Management accountant jobs in reading, berkshire

Your new company
A fast-paced and growing charity.
Your new role
Reporting to the Head of Finance, you will support the finance team during a busy period of organisational change. Duties and responsibilities include the production of monthly management accounts; budgeting and forecasting and developing and implementing costing and pricing models. You'll provide strategic financial insight to the senior management team and non-finance colleagues and support the smooth running of the finance function. The role is 100% remote. The anticipated duration is 4 months+.
What you'll need to succeed
You will be an experienced Management Accountant with prior experience of developing and using pricing and costing models. Charity background would be preferable.
What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.
If this job isn't quite right for you, but you are looking for a new position, please contact us for a confidential discussion about your career.

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Role Overview

We are seeking an experienced and highly organised Accountant to oversee the charity’s day-to-day financial management and reporting.

Reporting directly to the CEO, the Accountant will play a key role in maintaining accurate accounts, preparing management reports, and supporting the annual audit and budget processes. This is a hands-on role suited to someone who enjoys working across all aspects of charity finance, from daily transactions to strategic financial planning.

About The Child Beale Trust

The Child Beale Trust operates Beale Wildlife Park, a 350-acre charitable wildlife park and estate near Pangbourne. The charity’s objectives are the advancement of recreation, conservation, education and biodiversity. The Park welcomes thousands of visitors each year and is home to a wide range of animals, gardens and visitor attractions.

Key Responsibilities

• Maintain accurate financial records using QBOL.
• Prepare monthly management accounts and capex/cashflow forecasts.
• Administer and submit VAT returns, liaising with our external VAT advisor where required.
• Oversee budget tracking and forecasting for all departments, working closely with budget holders.
• Prepare year-end accounts and liaise with external auditors.
• Support the CEO and trustees with financial reporting and board papers.
• Manage payroll and pension administration (payroll itself is outsourced).
• Oversee the purchase order and approval process (using ApprovalMax).
• Ensure compliance with all charity and statutory financial regulations.
• Support the development of financial systems and processes to ensure on-going overall efficiency.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Qualified or part-qualified accountant (ACCA, ACA, CIMA or equivalent) or qualified by experience.
• Strong experience in management accounting and financial reporting.
• Good working knowledge of QBOL (or similar accounting software).
• Experience preparing year-end accounts and working with auditors.
• Excellent Excel skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work independently and manage competing priorities.
• Strong communication skills and ability to explain financial information clearly.
• Ability and desire to contribute to positive work environment.

Desirable:

• Experience in the charity or not-for-profit sector.
• Knowledge of charity VAT and restricted/unrestricted fund accounting.
• Experience in fund raising and Gift Aid management/optimisation.

Working Arrangements

• Option of a hybrid role with flexibility to work from home, but a minimum of 50% of hours must be worked on site at Beale Wildlife Park.
• Immediate start available, with a handover from the current Accountant to ensure a smooth transition.

Start Date: Immediate – full handover provided

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and early applications are encouraged.

As Finance & Operations Manager at the Foyer Federation, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and building our finance and administrative functions at an operational and strategic level. You will support all aspects of the charity's work and development through the provision of strong financial assistance - ensuring accurate financial reporting, sales invoicing, bookkeeping, grant management and payroll management. You will also take day to day responsibility for HR and organisational administration.

This role will involve close collaboration with our team to ensure the day to day finance and operational requirements are met as well as working closely with the SLT and board to build greater financial resilience and strategic financial awareness within the charity.

You will have oversight of central operations, reporting directly to the CEO and working closely with the Head of Development and Partnerships and Treasurer. 

Please find the detailed job pack via the link below. The job pack includes a link to the online application form. CVs will not be accepted.

The deadline for applications is 10am 15th December 2025

Role

We seek a Finance Manager to lead the day to day running of the charity’s finances including overseeing the work of our outsourced financial provider. As a grant giving organisation, there will be regular interaction with the programmatic workstreams in this position, offering a fantastic opportunity for the right candidate to increase the capacity of a field-leading charity, help empower researchers in the Global South, and contribute to one of the world’s most important climate debates. If you are an ambitious qualified finance professional, this is an opportunity to step into a role with purpose, international influence, and real impact.  

Working with the COO, you will undertake organisational financial planning, budgeting and forecasting so that the senior staff and trustees have comprehensive information for decision making. Furthermore, in cooperation with the Development Manager, this role will support the submission of funding bids and reporting to funders to ensure the continued growth of the charity.

