Support officer jobs in cardiff

Interim Head of Finance & Operations

Career Ready is a social mobility charity that believes that every young person deserves the opportunity to enjoy a rewarding future.

We were founded in 2002 by leading business figures with a mission: to boost social mobility by empowering young people and giving their talents a platform from which to flourish. Since then, we’ve grown in England and Scotland to support young people in areas of need.

We have an exciting opportunity for an experienced, qualified Finance professional to lead our Finance & Operations function.

About the Role

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer the Interim Head of Finance & Operations leads on and assumes day to day responsibility for providing high quality, strategic financial management for Career Ready.

You will lead on business operations to ensure the ongoing effective functioning of the charity and drive sustainable growth.

The Interim Head of Finance and Operations plays a key role in leading greater organisational efficiency and simplifying processes and will continue the delivery of a project plan reflecting the 2025-30 strategy.

You will play a critical role in driving the increased quality of Career Ready’s offer to our stakeholders in line with our strategy, vision and values.

Member of our SMT, comprising of the CEO, Director for Scotland, Director of Programme and Partnerships and Heads of functions.

This is an interim role to cover a period of maternity leave.

Main responsibilities and accountabilities

· Lead, direct and manage the finance and operations functions, overseeing two direct reports, ensuring they deliver a high-quality service to all internal and external stakeholders and are seen as adding value, in enabling Career Ready to achieve its vision and strategic objectives through its people. 

· Continue the delivery of a project plan reflecting the 2025-30 strategy, ensuring that activities happen at pace, are deadline-driven and achieve a high level of impact.

· Assume overall responsibility for the financial management of Career Ready, working with the SMT to ensure high quality and effective use of charitable funds.

· Input into and review the financial elements of funding applications and ensure that fund accounting processes align with funders’ requirements for project reporting.

· Produce financial reports for various stakeholders, as well as leading on financial modelling.

· Have oversight of all financial and accountancy matters including month end reports, management accounts, cash flow management, compliance, tax liability, presentation of management information and KPIs. Ensure that the CEO and Trustees are provided with accurate, timely information and analysis. 

· Oversee and coordinate the fully managed payroll services with the external bureau for all Career Ready employees and for some internship students (Jun to Aug during the Summer)

· Administration of the Staff Opt-In Pension Scheme, including onboarding new staff (Royal London)

· Act as a role model in our ‘one team’ culture. Lead in the development of efficient working practices across the charity, creating momentum and supporting motivation within the charity. 

· Lead risk management strategies and internal control procedures to minimise the risk of loss, or damage to, Career Ready’s assets. 

· Prepare and submit annual operational budgets and annual accounts to the CEO for review and approval.

· Draft and deliver papers for Trustees and Finance and Fundraising Committee (F&FC) meetings. 

· Attend Board and F&FC meetings to present papers and answer questions related to areas of expertise. 

· Provide day to day line management of the Senior Finance Officers and support their ongoing growth and development.

· Management of organisational governance and compliance activities, including policy management.

· Oversee and manage the organisation’s risk management register and process, with input from SMT.

· Oversee reviews and renewals of all insurance policies that affect the organisation.

· Lead on the compliance of statutory and charity regulatory reporting, giving guidance to colleagues where required.

· Ensure any changes to processes and procedures across the function are clearly documented.

Person Specification

Essential skills and experience

•  Belief and commitment to Career Ready’s mission and values
• Qualified (ACA/ACCA/CIMA/AAT) accountant with at least 5 years’ experience in financial management including budgeting, preferably in the charity sector.
• Significant experience in producing management and financial accounts
• Skilled in financial reporting and producing VAT returns
• Preparing for and ensuring a successful year-end audit, and demonstrable knowledge of UK Charities SORP and other reporting standards
• Experience in budgeting to support strategic decision making.
• Financial dexterity and strong analytical skills.
• Strong IT skills, including advanced MS Excel skills and extensive of using an accounting software, preferably Xero
• Excellent organisational and prioritising skills and ability to work independently and with autonomy
• Strong starter finisher with ability to lead and drive projects
• Knowledge of charity governance and compliance requirements
• Ability to build excellent relationships and have effective engagement with stakeholders
• Good communication skills and ability to communicate financial concepts to non-finance staff
• Attention to detail
• Ability to present financial information to various audiences
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and sensitivity of financial information
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment
• Ability to cope with competing demands to deadlines
• Honest and dependable

