Head of Finance £115k - £120k Basic Salary, Plus Package - Once A Week in the Office

Job title Head of Finance Leadership and Management: To be accountable for monitoring the resilience of department / function to ensure adequate business continuity measures are in place and implementing such measures if required. Determining risks and implementing mitigation strategies. Ensuring understanding of Business Continuity procedures across department / division.   Overall Purpose The Head of Finance is responsible for leading the Group's financial strategy, stewardship and operational finance services, ensuring robust financial planning, control, compliance and insight. The role establishes a high-performing finance function that delivers efficient core services while evolving into a proactive business partnering capability to support strategic decision-making. It is accountable for aligning financial management with organisational priorities, ensuring sustainability, transparency and value for money. The role also acts as deputy to the Chief Operating Officer, supporting the integration and performance of enabling functions across finance, IT, data, compliance and people and contributing to organisational effectiveness, transformation delivery and enterprise-wide performance. Overall responsibility for managing Group Budget comprising c£40m pa of operating income and expenditure and up to £5m pa of capital expenditure. Direct responsibility for expenditure incurred by staff through line management. 2 direct reports, team of approx 10 Direct reports: Group Financial Controller/Head of Financial Control and Head of Financial Planning & Business Analysis Looks after the budget framework, forecasting approach and financial planning cycles. Structure and prioritisation of finance team activities. Risk Accountability: To be accountable for the day to day management of risks; to ensure all risks are considered and that appropriate mitigations are developed and implemented. To prepare summary reports for the Directors, to enable them to prioritise the risks. To ensure that all team member roles have been evaluated against bribery risk criteria and appropriate training organised. Risk:

• Accountable for financial risk management and integrity of financial controls
• Oversees financial risk register and mitigation plans
• Ensures compliance with regulatory and audit requirements Inter
• Setting Financial Regulations and Procurement policy authorisation limits (strategy set in Commercial directorate)
• Financial planning, budgeting and forecasting including preparation of annual budgets and MTFP and reforecasting, and preparation of reports and presentations for COO, Executive Board, FARC and Trustee Board
• Cash and treasury management including management of investment advisors and reporting to COO, Executive Board and FARC
• Financial reporting and statutory compliance including preparation of year end accounts, management of external auditors and drafting reports and presentations for COO, Executive Board, FARC and Trustee Board
• VAT and tax compliance
• Payroll services (including outsourcing decisions)
• Sales and purchase ledger services
• Management accounting including preparation of reports and presentations for COO, Executive Board, FARC and Trustee Board
• Financial systems and internal controls
• Business partnering, training and financial support to the organisation
• Project and programme financial planning
• Insurance
• Financial governance  
• Act as deputy to the COO, providing leadership across enabling functions when required
• Support the COO in driving organisational performance, efficiency and value for money across the organisation Customer (Stakeholders):
• Act as a trusted financial advisor to the Executive and senior leaders
• Enable effective budget holder accountability and ownership across the organisation
• Lead the shift to a business partnering model, providing insight and challenge
• Ensure clarity and transparency in financial reporting for internal and external stakeholders
• Partner with the COO and Executive Team to drive organisational performance and efficiency
• Provide challenge and insight across enabling functions, not limited to finance
• Support senior leaders in understanding the financial and operational implications of strategic decisions   This quadrant is for all other activities that do not fit into Customer / Financial and are more processing.
• Lead end-to-end delivery of finance services including:
• Financial planning, budgeting and forecasting
• Financial reporting and statutory compliance
• Treasury and cashflow management
• Payroll, sales ledger and purchase ledger services
• Oversee implementation and optimisation of the finance system (incl. POs, invoicing, reporting structures)
• Drive process standardisation, automation and efficiency, including:
• End-to-end process mapping and simplification
• Introduction of monthly reconciliations
• Improved segregation of duties
• Ensure joined-up working across financial control and management accounting
• Eliminate duplication across income, subscriptions, credit control and reporting processes
• Contribute to cross-functional planning and integration across Finance, IT, Data, Compliance and People
• Support governance and tracking of major transformation programmes and organisational priorities
• Enable consistent approaches to performance management, reporting and prioritisation across enabling services Essential Requirements: Key technical skill
• Must have a proven track record as a Head of Finance leader within a membership institution, or subscription based technolpgy company, or public sector.
• Must have financial strategy, planning and forecasting experience
• Must have financial transformation experience
• Strong understanding of financial control, compliance and reporting
• Substantial experience implementing finance systems and improving data/reporting structures
• Significant expertise in treasury, cashflow and financial risk management
• Proven ability to translate financial data into strategic insight
• Substantial experience of transformation governance and programme financial oversight
• Proven ability to assess organisational performance beyond financial metrics
• Substantial experience leading a finance function in a complex organisation
• Experience driving transformation of finance services (process, systems, structure)
• Experience operating at senior leadership / executive interface
• Experience balancing operational delivery with strategic finance
• Experience working across multiple enabling functions (e.g. finance, IT, data, compliance and people)
• Experience operating at or supporting enterprise / executive leadership level
• Strategic and commercially minded
• Strong leadership and influencing skills
• High level of integrity and accountability
• Able to challenge constructively and drive change
• Collaborative and able to operate across organisational boundaries
• Enterprise mindset with the ability to operate beyond functional boundaries
• Ability to balance financial discipline with organisational agility and delivery
•  Confidence to challenge and influence at executive level across a broad agenda Qualifications Qualifications:
• Qualified accountant (ACA / ACCA / CIPFA or equivalent) essential
• Masters/MBA desirable