Payroll and pensions officer jobs in Manchester

Purpose of the post

The Associate Director of Finance is a senior leadership role, responsible for ensuring the charity’s financial health through sound management of its day-to-day financial operations, strong internal controls, and regulatory compliance. This post exists to provide leadership to the team, oversee treasury management, payment processing, payroll, and audit functions, and continuously improve financial processes and systems to support the charity’s long-term sustainability and mission.

With overall responsibility for the Finance and Funding Team, reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the role ensures that the organisation’s financial framework is robust, supporting effective decision-making and delivering transparent, accurate financial reporting. The post-holder will also play a key role in revitalising the internal audit framework, ensuring the charity maintains high standards of accountability, and is prepared for future growth.

Main responsibilities

Financial Operations and Treasury Management:

• Oversee the day-to-day accounting operations, ensuring effective controls and timely processing of transactions.

• Manage the charity’s treasury function, including cash flow forecasting and management of HDR UK’s bank accounts.

• Oversee maintenance of the accounting system, ensuring it supports effective financial reporting and compliance.

• Review and approve weekly payment runs and monthly payroll.

• As the organisation’s Finance lead, provide advice and guidance to the Senior Leadership Team regarding HDR UK’s financial position, controls and processes, and strategic direction.

Financial Reporting and Compliance:

• Lead the preparation of the charity’s annual accounts, ensuring they meet statutory reporting requirements and deadlines.

• Manage relationships with external auditors and coordinate the audit process.

• Ensure compliance with reporting requirements to regulators and other authorities (including HMRC, Charity Commission, The Pension Regulator, ONS)

Quarterly Forecasting and Budgeting:

• Work closely with the Financial Planning & Analysis Manager on quarterly forecasting and the annual budgeting process.

• Ensure alignment between financial operations and the charity’s broader strategic goals.

• Support the production of monthly management accounts.

• Work with the Associate Director of People to carry out the annual salary review, making recommendations founded on economic analysis and impacts on budget to SLT and the Remuneration Committee.

Process Improvement and Systems Management:

• Drive continuous improvement of internal financial processes, ensuring they are fit for purpose and scalable.

• Oversee and refresh HDR UK’s internal audit framework, ensuring the charity maintains strong internal controls.

• Implement and monitor key financial controls to safeguard the charity's assets, including management of the fixed asset register and ownership of HDR UK’s insurance policies.

Team Leadership:

• Directly manage the Finance Manager, Financial Planning & Analysis Manager, Senior Finance Business Partner and Finance Business Partner, providing mentorship and development opportunities.

• Lead and develop HDR UK’s Finance & Funding team, fostering a high-performance culture focused on continuous improvement, collaboration, and professional growth.

Governance and risk management:

• Support the development and implementation of financial policies, risk management strategies, and internal controls to maintain robust financial governance.

• Management of the delegated authority framework to increase efficiency in the approvals process while maintaining accountability.

• Attend and actively contribute to meetings of Senior Leadership Team, Board and relevant sub-committees such as Audit & Risk.

Stakeholder management:

• Build and maintain strong relationships with operational and finance teams within HDR UK’s wider community and network of university partners, ensuring transparent and effective communication and collaboration.

Experience

Required:

• Proven experience in a senior finance leadership role within the UK charity sector with a robust understanding of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice.

• Proven track record of managing and leading financial operations, including treasury management, audit oversight, and financial reporting.

• Experience in developing and improving internal financial controls.

• Previous experience managing and developing high-performing finance teams.

• Experience working with multiple stakeholders, including senior leadership, external auditors, and operational teams.

Desirable:

• Demonstrated experience in reviewing and approving payroll, payment runs, and managing complex financial transactions.

• Experience in developing and improving internal audit frameworks.

• Experience working on quarterly forecasting, annual budgeting processes, and the production of management accounts.

The Organisation

GSG Impact is a global non-profit organisation working across 48 countries to help build impact economies - economic systems that mobilise capital to deliver long-term social, environmental and economic value. Through our network of National Partners, we work with governments, investors, businesses and civil society to strengthen impact ecosystems, mobilise domestic capital and develop practical solutions to global challenges including climate resilience and sustainable finance.

