Lead Financial Accountant Jobs in Camden Town, Greater London
Job Purpose and Summary
- To provide strategic financial leadership through strategic planning and robust reporting to ensure financial sustainability and facilitate growth of the organisation in order to maximise impact, in line with charitable objectives.
- To act as company secretary and provide oversight of IT.
Responsible to CEO
Direct Reports 2-4 x Finance admin and 1 x IT
Location Remote, with minimum one day per week in office with team (location flexible)
Hours Flexible (as required to do job effectively).
% FTE 0.8 to 1.0 FTE
FTE salary range Senior Leadership Team Scale (£55-65k per annum)
Scope Across Bild Group (Bild, Bild Association of Certified Training and Restraint Reduction Network)
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities
Responsible for:
- Financial oversight and leadership.
- Providing robust financial information to inform and improve operational management and decision making to further the charities’ objectives.
- Ensuring financial sustainability of the charity and facilitate growth and development to further charitable aims.
- Ensuring appropriate financial probity and controls in place.
- Financial planning including budgeting and forecasting.
- Financial reporting including monthly management accounts so that Directors and Trustees understand the financial health of the organisation.
- Financial compliance including with HMRC and Charity Commission.
- Facilitating Finance Sub Committee of the board, in coordination with Treasurer.
- Support Chair of Finance Sub Committee in providing assurance to the Trustees in relation to financial strategy, performance and financial sustainability.
- Effectively management of financial risks as part of organisational approach to risk management.
- Appraising the financial viability of plans, proposals, and feasibility studies.
- Monitoring and reporting on the financial health of the organisation.
- Oversight of and being responsible for the preparation and submission of all statutory financial accounts and returns.
- Ensuring effective Payroll function and Pension scheme.
- Effective procurement procedures to ensure services are best value for money.
- Ensuring effective financial audit.
- Maintaining positive and healthy cash position.
- Leading, with support from CEO, on commercial decisions including pricing.
- Identifying efficiencies to ensure the lean operation of the organisation.
- Timely completion of all Statutory returns.
Business:
- Act as Company Secretary supporting trustees to ensure all legal and statutory compliance with Charitable Articles and Charity Commission requirements.
- Oversight and continuous improvement of IT (and data) systems (with support from out-sourced IT support) to ensure efficient and effective workflow across the organisation.
- As business manager, lead on risk management and KPI dashboard reporting to trustees and Finance Sub Committee.
Person Specification
Qualifications
- Qualified accountant (CCAB/CIMA/ACCA) (essential)
Experience
- At least 5 years’ experience as an accountant (essential)
- At least 3 years’ senior leadership experience (essential)
- At least 3 years’ experience managing a staff team (essential)
- At least 3 years’ experience in registered charity OR health and social care (essential)
- At least 2 years’ experience of working at Board level (desirable)
- Significant experience of both accounting and financial management environment.
Competencies
- Proven ability to present financial information in accessible format.
- Proven ability to think and plan strategically and commercially.
- Proven ability to interpret financial reports and advise on any appropriate action required.
- Ability to communicate financial information clearly and accurately.
- Proven track record of facilitating growth and development.
- Proven track record of facilitating continuous improvement.
- Proven track record of successfully implementing new IT systems.
- Good understanding of IT systems including AccountsIQ (or equivalent finance systems) and Salesforce (or equivalent CRM system).
- Positive and solution focused thinking.
- High integrity and openness combined with commitment to good governance.
- Proven ability to develop positive relationships across the organisation and with external partners.
- Proven track record of effective collaborative and partnership working with CEO / Treasurer.
- Track record of effective leadership skills including as acting as a role model within an organisation, promoting positive culture and living the organisational values.
- A commitment to human rights and inclusion of people with disabilities.
- Demonstrate values congruent to Bild values.
Further information
- All staff at Bild are required to treat sensitive material confidentially and comply with data protection legislation.
- All staff working at Bild are required to read and comply with required policies, including health and safety policy.
- Job descriptions may be reviewed after 6-month probation and at annual performance review.
Application and Closing Date
Applications are invited by CV and covering letter.
Closing date is 5pm on Monday 27 May 2024
Equal Opportunities
Bild strives to be an equal opportunities employer. In working towards this aim no employee, or job applicant will receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of their role, gender, age, disability, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, colour, sexual orientation, domestic circumstances, social and employment status, gender reassignment, privately held political opinion, trade union membership, religious or similar philosophical belief, or disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be shown to be justifiable.