Desirable skills and experience

• Experience of leading a team, strong team building skills
• Line management experience
• Experience of using MS Planner or other project management tools
• Genuine interest in the work done by the Charity
• Experience of using a CRM (Salesforce)
• Degree in financial management or accounting

Full details are provided in the candidate pack

Salary and Benefits

Salary: £52,000 to £54,000 FTE (salary will be pro-rata for part time hours)

28-35 hours per week.  Career Ready is committed to supporting condensed/flexible working patterns.

Permanent and remote.  Travel to London required on an occasional basis

You will be rewarded with the following benefits:

· 6% contribution to personal pension plan, subject to 3% employee contribution.

· Annual leave: 27 days per annum plus bank/public holidays (pro rata for part time). The charity is also closed between Christmas and New Year. Career Ready also allows flexible use of some Bank & Public Holidays

· Cycle to Work Scheme

· Access to both our Reward Gateway Portal and an Employee Assistance Programme.

· Flexible working

· Work from home allowance and paid travel expenses.

We regret that Career Ready is unable to offer visa sponsorship and candidates must be able to demonstrate their right to work in the UK. In accordance with our commitment to safeguarding, offers of employment are subject to completion of a DBS check. 

Timetable

Applications close at 9am on Monday 21 July 2025 

Please note that the closing date may be brought forward if we receive strong applications.

This is an interim role to cover a period of maternity leave, with a provisional start date of late September for a handover period.

About Resource Futures

We want to create a future where organisations, people and communities can thrive, and rebalance their relationship with material resources.

Resource Futures is an organisation accelerating the shift towards a circular world: putting restorative practices of reuse, repair, recycling at the heart of the fight to address the climate crisis. We help governments, businesses, NGOs and non-profits embrace regenerative change.

We are non-profit-distributing and have a close-knit team of 50+ trusted employees who collaborate across various areas of the business. Our multi-disciplined and connected approach sets us apart from the competition and enables us to build robust solutions that have a meaningful impact in the world.

We are passionate not only about what we do but how we do it, and we’re proud to be a part of the global B Corp movement to use business as a force for good. Employee-owned and independent, we’re all about helping each team member grow, and together striving towards our goal of creating a sustainable world.

The opportunity

The Partnerships Lead will act as Project Manager for the community strand of Together for Tomorrow, a five-year National Lottery-funded programme supporting grassroots climate action across Devon. Working in close partnership with Libraries Unlimited, you will coordinate delivery across libraries and grassroots groups, supporting communities to develop practical climate initiatives and helping libraries become active sustainability hubs.

You will lead on toolkits, training plans, outreach and focus groups, while also supporting monitoring and reporting. The role blends strategic coordination with hands-on delivery, ensuring the programme is inclusive, locally rooted, and aligned across all partners.

This role sits within the CAG (Community Action Groups) Devon team, a network that supports community groups to take action on reuse, repair, food waste, composting, biodiversity and wider sustainability issues. CAG provides the tools groups need to thrive, including training, resources, and opportunities to connect with others.

What you will be doing

Project, people and partnership management

• Acting as project manager for the community strand of Together for Tomorrow, overseeing planning, coordination, and delivery.
• Building and maintaining partnerships with libraries, grassroots groups, and underrepresented communities.
• Recruiting and line managing the Project Officer, who will be supporting project delivery. Working closely with the CAG Devon team to align community support and delivery models across the network.