We have a small team of 21 staff working remotely across the globe and income in 2025 was £6.3m.

Position Summary

The Head of Finance is the lead finance professional at GSG Impact, and, with the support of the Chief Operating Officer, is responsible for leading all aspects of the charity's finances.

The Head of Finance will be the owner of the external audit relationship and be responsible for the production of the annual report and accounts, including all regulatory compliance associated with a UK based charitable entity. They will support the leadership’s preparation for, and presentations to both the charity’s Finance and Audit sub-committee and the main GSG Board.  

The postholder will ensure that the charity’s budget and financial position are closely monitored and that established financial controls, spanning the procurement to payments cycle, are firmly adhered to. 

They will lead on the annual budget setting process, including interim reforecasting, and financial reporting.

In addition, the postholder will provide budgetary support, business partnering and technical advice to non-finance staff, and build strong relationships across the organisation, particularly the Fundraising and Programme Support Teams, positioning GSG for continued success and financial sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

In addition to the day-to-day Leadership of the Finance Function and staff management the Key Areas of Responsibility are:

Regulatory Compliance & Audit

• Preparation of the Annual financial statements and Audited accounts for the charitable entity and trading subsidiary.
• Completion of regulatory returns as required by the Charities’ Commission.
• Co-ordination and filing of the quarterly VAT returns and annual Corporation Tax return
• Review of the VAT registration position for continued appropriateness
• Ensure gift aid is calculated and paid over from the trading subsidiary to the charity, as applicable

Management Accounting and Planning

• Leadership of the Annual organisational budget process, including multi-year financial plans and Scenario modelling
• Lead mid-year reforecast process for review and approval of the Board
• Production of Monthly – Quarterly summary management accounts with accompanying narrative to support analysis of significant variances and trends
• Oversee Budget vs actual reporting and analysis by department-function for circulation to nominated budget holders

Financial Accounting, Cash and Treasury Management

• Ownership of the month end financial accounting processes and adjustments
• Manage monthly payroll process with outsourced provider
• Oversee completion of monthly Balance sheet reconciliations including bank accounts
• Manage accounts payable processes to ensure timely fulfilment of obligations to suppliers and 3rd party payments
• Monitor domestic and foreign currency bank accounts and ensure optimal balances are maintained in the various currency accounts
• Prepare regular cash flow forecasts utilising updated income and expenditure information to monitor working capital needs in the short and medium term

Funds Management & Programme Support

• Work with Programme Support colleagues in the preparation of standard budgets for donor proposals, ensuring cost recovery is maximised in line with our Full Cost Recovery Model
• Maintain a staff cost allocation database to provide an overview of funding gaps to be addressed in future donor proposals
• Oversee the production of Donor, project, or grant expenditure financial reports to ensure we meet our donor reporting obligations
• Maintain a Restricted/Unrestricted fund summary analysis schedule to support fund balances reported in the Balance Sheet
• Liaise with finance colleagues within the National Partners on sub-granted funds

Governance & Board Support

• Main liaison with the Audit and Finance committee, co-ordinating quarterly meeting schedule, agenda and supporting reports and documentation
• Production of additional information as required for Trustee board finance packs
• Supply of financial data for KPIs and dashboards on a quarterly basis
• Periodic review of Reserves Policy to ensure appropriateness and update as required by the Board

Financial Systems, Controls & Risk Management

• Maintain and ensure effective application of organisation wide financial policies and procedures
• Preparation and analysis of data required to support Going concern assessments
• Review and update on areas of financial risk as identified in the Risk Register updates
• Support colleagues in due diligence and risk assessments for partners engaged through sub grants
• Lead on continuous improvements to financial processes to ensure finance systems support programme management and organisational growth

Qualifications

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with significant post qualification experience
• Experience of working with the UK Charity SORP and production of annual report and accounts
• Experience of managing a team and relationships with colleagues in a distributed global structure
• Experience managing a multi-donor funded organisational budget and grant budgets, including restricted and unrestricted funding, full cost recovery and financial reporting.
• Experience with multi-currency income & expenditure and management of the processes around sub-grants to overseas partners

