Head of Finance

A growing, ambitious UK charity is partnering exclusively with a specialist recruitment firm to appoint a Head of Finance on a permanent basis.

This is a pivotal opportunity to join an organisation entering an exciting phase of rapid growth, with ambitious plans to scale its operations, expand its programmes and develop new income-generating partnerships.

As Head of Finance, you will play a central role in ensuring the organisation has the financial strategy, systems, governance and reporting infrastructure required to grow sustainably. Working closely with the Chief Executive, senior leadership team and Trustees, you will provide trusted financial insight while driving improvements in systems, processes and data.

The organisation operates in a mission-led environment and is committed to creating meaningful social impact. This is an opportunity for a hands-on finance professional who enjoys working in a small, collaborative organisation and is motivated by using technology and better systems to enable growth.

The role

• Lead the organisation’s financial strategy, ensuring financial planning and decision-making effectively support its strategic objectives and continued growth.
• Take ownership of the monthly management accounts, forecasting, cash flow, variance analysis and bespoke financial reporting, providing clear and actionable insight to senior leaders and Trustees.
• Lead the year-end audit and statutory accounts process, acting as the key point of contact for external auditors and ensuring accurate and timely statutory reporting.
• Oversee the organisation’s financial administration, controls and governance, ensuring compliance with relevant charity legislation, accounting requirements and regulatory frameworks.
• Provide financial oversight across programmes and services, supporting budget holders to manage expenditure effectively and identifying and communicating financial risks at an early stage.
• Support the development of funding proposals and ensure restricted funds are appropriately monitored and used in accordance with grant conditions.
• Manage and oversee outsourced finance providers, including bookkeeping and payroll, setting clear expectations around accuracy, deadlines and reporting quality.
• Develop and lead the organisation’s systems strategy, reviewing the effectiveness of existing finance, CRM, expenses and data systems and identifying opportunities for greater integration, automation and efficiency.

The role offers the chance to join a genuinely purpose-driven organisation at an exciting stage of growth, with real scope to shape its finance function, influence senior decision-making and build the systems needed for long-term success. With a supportive culture, excellent wellbeing benefits, hybrid working and strong opportunities for development, this is an ideal opportunity for a charity finance professional looking for meaningful impact and genuine ownership.

Essential criteria

• Senior-level finance experience within a UK charity or not-for-profit organisation, with strong knowledge of charity accounting and restricted and unrestricted funds.
• Proven hands-on experience producing monthly management accounts, cash flow forecasts, budgets and variance analysis.
• Strong experience managing the year-end audit process, including preparing audit information, reconciling balance sheet accounts and acting as the primary contact for external auditors.
• Fully or partially qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent), with strong practical experience; QBE candidates with relevant audit and charity finance experience will also be considered.
• Strong understanding of charity accounting requirements and the regulatory environment relevant to UK charities.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the confidence to provide constructive challenge and financial guidance to senior colleagues and Trustees.
• A proactive, hands-on and solutions-focused approach, with the ability to work effectively in a growing organisation where priorities can evolve quickly.

Apply now

If you’re an experienced charity finance professional looking for a broad, hands-on leadership role where you can shape systems, strengthen financial governance and help an ambitious organisation scale effectively, we’d love to hear from you.

This is a permanent, full-time position based in London, operating on a hybrid working model with one mandatory office day per week.