Responsibilities

As this is a new role, responsibilities are expected to evolve but some key items include:

• Financial Oversight: Overseeing the outsourced finance provider, ensuring service delivery meets organisational needs and deadlines. You will be the primary liaison between our financial services provider and the staff, ensuring that they make payments on behalf of the organisation, runs payroll, completes the bookkeeping via QuickBooks, the monthly management accounts, and the annual statutory accounts. 
• Budgeting & Forecasting: Preparing and monitoring annual organisational budgets including a mid-year adjustment, cash flow forecasts, financial models and annual accounts to support the annual business cycle and fundraising bids.
• Reporting: Finalising monthly management accounts prepared by outsourced financial provider, deliver financial reports for the COO, senior leadership, and trustees, and preparing donor financial reporting.
• Financial Strategy and Investment Oversight: Working with the COO to manage financial resources and reserves including developing the investment policy to support the long-term goals of the charity.
• Audit & Compliance: Leading on annual audits, maintain compliance with UK charity finance regulations, and ensure adherence to funder requirements.
• Programmatic financial support: Working closely with the programmes teams to ensure their payments processes run smoothly with the outsourced financial provider, and regularly reviewing their grant and event expenditure is in line with their own managed budgets.
• Process Improvement: Identifying opportunities to streamline financial processes and implement best practices, such as working with Operations to improve payments & expenses software, opening new bank accounts, or finding new platforms to reduce international payment fees.

Key relationships:

• Supervised by COO 
• Primary liaison with our outsourced financial provider (including a management accountant, payments officer and bookkeeper)
• Works with the Development Manager
• Grants Manager
• Operations team

We’re looking for an exceptional Head of Management Accounts to lead our financial planning and analysis function and ensure our budgeting, forecasting and reporting processes deliver accuracy, insight and long-term financial sustainability. You’ll shape and develop the management accounting team while leading business partnering activity and strengthening financial understanding across the organisation.

The Role:

• Lead the Trust’s financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting processes, ensuring accuracy, transparency and long-term financial sustainability.
• Act as a strategic financial partner to senior leaders, providing insight, analysis and recommendations that inform strategic and operational decision-making.
• Oversee financial management across all directorates, including cash flow, reserves and investment planning, ensuring alignment with organisational priorities and risk appetite.
• Support the CFO in the preparation of financial reports and presentations for trustees, funders and other external stakeholders.
• Lead the monthly management accounts, year-end process, audit activity and statutory reporting, ensuring compliance and timely delivery.
• Develop and embed a strong business partnering culture, building financial capability, confidence and accountability among budget holders and project leads.
• Drive the continuous improvement of management accounting processes, reporting and controls to enhance efficiency, consistency and data integrity.

The Candidate:
We are looking for candidates who have the following:

• CCAB qualification (CIMA, ACCA, ACA or equivalent international qualification).
• Proven experience leading management accounting and financial planning teams in a complex charity or commercial organisation.
• Significant experience developing and reviewing monthly management accounts, including reconciliations, variance analysis and forecasting.
• Excellent understanding of finance systems and data flow across diverse systems, including CRM integration.
• Demonstrable experience supporting restricted fund budgeting and monitoring, and financial partnering with fundraising or project-based teams.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and challenge constructively.

Benefits & Wellbeing: Joining our team means you'll be a big part of tackling environmental and climate issues. We take good care of our staff, offering support and training opportunities. We also offer:

• Enhanced Employer Pension
• Life Assurance
• Flexible & Hybrid Working Options
• Generous Annual Leave - 25 days + bank holidays (pro rata for part time)
• Buy and Sell Annual Leave
• Enhanced Parental Pay
• Employee Assistance Programme

About Us: The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity.  We want to see a world where trees and woods thrive for people and nature. The Trust engages and inspires people to make their difference tackling the nature and climate crisis helping protect, restore and create our vital woods and trees.

Commitment to Diversity & Inclusion: To achieve our vision of a world where woods and trees thrive for people and nature, we need to better reflect society and the communities we work in. All people, no matter their background, identity, ability, or circumstance, should benefit from trees.

People of colour and disabled people are currently under-represented across the environment and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we particularly encourage you to apply.

Please contact us to discuss any additional support or adjustments you may need to complete your application.

Application Advice: For fairness we keep our candidates’ personal details hidden from the hiring managers, so they do not see your CV until shortlisting is completed. Make sure that your Personal Statement clearly shows how your skills and knowledge link to the specifications in the job description and you share with us your passion for the role.

Acceptable Use Policy - Artificial Intelligence (AI)
We understand that candidates may choose to use AI tools to support their job applications-for example, to help structure or edit written responses. We welcome the use of AI in this way, particularly where it helps improve accessibility, such as for neurodivergent applicants. However, we ask that any information submitted reflects your own experience, skills and understanding. During interviews, candidates are expected to respond independently without the use of AI tools.

Apply Now: If you're ready to make a difference and grow with us, send in your application today. We might close the job opening early if we get a lot of applications, so it's a good idea to apply soon. If we do close the advert early, and you have an application in process, we will email you prior to closing to give you time to complete.

Interviews will be held via Microsoft Teams.

The Organisation

This is a well-established national charity with an income in excess of £100 million, playing a vital role in supporting people affected by a major health condition. The organisation is values-driven, impact-focused, and undergoing continuous improvement in its financial operations. The Finance & Assurance directorate is a trusted partner across the charity, enabling better decision-making through high-quality financial insight and compliance.