Community development and delivery

• Helping new community groups to form and supporting existing ones to grow, diversify, or expand their climate action work.
• Facilitating focus groups and community consultations to shape project delivery and ensure activity is insight-led.
• Delivering a targeted promotion and outreach plan, with a focus on ‘deep dive’ areas and engaging underrepresented communities.

Reporting and learning

• Contributing to the development and implementation of the project’s monitoring and evaluation framework.
• You will lead on monitoring and quarterly reporting (including financial), ensuring that CAG team and wider community partners meet agreed targets.
• Acting as an ambassador for the project, sharing insights and learning to support continuous improvement and knowledge exchange across the sector.
• Carrying out any other duties required of the role.

The essentials

• Strong project management skills, able to plan, coordinate and deliver complex work with multiple partners.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work collaboratively across sectors.
• Experience in community development, supporting new and existing groups.
• Skilled in engagement and facilitation, including focus groups, workshops, or public consultations.
• Strong organisational skills, with experience of balancing coordination with delivery.
• Experience of monitoring and evaluation and producing project reports.
• Comfortable working both independently and as part of a remote team.
• Commitment to inclusive, community-led climate action.
• Able to travel regularly across Devon.

Great to haves

• Familiarity with the CAG Devon network or experience working in community-led climate action in Devon.
• An understanding of the voluntary sector and environmental players across the County, at a strategic and local level.
• Experience developing toolkits, training, or learning resources for community or volunteer use.

Benefits

• Embedded flexi working culture.
• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, each year (pro rata for part-time hours) – flexibility to work or use some bank holidays for annual leave.
• Buying and selling annual leave policy to add further flexibility around how you manage your work/non-work time and give you better control over how much and when you take leave from work.
• Paid volunteer time each year (a full day for those working 19 hours or more per week, and a half day for those working up to 18.75 hours per week).
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay.
• Enhanced sick pay.
• Scottish Widows pension plan – the company will match up to 7% of your contribution.
• Group life assurance cover.
• Healthcare portal offering 24/7 GP access and prescription service, mental health support, wellbeing advice, financial and legal guidance.
• Mental health and wellbeing group with trained mental health first aiders and responders, maintaining a focus on support for our team.
• A cycle to work scheme for all and on-site showers at the Bristol office.
• Home and tech scheme – costs at Currys and Ikea spread across 12 months, and up to 10% savings.
• On-site charging points for electric vehicles at the Bristol office.
• Paid professional membership such as CIWM or IEMA.
• An opportunity to become a company member, contributing to decision making and the future direction and success of our business.
• Consultative Group – a group of employees providing an anonymous vehicle for employee voice, raising issues, proposing changes and engaging senior management.
• Regular line manager 1:1s and performance reviews, with opportunities to discuss and build targets that inspire and push you professionally.
• Annual training budget to ensure continued progression and development, as well as regular internal ‘Lunchtime Briefs’ and other sessions to share skills and knowledge across all roles.
• Two annual team activity days, each followed by evening socials.
• Green and accessible Bristol office, surrounded by nature, and close to the harbourside.
• Accessible central Glasgow office close to local public transport links.
• An opportunity to join a friendly, fun, professional, challenging, and supportive place to work, and a team that is collectively focused on making a positive impact.

Local Quality Manager - National Youth Agency
 

The National Youth Agency is looking for a new Local Quality Manager to join our Youth Work Innovation & Development Team.
 
Contract: 12 months fixed term
Hours: Full-time - 37 hours per week
Salary: £44,473 per annum
Remote: This role is homebased (within the UK) with occasional travel for staff residentials and other events.
 
What we do
 
As the national body for youth work, the NYA has a dual function. We are the professional statutory and regulatory body (PSRB) responsible for qualifications, quality standards, and safeguarding for youth work and services in England. In line with our charity mission and aims, we also champion youth work through research, advocacy, campaigns, and programmes.
 