Bild is committed to ensuring all employees have fair and non-discriminatory systems for recruiting or accessing training to enhance the development or promotion of staff.
Are you an experienced finance leader who is passionate about animal welfare?
We’re looking for a Head of Finance to lead and support our finance function for six months, ensuring that the organisation receives an excellent finance service.
About this role:
As Head of Finance, you will:
- take day-to-day responsibility for the finance and accounting functions, ensuring systems are working effectively, suppliers are paid, payroll is completed, and ensure the new finance system meets the needs of the organisation,
- line manage and develop a team of finance professionals, ensuring an effective financial service is provided to the organisation through their expertise, championing continuous improvement,
- be accountable for the effectiveness of the charity’s annual budgeting and forecasting, and contribute to the updating of our five-year strategic plan.
About you:
To be successful in this role, you will need to be an experienced, qualified accountant who is comfortable working in large, complex organisations. You’ll need the ability to lead a dynamic team of finance professionals, from day-to-day support to professional development. Stakeholder engagement is a big part of this role, so you should feel comfortable working across the organisation with different teams and ‘breaking down barriers’ to develop key relationships. A commitment to the aims and objectives of Dogs Trust is essential.
About Dogs Trust:
We love dogs. That’s why we do whatever we can to make sure every four-legged friend gets the love they deserve. We’ll never put a healthy dog down, so our work is focused on helping dogs in need, supporting owners every step of the walk, and creating a better world for dogs in the future. It’s what we’ve been doing since 1891 and how we’ve grown to become the UK’s leading dog charity, helping 12,000 loyal friends find their forever homes every year.
About this team:
The purpose of the Finance Department is to support the rest of Dogs Trust in achieving the strategic aims of the charity. They work to ensure financial (and non-financial) systems and controls function effectively and limit the exposure of the charity to related risks, providing accurate, timely financial information and of course, paying suppliers in a timely fashion.
Please note, this role is being offered as a six-month contract. A basic Disclosure and Barring Service Check (DBS) and credit check will be required for this role.
To apply for this position please click the APPLY NOW button. Our application process requires you complete an application form and a covering letter explaining your interest and suitability for the role. Please note that we may close this vacancy early if we receive enough suitable interest, so to avoid disappointment early application is encouraged.
Dogs are incredibly diverse, much like the humans that love them! At Dogs Trust we value diversity and we're committed to fostering an inclusive culture. We actively encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, abilities, and cultures and believe that a diverse workforce helps us to achieve our mission. Our colleague networks give our people a voice acting as vehicles for real and meaningful change within Dogs Trust. We truly want to see every candidate shine throughout the entire job application process, interview stages, and during their time with us. If there's anything on your mind or any adjustments you may need, don't hesitate to reach out to us. We're here to support you every step of the way.
Closing Date: 26th May
Contract: This is a fixed term contract for 12 months. Immediate start preferred.
Application Process: Please ensure you apply with your most updated CV and a supporting statement on why you believe you would be the most suitable individual for this position.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
Are you a Qualified Accountant looking to use your skills and accounting knowledge to help address the biggest health issue in the UK today?
We are looking for a Financial Accountant, to join our busy Finance team on a 12 month fixed term contract as progress our finance transformation journey, including the implementation of a new ERP finance system, Unit 4 (Agresso).
In this role, you will help manage the preparation of the Annual Report and Accounts and statutory returns, quarterly VAT returns, and oversight of monthly accounting processes ensuring that accurate accounts are produced on a timely basis.
You will be responsible for ensuring:
- Thorough testing of finance related end to end processes on Unit 4 ensuring that any issues are captured and resolved as appropriate.
- Successful finance data cleanse activities to ensure that data migrated to Unit 4 is fit for purpose
- Opening financial data migrated to Unit 4 reconciled clearly back to the legacy systems on a detailed and timely basis to ensure strong financial control and a successful audit
- Take lead on understanding and implementing any changes to approach necessary for month end close, journal processing and balance sheet reconciliations
- Successful and timely transfer of knowledge to the remaining members of the finance team
This is a homeworking role, but you will be required to travel to attend some meetings and team-days, so you must reside in the UK, have the correct right to work documents to work in the UK and be comfortable/willing to travel to our flagship offices.