The Job

As Financial Accountant, you'll lead a small team and report to the Head of Financial Accounting. You'll be responsible for producing accurate financial statements, managing audit deliverables, ensuring compliance with charity and company law, and driving improvements in financial processes and reporting. This is a hands-on technical role with leadership responsibilities, requiring collaboration across finance, systems, and planning teams to deliver a seamless finance function.

Key responsibilities include:
- Preparing statutory accounts and technical accounting adjustments
- Leading year-end processes and audit engagement
- Ensuring compliance with VAT, Corporation Tax, and Gift Aid
- Driving system and process improvements
- Supporting and developing Associate Accountants

The Person

You'll be a qualified accountant with strong technical expertise in SORP/FRS102 and experience in a large, complex organisation. You'll bring a track record of producing high-quality financial reports, managing audits, and improving performance through data and collaboration. Open to candidates coming straight from practice, especially those who have previously laised with charities.

We're looking for someone who:
- Communicates confidently with senior stakeholders
- Builds high-performing, accountable teams
- Is resilient, adaptable, and committed to continuous improvement
- Works collaboratively across departments and disciplines
- Champions inclusion and values-driven leadership

What's in it for You?

- A meaningful role in a purpose-led organisation making a real difference

- Remote working with occasional office attendance
- Competitive salary in the region of £50,000-£58,000
- 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with service
- Up to 8% employer pension contribution
- Life assurance and income protection
- Employee assistance programme and wellbeing support
- Season ticket loan and cycle-to-work scheme
- Opportunities for professional development and career progression
- A collaborative, high-support environment focused on learning and impact

What to Do Now

If you're a technically strong accountant who thrives in a collaborative, mission-driven environment, I'd love to hear from you. Apply now or get in touch for a confidential conversation.

Hays Specialist Recruitment Limited acts as an employment agency for permanent recruitment and employment business for the supply of temporary workers. By applying for this job you accept the T&C's, Privacy Policy and Disclaimers which can be found at hays.co.uk

I am recruiting s permanent, fully remote Finance Business Manager for a well known UK based Charity. Reporting into the Assistant Director of Finance, your role as the Finance Business Manager will be to provide leaders and managers with financial data and analysis, alongside providing support in order to equip Budget holders to make effective business decisions. You will also monitor key financial risks and opportunities through financial data, modelling and reporting in relation to period end, forecasting and budgeting.

Experience required includes:

• Minimum 2 years' experience working at managerial level within business partnering teams, supporting budget holders
• Costings and Tender applications
• Understanding of the voluntary sector and government funding
• System literate, ideally with experience of Dynamics 365
• Producing budgets, forecasts and monthly management accounts, including variance analysis
• Line management experience

To be considered for the role you will be a CCAB qualified accountant, or working towards the qualification and be able to work in a changing and adaptable environment. You will have experience of supporting year-end as well as challenging budget holders and driving strong financial acumen.

This is a permanent role being offered on a remote basis (with travel to meetings circa twice a year). The salary bracket for the role is £39,642 to £53,570.

We are The Trust Partnership; a fast growing and innovative social enterprise helping charitable foundations and almshouses to be better managed and to use their resources more effectively for the benefit of the wider public.  In short, we are having a big impact in philanthropy sector. 

We are excited that we’ve not only been able to build a thriving business, but to do so on strong ethical foundations. The way we look after our staff, our clients and other stakeholders is important to us. We believe it’s possible to be a good business and a profitable one at the same time.

We are looking for someone special to join our growing business. You will be responsible for a portfolio of trusts who require clerking and supported by specialists in grantmaking and administration.  Experience of working with boards of Trustees is essential.

You need to be able to access London easily, sometimes at short notice.Occasional visits to our office in Gloucestershire will also be necessary. You will also be required to undertake a DBS check.

We are looking for a motivated individual with an exemplary work ethic and a professional attitude.  Accuracy is essential and an eye for detail that is balanced with an ability to see the bigger picture. Respect, integrity and emotional awareness are central to the role.

Working with us you will receive the following benefits

·Career progression opportunities 

·Flexible working environment 

·Professional development

·Membership of an employee benefits platform

·Charitable Giving matching up to £200 per annum

·25 days’ holiday per annum plus Bank holidays (FTE)

·Christmas shutdown (included in above)

·Additional day’s contractual leave entitlement after each fifth year of service (up to a total of six days)

·Eyecare voucher scheme.

Reports to: Operations Director (Head of Delivery) 
Contract: Part-time (0.5 FTE) 

Role Purpose 

As Payroll Lead, you will manage HOST’s global payroll operations — ensuring that all staff, contractors, and hosted partners are paid accurately, compliantly, and on time. 

You will bring structure, care, and precision to one of HOST’s most essential services: ensuring the people driving climate and social action receive the financial stability they need to do their best work. 