We work in partnership and believe in collaborative leadership, listening to youth workers and the youth work sector so that we can understand their needs and respond to the challenges they face. We are ambitious for youth work and for young people and integrate youth voice and influence across our work
 
About the Role
 
Responsibilities will include:

• Lead delivery of key Local Offer programmes, such as our successful Peer Review and Peer Network Programme, which are designed to support Local Authorities and organisations in meeting the needs of young people and in the case of Local Authorities meet their Statutory Duty (section 507B).
• Manage the delivery of traded services relating to Quality Standards and Organisational Development.
• Manage and regularly update both existing and new online resources related to Quality Standards, ensuring consistency and standardisation across all materials.
• Collaborate with the National Curriculum and Learning Manager to influence the youth work curriculum and share learning and insight from programmes
• Work collaboratively with the Youth Investment Fund Programme Manager to inform and develop Quality Standards.
• Work with Local Policy & Partnerships Manager and the NYA Knowledge Team to develop sector insights and to share learning and knowledge across NYA teams and the youth work sector.
• Collaborate with Local Authorities and partner organisations to promote awareness and encourage participation in NYA programmes and Quality Standards.
• Utilise NYA tools, including Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Project Management systems, to generate timely and relevant performance and financial reports that support informed decision making and effective programme delivery. Experience of using project management platform (or similar) would be an advantage.
• Provide line-management and support to peers and officers as required.

 
Our ideal Local Quality Improvement Manager should have the following:

• Extensive experience working directly with young people across diverse settings, demonstrating a deep understanding of youth development and engagement.
• Demonstrated expertise managing youth work programmes and improving practice standards, including within Local Authority contexts.
• Proven experience in assessing youth work against established standards and implementing quality assurance processes for effective management, delivery, and evaluation.
• Comprehensive knowledge and experience in embedding best practices in youth voice, participation, and leadership within services and programmes.
• Strong understanding of the current challenges facing Local Authorities and youth sector organisations, and the implications for young people’s needs and service delivery.
• Ability to analyse complex organisational and Local Authority structures, reflect critically, and articulate clear recommendations for improvement and recognition of effective practice.
• Excellent organisational and leadership skills, with experience supporting and managing peers and officers in a collaborative environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to motivate teams and work effectively with partners and stakeholders.
• Proven experience in project management, with a proactive, self-starting approach and a strong focus on solutions and outcomes.
• Resilient, flexible, and ambitious, with the ability to manage multiple priorities, work under pressure, and maintain high standards.
• Willingness and ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends as required.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail in all aspects of work.
• Confident in using modern Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, project management tools, and online learning platforms. Experience of using project management platform (or similar) would be an advantage.

 
Please refer to our Candidate Pack for more information on the role and the requirements.
 
Why Work for NYA?
 
NYA operates as a people-first organisation, prioritising the well-being and needs of its employees.
 
NYA offers an exceptional flexible working approach which encourages our team to balance professional responsibilities with their personal life.
 
A remote based team, spread across England, fostering inclusivity and diverse talent. Despite geographical distances between team members, NYA maintains a highly motivated and connected team through the optimisation of digital tools.
 
NYA is committed to supporting the continual personal and professional development of our team and helping them achieve their ambitions.
 
We provide 25 days leave plus 8 days, life assurance scheme, 5% employer pension contribution and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme via with unlimited specialist support available to all NYA employees.
 
How to Apply:
 
Please download our applicant pack to find out more about the role and requirements.
 
To apply, please submit the following via our online application platform by 11:59pm on Friday 18th July 2025:
 
A detailed CV setting out your career history, with responsibilities and achievements in line with the person specification in the About You section.
 
A covering letter (maximum two sides) highlighting your suitability for the role and how you meet the requirements in the About You section.
 
We will request data for our EEDI monitoring purposes, providing this is optional.
 
Please note: the covering letter is an essential part of the application process and will be assessed as part of your full application. We use AI detector software, so cover letters or CV’s with over 30% AI generated content with be disregarded. We understand that AI tools can offer support to candidates who have learning differences, which is why we will accept applications with some AI assistance. CV’s will not be accepted without a cover letter.
 