About you
- Qualified Accountant (ideally ACA)
- Experience and knowledge of Unit4 ERPx or equivalent cloud-based system
- Experience of working within the charity sector is preferred but not essential
- Ideally focussed all or part of your career on being a Financial Accountant and you are likely to have worked in an organisation of similar size, scale, and complexity.
- We also welcome applications if you are newly qualified, with practice experience.
- You will be joining a committed finance team with an ambitious transformation plan and will be expected to demonstrate initiative, judgment, and a continuous improvement mentality.
- Being systems-oriented and having an interest in tax will also be beneficial.
Person Specification
- Verbal and written communication skills to liaise with a diverse range of stakeholders.
- Experience of producing minutes, action lists and meeting summaries.
- Excellent IT skills and extensive experience/knowledge on using Microsoft packages.
- Work collaboratively and be able to prioritise your workload effectively and remain solutions focussed.
- Strong interpersonal and interpretation skills.
- Excellent organisational and timekeeping skills.
- Be a team player, supporting colleagues when there are deadlines and know when to ask for help.
- Be a self-starter and incredibly motivated.
About Alzheimer's Society
At Alzheimer's Society, we believe passionately that life doesn't end when dementia begins. We are here for anyone affected by dementia, and we do everything we can to keep people with dementia connected to their lives and the people who matter most.
Everything we do is shaped by people affected by dementia. Their knowledge and experience are critical to bringing about real-world solutions. From choosing the most promising research through to telling their stories to raise awareness; they are the heart of this organisation.
A well-known National health and well-being charity dedicated to supporting young people are seeking an ambitious Financial Accountant to join the team in this newly created role.
About the role
As Financial Accountant, you will support the Head of Finance with the financial management of the charity.
You will have ownership of the balance sheet and assist in the preparation of the statutory accounts, management accounts, general ledger reconciliation and control activities as well as assisting with month end responsibilities.
You will lead and manage the Accounts Receivable and Payables team of 2 as well supporting the Head of Finance to review and improve the current financial controls, systems and processes to drive an increase in efficiency.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who is looking to qualify within the next 12-18 months as full study support is offered.
A summary of some of the key responsibilities below:
- Assist the Head of Finance in managing an efficient year-end audit and assisting in the annual budget process.
- Support the Head of Finance with the preparation of the Charity’s monthly management accounts
- Maintain the charity’s fixed asset register, ensuring assets are recorded and depreciated according to the correct accounting policies
- Maintain and monitor all assigned control accounts, reconciling on a monthly basis as well as investigating and correcting any variance.
- Identify and implement process improvements in own role leading to greater efficiency and more time spent on value adding activity.
- Deputise for Head of Finance as and when required, taking on all associated responsibilities and duties.
- Manage the AP & AR team of 2
About you:
- You will be a part-qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent) and actively studying to become qualified
- Charity experience is desirable but not essential
- Demonstrable experience owning the balance sheet
- Experience supporting or producing statutory accounts
- Experience within other Financial accounting positions
- Good knowledge and understanding of transactional finance
- Management experience is desirable but not essential
What’s on offer?
- £40,000 - £45,000
- Study support
- Hybrid working (1 day per week required in the Central London Offices)
Ivy Rock Partners are pleased to be working with an outstanding Multi Academy Trust to recruit a Financial Accountant to join their team, reporting to the Financial Controller on a 12 month fixed term contract.
They are looking for someone to work with the Audit Lead and the Financial Controller support the delivery of the Audit and ensure financial statements are prepared for both internal and external consumption.
This is a hybrid role working 3 days in their office based in East Croydon.
This role would be perfect for someone who is passionate about developing their skills in an excellent organisation.
Main responsibilities:
- Prepare balance sheet control accounts.
- Consolidate all grant income remittances for Government income.
- Prepare monthly income and balance sheet reconciliations.
- Ensure bank reconciliations are completed.
- Provide support on reconciling Fixed assets registers for all schools and head office.
- Create audit packs for auditors and work on queries from the auditors
You will:
- Be fully qualified
- Be experienced in production of month end accounts.
- Have strong reconciliation and data analysis skills.
- Experienced in preparing month end journals, including departmental recharges
- Have strong excel skills and experience of using a variety of software packages to generate reports
- Have excellent analytical and communication skills.
- Have a professional "cando" attitude and work ethic
- Have excellent time management skills
Experience of the education sector is desirable but not essential.
For more information on this role please contact Megan Hunter
About The Fostering Network
The Fostering Network (TFN) is the UK’s leading fostering charity. TFN provides membership services, including advice, guidance and support to almost 59,000 individual foster carers and more than 450 fostering service providers across the UK.