Competencies and Behaviours

• Strategic leadership; the role involves supporting SLT and the Board in the alignment of financial resources to the organisational strategy, ensuring outcomes and objectives can be achieved through the provision of concise and decision useful financial information
• Stakeholder engagement; the Head of Finance must be comfortable working closely with a wide range of colleagues and stakeholder including SLT, Trustees within the Finance Committee, wider Board members, the Fundraising Team and National Partners.
• Communication; the post holder must have the ability to communicate potentially complex financial information to non-finance specialists.
• Collaborative and hands on approach, alignment with the goals and mission of the organisation with a global outlook and perspective

Benefits

• Flexible working – remote with occasional onsite meeting
• Salary competitive within the charity sector, based on experience.
• 25 days holiday per annum plus eight bank/public holidays
• Enrolment in NEST Pension Scheme (3% employer and 5% employee contribution)

The Charity Financial Controller will be a new role for The Christie Charity (Charity) and a fantastic opportunity for an individual looking to work for a fast moving, growing organisation. 

We are looking for a collaborative self-starter to take the operational lead of The Christie Charity’s finance function and oversee the financial management of The Christie Charity (Charity) group’s finances (this includes The Christie Charity, The Christie Trading Company Limited, and Northern Pathology Developments Limited), including but not limited to financial reporting, management accounting, and day-to-day financial operations. You will play a key role in building a robust financial control framework across the Charity group, and you will be expected to be hands on with respect to overseeing the accuracy and integrity of financial reporting and supporting the Charity’s aim of maintaining strong governance across both charitable and commercial operations. 

This post would suit an individual who enjoys working in a dynamic, evolving environment, where responsibilities may shift in response to organisational priorities. The postholder must be comfortable navigating ambiguity, demonstrating flexibility, initiative, and a proactive approach to problem-solving.

Additional information

Previously managed under a service level agreement with The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, financial management has now been fully transitioned in-house, and day-to-day operations are in the process of being transitioned into the organisation with a view to strengthen independent control and governance. This provides an excellent opportunity for the postholder to be involved in transformational projects geared towards improving the finance department’s technological infrastructure and resources to adapt to the fast-growing needs of the Charity.

Corporate Partnerships Manager, Primary Science Teaching Trust

Key info:

• Salary £40,000 - £50,000 p/a (35 hours a week)
• Home based, The role will require regular travel to PSTT’s premises in Bristol (at least 1 day per month)
• Closing midnight Wednesday 15th July 2026 
• Annual leave of 28 days, which can be taken flexibly throughout the year with 3 days to be taken at Christmas
• Enhanced maternity pay and adoption pay, contributory pension scheme (5% employer contribution), 24/7 access to an Employee Assistance Programme

Role 

PSTT’s long term vision is: Excellent primary school teaching in every primary school in the UK.

The goal of PSTT is to make science more accessible and attractive to children of primary school age throughout the UK. Research has shown that children’s interest in science is shaped before they leave primary school. That makes it vital for them to have a positive experience of science from their early years onwards.

The Corporate Partnerships Manager is responsible for developing and implementing plans to maximise income from corporate partners and trusts and foundations There is huge scope to develop both income streams at PSTT as this is a newly created position with the responsibility for growing and further developing these income streams. 

This is an exciting role for a candidate who wants to grow and shape the income stream, and demonstrate their personal impact on generating income, and providing partners with an incredible supporter experience. There will be an element of change as the organisation embeds an internal culture that effectively supports fundraising. 

This specialist manager role would suit someone who is already operating at a senior fundraiser or manager level, or someone who can demonstrate experience of developing a corporate and/or trusts & foundations pipeline, creating operational plans and delivering income. PSTT is an organisation with big ambitions so a background that includes working within a smaller charity would be helpful for the candidate to have but isn't essential. 

Please download the Candidate Info Pack provided for further information about the role, timelines and next steps. 

Please note, we cannot shortlist candidates who have not had a screening call so please allow enough time to have a call before the closing date. 

Closing date for applications: Midnight Wednesday 15th July 2026 

Interviews are expected to be held on the week commencing Monday 20th July in person.