Head of Finance

The Royal Collection Trust cares for one of the largest and most important art collections in the world.

Held in trust by His Majesty The King for his successors and the nation, it operates without recourse to public funds, reinvesting income from visitors and commercial activity into conserving the Collection (comprising of more than a million objects), and extending public access across Royal residences and galleries in the UK and through loans and exhibitions worldwide.

As Head of Finance, you’ll lead the finance function, helping to deliver Royal Collection’s strategy by ensuring the highest standards of financial control, reporting and strategic support across the organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Leading the Royal Collection Trust finance team, you’ll oversee the delivery of a full range of financial and management accounting services.
• Supporting the Chief Finance Officer, you’ll play a key role in shaping and delivering financial strategy, overseeing the annual budgeting process and ensuring robust financial planning and forecasting.
• You’ll take ownership of the annual accounts process across both the charity and its trading subsidiary, managing relationships with auditors and ensuring compliance with all relevant accounting standards and regulatory requirements.
• Overseeing monthly management accounts and commercial reporting, you’ll ensure stakeholders have clear, accurate and timely insight to support decision-making across admissions, retail and wider operations.
• With responsibility for taxation, treasury and financial controls, you’ll ensure strong governance across VAT, corporation tax and cashflow management.
• Working closely with senior stakeholders across Royal Collection Trust and the wider Royal Household, you’ll provide strategic financial advice, building strong business partnering relationships.
• You’ll lead, motivate and develop your team, fostering a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement and high performance.

And in all you do, you’ll help ensure that income generated supports the care, conservation and public enjoyment of an extraordinary national collection.

The role is principally based at Buckingham Palace, with occasional travel to other Royal Collection Trust locations, including Windsor and Edinburgh.

Essential Criteria

• A qualified accountant (CCAB), you bring strong technical expertise across financial reporting, audit and accounting standards, including FRS102 and the Charities SORP.
• With significant experience in financial leadership roles, you’re confident overseeing the budgeting cycle, forecasts and management reporting in a complex organisation.
• You’re an excellent communicator, able to influence and engage stakeholders at all levels, translating complex financial information into clear, actionable insight.
• You’ll have a strong understanding of VAT and corporation tax, alongside experience in financial modelling, advanced excel skills and a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Exposure to finance transformation or systems implementation projects would also be beneficial.
• Highly organised and adaptable, you’re comfortable managing competing priorities and working to tight deadlines within a dynamic environment.
• An experienced people leader, you’re skilled in developing teams, managing performance and building capability for the future.

Benefits 

What we offer:

We know that to deliver our best work; we need to feel at our best. That’s why at the Royal Household we offer a generous benefits package designed to support your wellbeing and life priorities.

• Enjoy 25 days annual leave, rising to 30 days pro rata (plus bank holidays) dependent on the length of time you have worked for us.
• Our excellent non-contributory pension plan (we’ll contribute 15% and you can contribute more if you wish) is highly valued by our employees, as is complimentary lunch on-site to keep you fuelled throughout the day.
• We also offer a range of leave options to support your life priorities, such as parental pay and leave and volunteering days, as well as benefits to support your physical and mental wellbeing.
• Other perks include 20% off at our Royal Collection Trust Shops and complimentary admission tickets across all our locations, along with many more exclusive employee discounts.