About the role
Following a period of growth, we are looking to hire a second management accountant to our team to increase our capacity and enable us to more effectively partner with the teams throughout the business.
Responsible to the Head of Finance the post-holder will need to:
· Build partnerships with lead managers and their teams to support effective budget management
· Deliver financial reporting required assigned projects including reporting for funders and budget holders
· Assist with the preparation of accurate and timely management accounts including commentaries on variances
· Assist with planning and reporting of the annual budgets
· Assist the Head of Finance in ongoing reporting and analysis
· Support the finance officers as required with an understanding of systems and operational finance
Candidates should have previous management accounting experience in a similar size organisation, advanced level of excel and be fully qualified/part qualified as an accountant under CIMA/ACCA/ACA. Excellent communication skills are essential, including the ability to communicate financial information to those with non-financial backgrounds.
Up to date knowledge of charity tax rules including VAT and partial exemption, experience of using MS Dynamics, Netsuite , report writing skills and experience of system change/integration will be desirable.
This is an ideal post for candidates who are looking to get stuck into a growing organisation and help us deliver excellent financial management.
The post is offered on a full-time basis.
As an organisation we are committed to supporting flexible working. All colleagues currently work hybrid arrangements, some travel to the London office will be required.
Closing date: Sunday 12th May 11pm
Interview date: First round w/c 13th May, second round 22nd May
Interview location: First round interviews will be via Microsoft Teams, second round will be in person in our London office
For more information and to apply please go to our job vacancies page on our website CVs will not be accepted.
The Fostering Network is committed to equal opportunities and welcomes applications from all sections of the community and especially encourage applications from groups which are under-represented. All applicants are treated equally and selected on the basis of individual merit and ability to meet the requirements of the role.
The Fostering Network is a registered charity in England and Wales 280852 and in Scotland SC039338.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
Using Anonymous Recruitment
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Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
At The National Brain Appeal, we support Queen Square, one of the world’s leading centres for the diagnosis, treatment and care of patients with neurological and neuromuscular conditions, to fund pioneering research, innovative treatments and world-class facilities. These include stroke, multiple sclerosis, brain cancer, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, and dementia.
We are looking for an efficient and capable Financial Controller to join the team; someone who is ready to take on all areas of finance and excited about growing the role along with the organisation. The Financial Controller will be responsible for budget control, robust and effective financial systems and processes, and business partnering to department heads. As a charity on a transformation journey, with an exciting growth strategy to deliver, this role will reward someone with a talent for improving and simplifying processes and reporting, someone resourceful and tenacious, with strong commercial acumen, who can help ensure the finance department’s working practices and output remain fit for purpose.
The National Brain Appeal (formerly known as The National Hospital Development Foundation) is the charity dedicated to raising vital funds for The Nat
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
My client is a prestigious organisation that seeks to support an integral part of UK’s medical profession. With a diverse business model they provide a huge range of services to its members and seek to influence NHS policy and direction for the benefit of all. The organisation is recruiting for a Systems Accountant to lead a high-profile, end to end transformation programme.
- You will be the Finance Transformation Lead during the development of and transition to Microsoft Dynamics Finance and Operations from the current system. The project is due for delivery in mid-2025 and you will work closely with the third-party implementation team and the project team responsible for delivering the statement of work.
- As the Transformation Lead you will be involved in a number of projects associated with this programme, one project will be to support the Finance team and Implementation team in the development of the internal control framework, Chart of Account, Ledger set up, authorisation routings and other data structures for a D365 F&O environment. A second on-going project will be the development of a suite of Financial Reports and Dashboards across all Finance functional areas.
- A key deliverable for you as the Transformation Lead will be to bring together all the key stakeholders and design a system that delivers the end to end transactional processes and reporting structures and controls required for an organisation that has charitable status.
- The post provides a fantastic opportunity for a qualified Systems Account to deliver a large, organisation-wide Finance Transformation Programme from the discovery phase all the way through to implementation. This programme will add value to the organisation and it’s members for years to come and you can play a part key part in leaving this legacy.
If you are a qualified Systems Accountant with Microsoft Dynamics and Power BI experience and have delivered an end to end programme of a similar nature please apply.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
My client is a leading and pioneering UK health charity. From education to prevention, support and counselling to political campaigning, they deliver a wide range of services to people across the country.