The National Youth Agency is an equal opportunities employer.
 
At NYA our inclusive culture means that we embrace individual differences and understand that we need a diverse team to achieve our organisations mission.
 
We wish to recruit candidates from all backgrounds to ensure our team reflects the rich diversity of the communities we serve. We encourage applications from anyone regardless of disability, ethnicity, heritage, gender, sexuality, religion, socio-economic background and political beliefs but we particularly welcome applications from global majority candidates and those from other minoritised ethnic groups in the UK as they are currently underrepresented in our team.
 
More about us
 
Discover more about the National Youth Agency and our work on our website.
 
Youth Work changes lives.
 
Which is why we’re committed to ensuring that as many young people as possible get to benefit from the national body for youth work in England, the National Youth Agency (NYA) exists to champion its transformative power. We believe all young people should have the opportunity to benefit from the life-changing impact of extraordinary youth workers and trained volunteers.
 
We help to grow youth work provision in ways that keep it effective, relevant, safe and engaging, to help millions of young people reach their potential and thrive. We do this by providing guidance, support, advice, training and staff development opportunities for youth workers and youth work organisations. At the heart of everything we do are young people themselves. We work hard to ensure their voices are integrated into all our work, to develop provision that truly meets their needs.
 
REF-222460

A mission-driven and impact focused single programme NGO is seeking a Finance Business Partner with strong financial modelling skills for a part-time, fully remote fixed term contract for approximately 4-6 months. The role is to support the Finance Director, HR team, CEO and other stakeholders with business partnering, along with specific financial modelling projects.

The organisation’s mission is to get 3-6 year old children in rural Africa to thrive. They have developed an award-winning Early Childhood Development programme, proven its impact through rigorous evaluation, and scaled it with governments in both Ghana and Uganda. It is currently reaching over 300,000 children per year, and we aim to reach 1 million children per year by 2028. The programme benefits both preschool age children and unlocks the potential of marginalised rural parents.

You will work in a busy finance team based in the UK, Ghana and Uganda. The role can be done fully-remotely from within the UK, and the salary range on offer is circa £50,000 - £60,000 FTE (pro-rata). It is anticipated there will be around 2-3 days work per week for approximately 4-6 months.

Experience within a business partnering / modelling role within the NGO sector would be very useful, but is not essential.

Duties include:

• Work focused on adaptions for new contexts: The programme targets rural communities in Ghana and Uganda. This year the organisation plans to scale to a new country and to test ways to adapt it for this new context. They are also keen to explore whether the programme can be adapted for refugee settings.
• Financial modelling focused on selecting a new country to launch the programme
• Specific cost modelling and fundraising modelling around the corporate sponsorship of the organisation’s radio station project

• Develop and strengthen robust and flexible cost models (including sensitivity analyses/stress testing) to guide decisions around the pace and rate of scale, staffing & resource requirements (HR), ensure value for money and maximise cost efficiencies.
• Develop robust budgets for new and renewal funder applications, considering complexities around funder restrictions, currency exchange and forecast economic conditions.
• Analysis and modelling on organisational procedures & policies and capacity building projects

Requirements:

• Fully or part-qualified ACCA, CIMA, ACA or equivalent
• Demonstrable experience with finance business partnering to a range of stakeholders
• Strong financial modelling skills – ideally in things such as cost analysis, funding analysis etc
• Intermediate/advanced Excel and strong data analysis skills
• An understanding of international charity finance - donor reporting, programmes finance, foreign currency transactions is useful
• Experience juggling multiple projects at once
• Must be able to start the role quickly - ideally immediately available or with a short notice period

Closing date: Ongoing / ASAP

Interviews: Ongoing

Please send your CV for immediate consideration.