This role supports both internal HOST staff and hosted partners, liaising across HR, Finance, and Community Support to deliver secure, compliant, and efficient payroll management. You will also help develop new systems and processes as HOST expands internationally, ensuring our operations remain smooth, transparent, and aligned with local legislation. 

Core Responsibilities 

1. Payroll Management 

• Manage all aspects of monthly payroll for UK and international employees, contractors, and hosted partner staff. 

• Prepare and process payroll changes (new hires, terminations, pay adjustments) in line with internal procedures. 

• Ensure timely submission of payroll information to Finance and external providers. 

• Reconcile payroll each month, identifying and resolving any discrepancies. 
   

• Reporting cadence: Monthly payroll cycle; quarterly summary to Operations Director. 

2. Compliance and Record-Keeping 

• Ensure full compliance with UK employment law, tax regulations, and international payroll requirements in collaboration with external providers. 

• Maintain accurate and confidential employee and contractor records. 

• Support statutory reporting, including PAYE, HMRC, and pension submissions. 

• Liaise with HOST’s Finance Team on audits and compliance reviews. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly compliance report; annual payroll compliance review. 

3. System Management and Improvement 

• Maintain and improve digital payroll systems, ensuring data accuracy and secure integration with Finance and HR tools. 

• Support the development of HOSTHub payroll features and automation processes with the Tech Team. 

• Identify opportunities to simplify workflows and strengthen reporting. 
  Reporting cadence: Quarterly system and process improvement review. 

4. Contractor and International Payroll Support 

• Coordinate with the Community Support and Finance Teams to process international contractor payments, ensuring correct deductions and documentation. 

• Liaise with local payroll providers and Employer of Record (EoR) partners to ensure compliance in each jurisdiction. 

• Track and report on cross-border payroll performance and issue resolution. 
  Reporting cadence: Monthly report; immediate escalation of compliance concerns. 

5. HR and Staff Support 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for payroll queries from staff and contractors, providing clear and timely responses. 

• Collaborate with the HR & Operations teams to ensure policies and processes reflect payroll updates and legislation. 

• Support onboarding and offboarding processes for staff and contractors. 
  Reporting cadence: Ongoing; monthly summary of staff queries and resolutions. 

6. Risk and Confidentiality 

• Identify potential payroll or compliance risks, escalating concerns to the Operations Director and Finance Manager. 

• Ensure all payroll data and personal information are handled securely, in line with GDPR and HOST’s data protection policies. 
  Reporting cadence: Ongoing; quarterly inclusion in organisational risk report. 

Key Relationships 

Internal: Operations Director, Finance Manager, Accountant, Community Support Leads, HR & Payroll External Specialist, and Legal Lead. 
External: Payroll providers, Employer of Record partners, and hosted partner representatives. 

Performance Indicators 

• 100% accuracy in payroll delivery and documentation. 

• 100% on-time monthly payroll completion. 

• All compliance and statutory submissions completed by deadline. 

• 100% confidentiality maintained in payroll data handling. 

• Measurable improvements in payroll efficiency and staff satisfaction. 

Qualifications/Experience:  Member of recognised payroll body e.g. CIPP/GPA 

Location – Remote, with occasional travel required

Salary – Circa £55k per annum (pro rata)

Contract – Part-time 14-21 hours per week (flexible across the week), Permanent

Farms for City Children offers children and young people a week in the heart of the British countryside staying on one of our farms, where they are immersed in the natural world of food, farming, and country life.  During their stay, they participate in the seasonal tasks of the day: sowing, growing and harvesting in our kitchen gardens, caring for livestock and looking after the land, and a variety of tasks designed to build greater connection with the natural world.

We are looking for a Head of Finance to join our friendly team.

About the Role

The Head of Finance forms part of our Senior Leadership Team and leads the financial management of our charity. This is the most senior finance role in the organisation, responsible for ensuring robust financial oversight, compliance, and governance. The role also encompasses broader corporate responsibilities, including supporting the Board, strengthening governance frameworks, and overseeing data protection and information governance.

For full details about the role, please see the Job Description and Job Information Pack.

What we Offer

In return you will receive a salary circa £55k per annum (pro rata) and a range of benefits, which include:

· 25 days annual leave plus 8 bank holidays (pro rata)

· 6% employer contribution to NEST pension scheme

· Employee Assistance Programme

How to Apply

To apply, please download and fill out our application form that is located at the bottom of the page. Once completed, click on the Apply button, fill in your details and upload the application form. You may also wish to fill out and upload our equal opportunities monitoring form. 

We are reviewing applications on a rolling basis starting from 9th December 2025; as such we reserve the right to close this advert early due to the volume of applications.

Please note that first interviews will be held online, second interviews will be held in person.

We are unable to accept just cover letters and CVs.