Currently in the middle of a major transformation programme, they are keen to secure some additional resource for the busy finance team that can lead them through year end.
Key responsibilities will include:
- Preparation of year end statutory accounts – financial reporting and analysis, trial balance, P&L and balance sheet.
- Working with finance colleagues on information required for internal and external stakeholder reporting.
- Responsible for preparing analysis to support the statutory disclosures.
- Handling external audit queries with auditors.
The successful candidate will be fully qualified and have experience of preparing accounts for year end in the charity sector. A good level of Excel and practical, can-do approach are also essential.
This role has been assessed as inside of IR35. With flexible office working practices, this role can be delivered fully remote.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Job Title: Management Accountant
Organisation: Professional membership body
Location: Central London with hybrid working
Hours: Full-time
Duration: Permanent
Salary: £63,000 per annum
A leading professional membership body based in central London is seeking a Management Accountant on a full-time, permanent basis. The organisation is a prestigious and historic professional body providing an impressive array of qualifications, services and resources to its members.
The role will manage a small team, and the organisation offers a highly flexible working environment with an excellent benefits package.
Key points:
-Management Accountant role at medium sized professional membership body
-Full-time permanent role with salary of £63,000 per annum
-Hybrid working – 2 days per week on average in central London
-Managing small team of 1-2 staff
-Role covers monthly management accounts, month-end work, all budgeting and forecasting, business partnering to senior stakeholders and financial planning
-Fully-qualified accountant essential
-Charity sector/membership sector experience preferred
-Excellent benefits package
The role would be best suited to a candidate with demonstrable experience in a similar management accounting or business partnering role in a comparable organisation.
Please note that interviews will be on a rolling basis for this position.
Please send your CV for immediate consideration.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as the applications come in. Don’t miss your opportunity, apply now!
Salary £55K pro-rata (£27.5K for 0.5 FTE)
18 month fixed-term contract, with a view to permanency
Part-time (17.5 hours per week)
Are you ready to make a tangible impact on public health? The Infection Prevention Society (IPS) is seeking an experienced Financial Controller on a part-time basis to manage the transition of the financial systems and processes. With 2,400 members, the IPS is dedicated to advancing infection prevention and control (IPC), playing a pivotal role in supporting IPC professionals, promoting best practices, and influencing policy to prevent infections.
The organisation is transitioning away from being a association-management / volunteer-led model to a small secretariat, hiring its first CEO and five other positions, including this most senior finance role. You will lead on the transition process covering all aspects of financial management, to ensure the Society’s financial integrity and sustainability.
Key Responsibilities:
- Manage the financial transition to an in-house model.
- Creating and testing all internal processes.
- Oversee Statutory accounts, budgeting, credit control, financial reporting and compliance.
- Manage payroll and pension scheme implementation.
- Forecasting, budgeting, variance analysis and support with audit.
- Investigate potential new income generation schemes with CEO.
Requirements:
- Accountancy qualification (CIMA, ICAEW, AAT, ACCA, etc.)
- Proven experience in a financial management role, ideally within a membership body, learned society, nfp/charity or public sector.
- Open to part-time role only.
- Knowledge of financial regulations and accounting principles.
- Analytical and strategic mindset.
- Strong comms to train and support non-financial staff.
If you're ready to take on this new and exciting challenge, and help shape the future of infection prevention, we want to hear from you!
Application will be by CV and supporting statement, and a full pack outlining the opportunity is available from our retained consultant, Christian Turek from Memcom Recruitment.
Ambitious about Autism is looking for an experienced and qualified Financial Controller to join the team. Candidates who trained at a top 15 private accountancy firm or equivalent public body, with charity sector experience, are especially encouraged to apply.
The Financial Controller at Ambitious about Autism (AaA) and Ambitious about Autism Schools Trust (AaAST) plays a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy, integrity, and completeness of the organisations' financial data. They are responsible for adhering to the Charities SORP and the Academies Financial Handbook for AaAST.
The primary responsibilities of the Financial Controller include:
- Financial Data Management: Ensuring that all financial data is accurately recorded, maintained, and reported in accordance with relevant accounting standards and guidelines.
- Compliance: Ensuring compliance with statutory and legal obligations related to financial matters. This includes managing tax affairs, including VAT, and ensuring timely and accurate payments.
- Control Environment: Establishing and maintaining a robust control environment to safeguard assets, prevent fraud, and ensure accurate financial reporting. This involves implementing internal controls, conducting regular audits, and addressing any control weaknesses or risks.
