Interim Deputy Director of Finance

Are you a qualified accountant with a strong background in financial controls and month-end processes? Do you have significant charity finance experience and a good understanding of fund accounting? Are you confident coming into a finance function, identifying gaps and holding people accountable for delivering what is required?

A charity is seeking an experienced Interim Head of Financial Controls to join its finance function on an initial 6-month contract. The role offers hybrid working, with some travel to South Kent required. Charity experience is absolutely essential, ideally alongside experience of fund accounting.

This role will focus on strengthening the organisation's core financial controls and ensuring the finance team has clear, consistent and well-managed processes following the recent year-end.

The key responsibilities of the Interim Head of Financial Controls are:

• Taking ownership of the month-end timetable and ensuring key activities are completed accurately and on time.
• Overseeing the completion and quality of control account reconciliations and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Reviewing existing finance processes and identifying where further controls, ownership or accountability are required.
• Working with finance managers and their teams to ensure responsibilities are clearly understood and consistently delivered.
• Following up on outstanding actions and ensuring issues identified through the year-end process are properly addressed.
• Working closely with the individual leading the year-end audit to understand findings and ensure appropriate improvements are implemented.
• Using existing process mapping to establish clear ownership of key finance activities and ensure processes are being followed.
• Providing support, challenge and guidance to the wider finance team to improve the quality and timeliness of financial information.
• Building strong relationships across the finance function while being comfortable holding colleagues accountable for delivery.
• Supporting the Head of Finance and wider senior finance team with the ongoing development of financial controls and processes.

The successful candidate will have:

• A fully recognised professional accountancy qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) – essential.
• Significant previous experience working within the charity sector – absolutely essential.
• A good understanding of charity accounting and ideally hands-on experience of fund accounting.
• Strong experience across month-end, control accounts and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Excellent understanding of financial controls, processes and accounting systems.
• The confidence to investigate issues, identify what needs to change and ensure improvements are embedded.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to challenge constructively and hold colleagues to account.
• A calm, collaborative and personable approach, with the ability to work effectively within an evolving finance function.
• The ability to work independently and quickly establish what needs to be prioritised.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced charity finance professional to join an organisation at an important point in strengthening its financial controls and processes. The successful candidate will play a key role in ensuring the finance function has the structure, accountability and discipline required to deliver consistently high-quality financial information.