NO AGENCIES PLEASE – DIRECT RECRUITMENT ONLY

The Social Research Association (SRA) is an educational charity and membership organisation for social researchers, dedicated to advancing excellence in social research across the UK. We support the research community by:

· Growing and connecting an inclusive, diverse community of social researchers.

· Expanding career pathways and professional development.

· Advancing knowledge, best practices, and innovation in social research.

· Representing and advocating for the profession.

We are entering a very exciting period of increased member engagement by expanding our member benefits, researcher community offerings which include mentoring, and the launch of a new digital community platform. Alongside these new activities, it is important that our core activities such as training and events continue to run smoothly and this role is key to supporting those activities.

We are a small team of eight people and are working in a very inter-connected manner.

About the Role

The Finance and Administrative Assistant will provide essential support across three main areas: finances, events and training. This role is about being detail-oriented in the finance administration, well organised, supporting smooth communication, and helping our members and partners to engage with our services. The role will report to the training and conference manager. The successful candidate will have a strong background in finance administration, substantial experience of using Customer Relations Management Systems (CRM) and Xero (or similar systems), and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment. Above all, you should be eager to learn and ask questions. This is a new role for us – so we're excited to explore and shape it together.   

Key Responsibilities:

*Manage and maintain accurate financial records for the organisation, including accounts payable and receivable

*Manage weekly accounts reconciliation process

*Preparing financial reports, issuing invoices and chasing debtors for training and events

* Assist operations manager with budgeting and forecasting

Training and events

* Provide administrative support to the operations and training manager by managing the training and events inbox, bookings and attendance.

*Assist in monitoring of training and events by running feedback reports

*Provide more general administrative support for regular training events and the annual conference

* Coordinate meetings and events, liaising with trustees, volunteers and colleagues

General

* Develop and implement administrative processes and procedures to improve efficiency

* Provide exceptional customer service to internal and external stakeholders

* Maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion

Who We’re Looking For

We know that great candidates don’t always meet 100% of the criteria. If you’re excited about this role, and keen to go on this exciting phase of our development, we encourage you to apply.

Essential Experience & Skills

● You have worked in a finance administrative role where you’ve managed multiple tasks and met deadlines.

● You have experience using digital tools like Customer Relationship Management systems (CRM) and accounting software. You don’t need to be highly technical, but you should be comfortable navigating systems, updating records, and assisting others with basic queries.

● Responding to customers/clients via emails

● You have experience supporting projects or coordinating tasks

● Intermediate level of excel skills, e.g. produce monitoring reports on training bookings

Desirable Experience (Nice to Have, but not required)

● Knowledge of financial regulation for charities, e.g. the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP)

● Experience working in a membership organisation, charity, or similar setting.

● Familiarity with basic data management (e.g. updating records, handling databases).

● Experience coordinating online or in-person events

● Experience of changing website content or interest in learning

What We Offer

28 days of annual leave (pro rata) + bank holidays

Fully remote working (with occasional travel for meetings, not anticipated to exceed 10 per year)

Even though we're fully remote, we offer a few days of face-to-face induction to help you connect with the team and organisation right from the start.

Personal and professional development including payment for one subscription to a relevant membership/professional body

Our culture

It is important part of our mission to represent the profession in all its diversity. To do that, we are committed to developing a talented workforce that represents that diversity.  We are an inclusive and welcoming organisation and committed to ensuring our culture and ways of working enable all of our people to thrive at work, and not negatively impact on their private lives. 

Interview Process & Accessibility

We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process that gives all candidates the best possible opportunity to show their value.

• We will provide interview questions 2-3 days in advance to help candidates prepare.
• We will reach out to you in advance of the interview to check if there are any needs or requests that will make the process work better for you. We’ll strive to meet any reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process.
• Interviews will be held online, but we can arrange an in-person interview if preferred. In-person interviews would need to be held in London.
• We anticipate one interview and it’s likely this will be a mix of questions and a task.

Summary

EduSpots is an innovative, dynamic, and community-orientated UK and Ghanaian registered charity which connects, trains, and equips grassroots voluntary educators (named ‘Catalysts’) to drive community-led change through education spaces named ‘Spots’. Our vision is of a world in which communities unite to create the futures they want to see, through education.

Since 2016, through collaborating with over 400 local voluntary community educators and actors – named ‘Catalysts’ – who take a central leadership role in the development of the network, we have supported 50 communities in creating and running community-led and owned education spaces named ‘Spots’’. Together, we are developing a model for a community-led education space with accompanying network engagement that could have global relevance. 

Our Ghana-based team creates collaborative learning opportunities through three leadership programmes for Catalysts which are increasingly facilitated by the EduSpots app: the Ignite, Catalyse and Inspire Mentoring Programmes. These enable the Catalysts to lead EduKidz (early years education), DigLit (digital literacy), EcoSTEM (STEM and environmental education) and Ignite Equity (gender equity) clubs for learners typically aged 3-16, alongside locally designed education projects, reaching over 10,000 learners of all ages annually. 