- External Scrutiny: Preparing financial reports and statements for external scrutiny, such as audits, regulatory inspections, or funder assessments. The Financial Controller ensures that all financial records and processes can withstand external scrutiny and meet the required standards.
- Finance System Development: Taking responsibility for the development and effective operation of the finance system, IRIS Financials. This includes optimising system functionality, ensuring data accuracy, providing user support and training, and exploring opportunities for process improvements and automation.
- Team management: lead the financial accounting team and ensuring an excellent service is delivered.
In summary, the Financial Controller at AaA and AaAST are responsible for maintaining the accuracy, integrity, and completeness of financial data, ensuring compliance with relevant accounting standards and legal obligations, managing tax affairs, and developing and operating an effective finance system.
In return, we offer great benefits including a generous holiday allowance and commitment to continued professional development (CPD), flexible, hybrid working and more!
This is a fantastic opportunity for an ambitious individual who would like to work for a forward-thinking, open and honest organisation and make a real impact to the young people we work with. Please find our full recruitment pack on the link below.
If you have any questions about the role or would like to have a confidential chat, please contact James Axford, Recruitment Officer.
Ambitious about Autism is fully committed to equality of opportunity and diversity and we warmly welcome applications from all suitably-qualified candidates. We welcome applications regardless of race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, disability, or age. All applications will be considered solely on merit.
Ambitious about Autism is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and successful candidates will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check. As part of our Safer Recruitment checks, an online search maybe carried out in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education.
The Safeguarding responsibilities of the post as per the job description and personal specification.
Whether the post is exempt from the rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendment to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2021. This means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are ‘protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS Filter Guidance.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
English for Action
Operations Lead
Salary: £23,595 (£39325 pro-rated) (likely increase from August 1st to keep up with inflation)
Hours: 22.5 (3 days) per week
Location: Work from home, with occasional meetings in London required (travel at employee’s expense).
Duration of contract: permanent
Closing date for Easy Apply applications: Tuesday May 7th, end of day
Closing date for further applications: Wednesday May 15th, end of day
Interviews to be held on: Friday May 17th in the afternoon
Reporting to: The trustee HR subgroup and a line manager on the Executive Team
The role at a glance: Leading on EFA’s operations, with particularly emphasis on financial management and HR support for our small team of (currently) 8 employees. You’ll develop and administer our People policies, practices and culture to support EFA as a happy, equitable place to work and an effective mission-focused organisation. Scope for both day-to-day care for our systems and creative improvement of how we do things. In addition, to oversee EFA finances; payments received and paid, budgeting, monitoring any financial risks and advising with records/reports to the board of trustees and staff team on a monthly basis. Read more about the role.
You at a glance: You’re passionate about the community organising and education work we do with migrants in London and the radical participatory ethos of EFA London. You bring strong experience of ‘People work’ and governance of groups or organisations (whether paid or unpaid), with an interest in how to bring the best of conventional operations practisce into a team interested in a more equal distribution of power. You’re a ‘people person’, combining strong communication skills with a strategic eye on moving towards solutions. You’re committed to anti-oppression and promoting healthy workplaces for staff. You have a fastidious approach to the administration which underpins all of this.
About EFA
English for Action provides free, participatory, and empowering English language classes (ESOL) for migrants in London. Our classes are spaces to build community and support students to organise collectively around issues like employment and housing rights. Our work currently supports around 500 adult migrants across London. We’ve become a national centre of good practice for a radical participatory approach to ESOL, informed by the work of Paulo Freire, and we share this approach through trainings, research and partnerships.
Organisation: We are a staff team of 8 people supported by a larger team of volunteers and 9 trustees. EFA promotes shared leadership and collaboration and we aim for our organisational structure to reflect this. In the last 4 years we’ve transitioned away from having a CEO to an executive team to oversee operations and decision-making - which you could be elected to join following your probation period. We’re still in transition and there is scope to make a real contribution to developing innovative practice within our workplace. As a charity, ultimate responsibility for, and control of, the organisation lies with the Board of Trustees.
EFA employee benefits include:
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Pension scheme with employer matched contribution, currently at 6%.
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Pay rises in line with inflation wherever possible (we have a flat pay structure)
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Tech and cycle scheme
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Flexible working possible based on your needs
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Continuous Personal Development actively encouraged and training opportunities explored.