The Association for Cultural Enterprises (AfCE) supports over 500 member organisations across the UK and internationally, helping the cultural sector generate earned income through commercial activity. As an Arts Council England-funded organisation, AfCE delivers sector-leading training, benchmarking, data-led insights, events, and advocacy to drive financial resilience in arts, heritage, and culture.

AfCE runs a year-round programme of live training events around the UK and Europe, as well as its signature annual Cultural Enterprises Conference and Trade Show. We have ambitions to grow attendance at these events, as well as growing our membership.

The Association is a charitable organisation, which also has a trading company, Cultural Enterprises (Trading) Limited (CET).

We are looking for a new Finance Manager to join a small, friendly, and ambitious team, to review the day-to-day processes and policies and identify opportunities to improve reporting  and make operational efficiencies. The Association is growing, so now is an exciting time to join our team and work with our members across the cultural sector.

Job Summary

The purpose of this role is to provide sound financial management for the Association and CET through:

• Statutory financial reporting in line with Charity SORP/UK GAAP, including annual returns to Companies House and the Charity Commission

• Management accounting, reporting and analysis to funders, management, staff, and Trustees/Directors

• Preparation and maintenance of budgets, forecasts and plans, including cashflows and project budgets

• Supervision and control of day-to-day accounting transactions, including oversight of the finance aspects of the Apprentice role

• Oversight and implementation of robust financial systems, policies, and procedures

• Responsible for financial queries, working with the Apprentice as first point of contact for external contacts
   

Main Duties

• Supervise day-to-day accounting operations and ensure accurate financial record keeping, including coding, allocations, reconciliations, and tax accounting

• Oversee invoice generation and debt recovery processes

• Process payments and staff expenses for authorisation

• Produce regular management accounts on an accruals basis, providing interpretation and advice to the Executive Team, Finance & Risk Committee, Trustees/Directors, and funders

• Lead on budget preparation and forecasting, including project-specific budgets; monitor and reforecast as needed

• Prepare statutory accounts in compliance with charity SORP and liaise with external auditors and the Treasurer

• Manage contracts with financial services providers, including bookkeepers, auditors, banks, and investment managers

• Attend AfCE and CET Board meetings

• Fulfil company secretarial duties, including:

  • Filing confirmation statements and annual accounts for ACE and CET with Companies House and Charity Commission

  • Filing changes in Trustees/Directors

• Complete Arts Council England (ACE) returns, including provision of financial information for quarterly payment processes when required

• Negotiate and implement insurance policies including:

  • General insurance

  • Cyber security

  • Life assurance

  • Staff sickness policy

  • Trustees’ liability

  • Conference insurance

• Oversee monthly payroll, including statutory payments to HMRC and pension providers, and liaise with bookkeepers for payroll updates or changes

• Review VAT returns for accuracy before submission to HMRC
   

Note on External Bookkeepers
External bookkeepers currently provide support limited to payroll and VAT processing.

Person Specification

Personal Qualities

• Self-disciplined, organised, proactive and self-motivating

• Logical and methodical approach to finance and administration

• Trustworthy, honest, reliable and conscientious

• Confident, professional, and personable, able to communicate easily within a small team and with external stakeholders
   

Professional Competencies

Essential

• Professional accounting qualification such as ACA, ACCA, or CIMA

• Strong knowledge of charity SORP and charity finance regulations, including VAT and Gift Aid

• Experience with Xero or equivalent cloud-based accounting systems

• Strong reporting skills

• Team player with excellent interpersonal skills

• High level of accuracy and attention to detail

• Experience producing management accounts and supporting senior leadership and boards

• Ability to interpret financial data for non-financial colleagues
   

Desirable

• Experience working in a small charity or business

• Understanding of the cultural or charitable sector

• Experience of remote working
   

Benefits

• Unlimited holiday policy

• 5% employer pension contribution

• Life insurance

• Flexible working arrangements by agreement with the CEO

We are an inclusive, equal opportunity employer and value diversity. All employment is decided on the basis of experience, merit and organisational need.