We are in an exciting period of our development, having more than doubled our income, programme breadth and reach in the last two years, with a recent independent evaluation by Expectation State offering further evidence in support of our model’s outcomes. We have been recently selected for two accelerator programmes, who are supporting us as we consider the scaling potential of our model. In the period, we are aiming to double our network reach, bringing an additional 50 Spots into the network.

We won the Tes International Award in 2018 and the Big Give Supporters’ Choice Award in 2022, and we were recently selected as a finalist for the 2023 Their World Scale-Up Innovation Prize. In 2021, our Founder was a Finalist in the UNESCO-backed $1 million Global Teacher Prize.

We are excited by our future. 

About this role 

The Global Head of Operations is a new role being introduced in 2026 with the core purpose of strengthening systems, processes and strategic delivery across both EduSpots Global and EduSpots Ghana, offering hands-on support to the CEO and wider staff across a range of areas.

In this senior role, you will work closely alongside the CEO, offering her the advice and skills needed to move EduSpots successfully through a complex period of growth in a challenging fundraising context, enabling more learners and Catalysts to participate in a unique community-led model of education, whilst sharing our practice more widely.

We are looking for an organised and empathetic strategic leader, ideally with strong or developing skills across project management, finance, HR and MEL skills and an ability to work independently in a fast moving work environment.

This role has the potential to grow into a Director of Global Operations or Deputy CEO role in time for outstanding candidates, and carries significant organisation-wide responsibility.

Candidates should hold a genuine passion for educational equity, a strong belief in the power of community-led models to transform lives at scale and a high level of flexibility in a fast-changing yet friendly and playful work environment.

Whilst this role is remote, and open to all global candidates, you will need to have understanding and experience of UK law, accounting and policy development, or a strong appetite to build experience in this area quickly.

Main duties and responsibilities 

Systems

• Work with the CEO and staff to proactively strengthen systems and processes across the organisation, including monitoring, evaluation and learning frameworks and operations. 
• Support the wider team with IT, including general skill development, leading the Google Space system. 
• Monitor compliance to organisational policies and lead the quarterly review of the organisational risk register, working with the Ghana Head of Operations. 

Finance 

• Work with the Finance and Admin Officer to produce monthly and quarterly global management accounts, cash flow analysis and to complete the annual audit. 
• Lead the financial planning of the organisation, working with the CEO and the Ghana Head of Operations to create the annual budget. 
• Work with the Ghana Head of Operations to strengthen financial systems, processes, and training across the organisation. 
• Work with the Ghana Head of Operations to prepare budgets for funding bids as needed.
• Work with the grants team to track grant spending and produce consolidated financial reports (including expenditure from the UK and Ghana) for donors. 
• Ensure EduSpots’ new accounting software (QuickBooks) is fully embedded and utilised.
• Oversee bank account management, including payments, checking bank statements, and reviewing bank reconciliations for UK and Ghana.
• Ensure staff payroll (likely to be outsourced) and payments to freelancers / consultants are done accurately and in a timely manner.

HR

• Work alongside the CEO, Head of Operations, Safeguarding and Inclusion Managers  and wider staff to develop strategies to sustain and strengthen a high performing and friendly work culture. 
• Work across the team to strengthen HR and performance management structures, informed by best practice and legal frameworks. 
• Lead the recruitment of staff, consultants and volunteers in the UK (advertising roles, drafting contracts, contacting referees and completing all filing and administration relating to recruitment).
• Onboard new staff, provide training on policies and procedures, and track key information (leave, appraisals, etc) for UK staff. 
• Regularly review and keep the Staff Handbook up to date.
• Depending on skill-set, work with the CEO to lead professional development for staff across the organisation, liaising with trustees and advisory group members.

Administration & Governance

• Manage and maintain databases and our Google Drive system. 
• Ensure compliance with GDPR and adherence to our child safeguarding and protection policy. 
• Maintain insurance renewals, tracking and filing.
• Review and keep up to date all organisational policies in line with current legislation, working with the Trustees and Directors. 
• Assist the CEO in the administration relating to EduSpots’ governance, including board meeting arrangements and minute taking.
• Support the CEO in all ad-hoc tasks that arise, working closely alongside her to ensure the smooth running of the organisation. 

Strategic insight 

• Work closely with the CEO and staff/Catalysts across the organisation to ensure all EduSpots’ decision-making is strategic and in the best interests of the Catalysts, Sparks and Communities we partner with. 

Other areas 

• Depending on experience, you may in time take on management responsibilities for some staff, but this role is principally a systems strengthening and quality improvement role, working closely with the CEO to offer advice and additional capacity. 
• Depending on experience, you may support with grants writing / management and/or community fundraising. Experience of fundraising would be of significant benefit to the organisation in this key leadership role. 