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Enhanced annual leave: starts with 24 days per annum pro rata, rising to 32 days per annum pro rata plus Bank Holidays (pro-rata for part-time hours) after probation, with some restrictions on when holidays must be taken.
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Full entitlement to days off for sickness (including mental ill-health), compassionate leave, bereavement leave, and parental leave
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Enhanced maternity/paternity/adoption/shared parental leave pay
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Enhanced sick pay
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Collaborative decision making on organisational strategy and practice
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Working within an organisation that makes a huge difference in communities across London and the UK.
Recruitment process / how to apply
We know applying to jobs can be time consuming! And often candidates with lots of relevant experience can be put off if they don’t fit every part of the job description.
So, we’re using an ‘Easy Apply’ form, where you can attach a CV and fill out three questions to express interest in this role. Even if you are not sure you quite fit all the specifications - give it a go. It may take as little as 10 minutes.
We’ll then encourage you to apply at Stage 2 if we feel you have relevant skills and
experience. You’ll then have another week to complete a few further questions.
Get in touch if you’d like to chat informally about any aspect of this job description or the role:
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.
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!
Phoenix Futures have an exciting Remote opportunity for someone to join the Business Development team and help shape the future of specialist treatment for people recovering from addiction.
We encourage and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and believe it is important to include people with lived experience to ensure the needs of the people we support are represented. We are committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone is free to be themselves and we ensure equity of opportunity
The Role
This is a work from home post and can be based remotely anywhere within the UK. There will be the need to travel to meetings in London occasionally and travel to our services across England and Scotland on an ad hoc basis.
As the newly appointed Business Development Finance Partner, you will work closely with the Head of Business Development and Director in identifying and evaluating new opportunities as well as working across the Organisation to support ongoing contract management and financial business management activities.
You will support our operational leadership across the UK to evaluate, monitor and review the financial aspects of new business opportunities, leading on financial elements of tenders and grants as well as contract management and risk appraisal processes.
The position provides an ideal opportunity for individuals with a strong finance background (qualified or part-qualified accountants) to develop and enhance their careers through transitioning into a business management role.
You will be part of a passionate and skilled Business Development team, supporting the vital work delivered by Phoenix Futures across the UK.
About You
To join us as Business Development Finance Partner, you will need:
- Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Excel
- Excellent literacy and report writing skills
- Experience of budgeting for tendering / contracting for services
- Excellent communication skills and ability to interpret and explain budgets and pricing to operational staff
- Qualified in or working towards a professional accounting qualification
- Empathy with the mission and values of Phoenix Futures
Please note, we will be assessing applications as they are submitted and may close this role should we find sufficient applicants with which to make our shortlist. As such, we would advise applying as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
So, if you’re seeking your next challenge as a Business Development Finance Partner, please get in touch or apply today.
Your Rewards
- Salary of £34,400 pro-rata (FTE £43,500) working 30hrs across the week with flexibility that allows you to balance home and work
- Up to 8½% performance related pay annually
- 25 days’ annual leave pro-rata, plus Bank Holidays (increasing each year to a maximum of 30 days)
- Benefits including season ticket loan, pension scheme and life assurance
- Support through occupational sick pay, eye-care vouchers and regular wellbeing talks and activities
- Continuous training and career development via PXL our dedicated learning management system
- Access to a 24/7 Employee Assistance programme including telephone and online access
- A rewarding role with the opportunity to help us support people on their journey to recovery and change their lives for the better.
- We’ll ensure you get all the support you need to thrive and succeed in your role and find your place amongst our incredible and collaborative team.
The Team
The Business Development team are responsible for leading on new and emerging opportunities to support people with substance misuse issues – securing opportunities to deliver residential rehabilitation, community, housing and prisons services.
About Phoenix Futures
Phoenix Futures Group is a charity with over 50 years’ experience and a leading provider of drug and alcohol treatment. Our values are what define us and ensure we work to the highest standards. We believe in being the best, we are passionate about recovery, we value our history and use it to inform our future. Find out more on our website.
Interview Process
We want you to feel comfortable to be your best during the interview process, so that you can get to know Phoenix and we can get to know you. If shortlisted, you will be contacted for a short digital interview via Microsoft Teams in June.
Successful candidates will be selected for a face-to-face interview, for which there will be a psychometric assessment and aptitude test to complete, in the form of a systems task. All details will be provided in advance so that you can feel adequately prepared and we can support you with reasonable adjustments as required.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.