letter of application in your own words, in PDF format (maximum of 2 pages) outlining your motivations to apply for this role, your relevant experience and how you meet the criteria of the person specification.
Only applications received before 12.00 noon on 2 May 2024 can be considered.
Interviews are currently scheduled to take place on 13 May 2024, in person in Oxford.
Development and Alumni Engagement is committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills and experiences. We encourage applicants from all sectors of the community and are especially keen to encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply.
We raise funds in support of the University’s academic priorities, securing donations for all aspects of academic and student endeavour.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD - Senior Fundraising Executive
known at Oxford as 'Senior Development Executive - Medical Sciences (Neuroscience)'.
We are looking for an experienced fundraiser, to lead on Neuroscience related fundraising for the Departments of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences as part of the friendly team working across the Medical Sciences Division at the University of Oxford.
The Medical Sciences Division at Oxford has been ranked number one in the world for the last twelve years in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for clinical, pre-clinical and health sciences. Recent accomplishments of the Medical Sciences Division include its research into the COVID-19 pandemic, most notably through the delivery of the Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine, which is estimated to have saved over 6 million lives.
About the role:
This fundraiser will work closely with the Heads of Departments and academics in the Departments of Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. The post will focus primarily on funding for research, academic posts, scholarships and infrastructure related to Neuroscience which includes Mental Health and neurological disease (e.g. Motor Neurone Disease, Dementia, Parkinson’s, Stroke and Epilepsy). The fundraiser will work on special projects including the possible major capital redevelopment of the Warneford site. While an interest in medical research and neuroscience is essential, you do not need to be a sciences graduate, just an enthusiast for knowledge.
About you:
You are an experienced development professional with a strong track record of securing major gifts, a confident approach and the ability to think creatively. You will lead on major gift fundraising (£100k-£1m+) working with a range of donors (corporates, trusts and individuals).
What We Offer:
As an employer, we value the wellbeing and development of all our employees. We offer a comprehensive range of benefits, including:
- 38 days annual leave (including public holidays)
- Hybrid working arrangements for a healthy work-life balance
- Extensive personal and professional development opportunities
- Membership to CASE to support your professional development as an educational advancement professional
- Supportive childcare services and other family-friendly leave schemes for working parents, guardians and those with caring responsibilities
- Generous family leave for maternity, adoption, paternity, and shared parental leave
- Excellent contributory pension scheme for your financial future
- Salary sacrifice scheme for additional savings
- Subsidised sports centre membership to promote well-being
- Cycle loan scheme to encourage sustainable commuting
- Discounted bus and transit travel
In addition, you will have access to a vibrant community with social groups and sports clubs fostering an inclusive atmosphere.
Application process:
- Click the link to ‘Apply’ and follow the on-screen instructions. You will be taken to our online Applicant portal.
- Applications should consist of a full CV and a letter of application (maximum of 2 pages), in PDF format, outlining your motivations to apply for this role, your relevant experience and how you meet the criteria of the person specification.
Only applications received before 12.00 noon on 30 April 2024 can be considered.
Interviews are currently scheduled to take place on Friday 10 May 2024, in person in Oxford.
Development and Alumni Engagement is committed to having a team that is made up of diverse skills and experiences. We encourage applicants from all sectors of the community and are especially keen to encourage candidates from under-represented groups to apply.
We raise funds in support of the University’s academic priorities, securing donations for all aspects of academic and student endeavour.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.