Personal Specification 

Essential 

• Minimum of 7 years’ experience of operations in a small/medium charity context. 
• Self-starter with the ability to hit the ground running and work with minimal supervision with high levels of flexibility.
• Self-motivated, with an ability to motivate and energise others.
• High level strategic understanding, critical thinking and the ability to strengthen systems in a fast-paced high performance environment.
• Excellent communication, both oral and written.
• The ability to thrive and adapt in a fast-paced, creative and impact-driven culture. 
• Strong administrative skills with a high level of attention to detail. 
• Experience in creating user-friendly tools and processes to support project and quality management.
• Experience using Google Suite, with strong Excel skills.
• Tech savvy – ability to learn new tech tools efficiently.
• Experience coordinating others. 
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills with strong empathy and cultural sensitivity 
• Strong personal alignment with the mission, vision and values of EduSpots. 

Highly desirable 

• Experience supporting charity Boards, and working with external bodies including auditors, tax authorities, and other official bodies is highly desirable.
• Experience complying and strong familiarity with UK charity regulations and requirements.
• Experience preparing budgets and financial reports for donors/grants. 
• Experience of working in a cross-cultural team.
• Experience of working with an international charity would be advantageous. 

Please send a tailored covering letter and CV addressed to the CEO Miss Cat Davison by Wednesday 31st December with a hope to meet shortlisted candidates for a first-round interview in the week starting Monday 12th January. 

Contract: 1.0 FTE (37.5 hours per week), permanent with 6-month probation period

Salary: £56,650-70,000 per annum, depending on experience

Location: Remote working, with option to use co-working space

Start Date: As soon as possible

Reports to: Executive Director

Please note: You must have the right to work in the UK.

How to Apply

Closing Date: 4th January 2026 (23:59 GMT)

To apply, please submit the following: 

• Cover letter (maximum 2 pages)

• CV

Due to the volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date, your application has not been successful on this occasion.

About BASIC

BASIC is an independent, non-profit think tank working to safeguard humanity and Earth's ecosystem from nuclear risks and interconnected security threats, for generations to come. Our vision is for a global security consensus founded on multilateralism, the recognition of the indivisibility of security, adherence to Earth's planetary boundaries, and consideration of future generations.

For nearly 40 years, we have built a global reputation for groundbreaking dialogue and incisive thought leadership to strengthen international peace and security. We are an intellectually and culturally diverse team of 20 expert-practitioners with deep institutional experience, headquartered in London with additional presences in Berlin and Rome. We are independent, receive no core funding from any state, and our project work is funded transparently.

BASIC's approach to resolving contemporary nuclear dynamics is centred on dialogue as both a practice and a philosophy. We interpret dialogue broadly, recognising that meaningful engagement takes many forms: from facilitating direct strategic conversations between adversaries grounded in conflict resolution principles, to developing networks and diplomatic initiatives that build consensus around shared objectives, to shaping the intellectual foundations of policy discourse through rigorous research and thought leadership.

BASIC is a fast-paced and rewarding environment with an exceptionally positive and inclusive team culture. We have experienced rapid growth over the past decade and are well-suited to people who are motivated by our mission, able to work at a sustained pace, keen to develop professionally, and enjoy being part of a collaborative team working on consequential issues.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary with room for growth

• 30 days annual leave (pro rata), plus bank holidays and closure days over the December festive period

• Employer pension contributions of 5% (above the national minimum)

• Flexible working arrangements, with set days (Wednesdays required) but flexibility on hours

• Remote working with option to use co-working space

• 1-2 all-staff in-person team away day per year, as well as other in-person working opportunities

• Opportunities for professional growth and development

• Excellent team culture built on respect, openness, and inclusion

The Role

BASIC is seeking a hands-on Financial Controller to lead our finance function during a period of sustained growth. The Financial Controller will work across Programme teams ensuring strong financial management and reporting to funding partners, maintain strong financial controls, ensure compliance with charity finance regulations, and provide accurate financial reporting to our Directors and Board of Trustees.

The Financial Controller will oversee the small finance team, including line management of a Finance Assistant and management of an external bookkeeper consultant. This team will be responsible for the majority of financial accounting, processing payroll, and accurate bookkeeping, for which the Financial Controller will be ultimately accountable.

The role includes managing restricted and unrestricted funds in accordance with funder requirements and programme needs, preparing statutory accounts for external audit, and overseeing payroll processing. This role reports directly to the Executive Director to prepare annual budgets and financial strategy, and works closely with the Board's Financial Development Committee to present its implementation.

The ideal candidate will be a qualified accountant with strong technical accounting skills, experience in charity finance, and a proven track record of effective financial management of a growing organisation. You should be comfortable both managing a small team and working hands-on when needed, building collaborative relationships across the organisation. You will need to be a multitasker with the ability to work at pace, and be willing to develop the finance function and best practices to enable the organisation to grow further.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Accounting and Reporting

• Oversee the maintenance of accurate financial records and bookkeeping in accordance with charity accounting standards (SORP)

• Prepare monthly management accounts including variance reporting and rolling forecasts

• Prepare annual statutory accounts and manage the annual independent audit process in its entirety

• Manage restricted and unrestricted funds in accordance with funder requirements

• Provide accurate and timely financial reporting to the Board of Trustees, Executive Director, and funding partners

Financial Operations

• Oversee day-to-day finance operations including payment processing, staff expenses, and cost allocation (including staff costs)

• Oversee monthly payroll using QuickBooks (led by Finance Assistant)

• Manage treasury functions including bank and cash management

• Oversee procurement of key assets such as IT equipment

• Cashflow management

Grant and Budget Management

• Support budget development for funding bids and proposals

• Monitor spend against grants and projects, working towards full cost recovery

• Prepare financial reports for donors and funding partners

• Lead annual budget-setting and forecasting processes in collaboration with the Board and Executive Director

Financial Systems and Controls

• Develop and maintain robust financial systems, processes, and controls

• Continuously improve finance processes and identify efficiencies

• Advise on financial governance and best practice

• Manage financial risks and opportunities (e.g., insurance, foreign exchange)

Team Management and Stakeholder Relations

• Line manage the Finance Assistant and oversee external bookkeeper consultant

• Build collaborative relationships across the organisation

• Manage relationships with key external stakeholders including banks, international transfer services, and audit partners

• Work closely with the Board's Financial Development Committee and BASIC's Treasurer

Please note: This list is not exhaustive. Other tasks may be required as they arise.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria:

• Qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent) or part-qualified with significant relevant experience
• Proven experience in a mid-level to senior finance role, with responsibility for financial accounting and reporting
• Experience managing restricted and unrestricted funds
• Experience preparing statutory accounts and managing audit processes
• Experience in a growing organisation, implementing and improving financial systems and controls
• Strong technical accounting skills and understanding of financial controls
• Excellent numeracy and attention to detail
• Proficiency with accounting software (experience with QuickBooks highly desirable)
• Strong Excel/spreadsheet skills
• Excellent communication skills, able to explain financial information to non-finance colleagues
• Highly organised with ability to manage multiple priorities and work to deadlines
• Proactive and solutions-oriented, with ability to work both independently and collaboratively
• Comfortable working hands-on when needed while also providing strategic oversight
• Ability to work at pace in a fast-growing organisation
• Commitment to BASIC's mission and values

Desirable Criteria:

• Experience in charity finance and understanding of charity accounting standards (SORP)
• Experience line managing finance staff
• Experience in an international organisation or with international funding
• Understanding of charity governance and regulatory requirements

Purpose of the post

The Finance Officer plays a crucial role within HDR UK as one of the key points of contact and financial support for the Institute. The role is responsible for managing the financial transactional processes and providing crucial cross-organisational support and troubleshooting via the Finance inbox. The Finance Officer supports with the management of the Accounts Payable and Accounts Receivable functions, from supplier set up through to payment run processing. The role also plays a key part in the running of our finance system, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and our expense system, Continia Expense Management. The Finance Officer is the key point of contact between HDR UK and our external Payroll providers, supporting with timely and accurate preparation and review of the monthly payroll process. The successful candidate will be working across the entire organisation, including contact with senior stakeholders on the central team, and with our external partners.

This is an exciting role which offers career development opportunities in finance management (the incumbent Finance Officer is moving up to a Finance Business Partner position). The successful candidate will be working across the entire organisation, including contact with senior stakeholders on the central team, and with our external partners.

Main responsibilities

• Responsible for the finance inbox, first point of contact for finance queries and ensuring appropriate filing of all relevant documentation
• Managing purchase ledger
• Preparing and processing weekly payment runs  
• Managing the employee expense process and the public engagement expense process
• Preparing monthly bank and balance sheet reconciliations
• Ensuring all transactions are accurately recorded in the accounting system
• Working with the Finance Business Partners to ensure all postings are correctly coded
• Finance system management – general administration and management of the finance and expenses system
• Troubleshooting of finance system and expense system queries and issues
• Performing administrative tasks related to customer and vendor setup
• Performing administrative tasks relating to credit card expenditure
• Assisting with preparation for annual audits and year end statutory accounts
• Assisting with monthly payroll checks
• Continuous improvement of processes and procedures
• Updating the finance manual as and when changes are made to processes
   

Skills

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to communicate effectively and confidently with people at all levels.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to handle sensitive issues positively and confidentially
• Ability to work accurately with attention to detail
• Excellent relationship building and networking skills
• Excellent problem-solving skills and confident in decision making
• Excellent organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment and to work in an agile, flexible and pragmatic way
• Proficient with Excel, Word, Adobe, and Outlook.
• A good understanding of accounting principles, such as double-entry accounting
• A strong desire to learn on-the-job and engage in career development.  This role presents an excellent opportunity for a motivated individual to gain finance competencies.