Finance & Human Resource Manager, Edinburgh Science

• Finance & Human Resource Manager, Edinburgh Science

Finance & Human Resource Manager, Edinburgh Science

A finance-focused role with HR responsibilities, supported by our external HR consultants — help keep a much-loved science charity financially strong and well run.

Hours Part-time, 0.6 FTE (21 hours per week), with additional hours during the audit/year-end period (time off in lieu applies)

Location Edinburgh — hybrid working available

Reporting to Chief Executive Officer

Contract Permanent

About Edinburgh Science

Edinburgh Science is a world leader in creative science content and festival management, best known for delivering the Edinburgh Science Festival — the world’s first public celebration of science and technology as a festival — alongside our acclaimed schools programmes, Generation Science and Careers Hive, and our growing community engagement work. Our content and expertise also reach audiences internationally.

We are focused on long-term financial sustainability and on being a supportive, well-run place to work — and we are looking for a capable, hands‑on finance professional to lead our finance function and, with the support of our external HR consultants, our day‑to‑day HR.

The role

This is a finance-focused Finance & Human Resource Manager role, reporting to the CEO. On finance, you will hold professional responsibility for the integrity of our finances — management accounts, budgeting, the annual audit, statutory compliance, controls and governance — and provide the financial information and analysis that supports the CEO’s decision‑making, with a Finance Assistant handling day‑to‑day processing. On HR, you will manage our day‑to‑day people function, with our external HR consultants providing specialist advice on complex matters.

It is a varied role for a finance professional who also enjoys people work. Strategic financial direction sits with the CEO and Audit Committee, with your role providing the financial capability and information that supports it. Additional support and time off in lieu are provided during the audit period.

What you’ll do

• Produce monthly management accounts and quarterly reporting to the Audit Committee and Board.
• Prepare the annual budget and cash‑flow forecast, and lead the annual external audit and statutory compliance.
• Support the CEO with financial information and analysis to inform strategy and decision‑making.
• Maintain a strong control environment, and oversee VAT, tax, payroll and restricted‑fund reporting.
• Carry out company secretarial duties and service the Audit Committee.
• Manage the day‑to‑day HR function — recruitment, onboarding, contracts, policies, absence and wellbeing — working with our external HR consultants on complex matters.
• Line‑manage and develop the Finance Assistant, and help foster a positive, inclusive culture.

What we’re looking for

• A qualified accountant, or part‑qualified / qualified by substantial experience, able to lead an audit and meet statutory obligations.
• Strong management accounting, controls and compliance experience in a small or medium organisation.
• Confidence providing financial information and analysis to support senior decision‑making.
• Comfortable using new finance tools and systems to support and improve decision‑making.
• Ability to manage a day‑to‑day HR function, working with external HR consultants on specialist matters.
• Well organised, able to prioritise to deadlines and work effectively part‑time across both areas.
• Charity SORP and restricted‑fund accounting knowledge; charity, cultural or events sector experience.
• HR experience or CIPD membership; experience with Xero and HR/payroll systems.

What we offer

• A varied, meaningful role at a much‑loved organisation making science accessible to everyone.
• Flexible and hybrid working, and a supportive, purpose‑driven team.
• Pension scheme, generous holiday entitlement (pro rata) and time off in lieu for peak periods.

Working at Edinburgh Science

We welcome applications from all backgrounds. We believe bringing together people with different perspectives, ideas and experiences leads to better discussions, decisions and results. By the start of any employment with Edinburgh Science, you must have the right to work in the UK and documentary evidence to support this.

Find out more about us at www.edinburghscience.co.uk

1. Purpose of the role

The Finance & Human Resource Manager is a finance-focused role that also leads the organisation’s day‑to‑day human resources function with the support of external HR consultants. The primary focus is the integrity of Edinburgh Science’s finances — accurate and timely reporting, statutory compliance, the annual audit, a sound control environment, and governance support — and providing financial information, analysis and advice to support the CEO. On the HR side, the role manages the day‑to‑day people function, drawing on the organisation’s external HR consultants for specialist and complex matters.

This is a manager‑level role. Under the operating model approved by the Board, strategic financial direction sits with the CEO, supported and scrutinised by the Audit Committee. This role provides the financial capability, information and analysis that underpin the CEO’s financial decision‑making, and delivers finance and HR operations. It supports strategy; it does not set it.

2. Structure and how the role works

The role reports to the CEO and line‑manages the Finance Assistant (0.9 FTE), who carries out day‑to‑day financial processing. The role focuses on senior finance work and close support to the CEO, together with day‑to‑day HR management. The HR function is supported by the organisation’s external HR consultants, who provide specialist advice on complex employee‑relations and employment‑law matters. Targeted external accountancy support is available during the annual audit. As a part‑time role, an effective monthly rhythm is essential, with the Finance Assistant keeping processing current so this role can review, report and close within the available hours.

3. Key responsibilities — Finance

• Produce and review monthly management accounts with commentary for the CEO, and quarterly reporting for the Audit Committee and Board.
• Support the CEO with financial information, analysis and advice to inform financial strategy, planning and decision‑making.
• Prepare the annual budget and rolling cash‑flow forecast for approval by the CEO and Board.
• Lead the delivery of the annual external audit (statutory accounts are prepared by the auditors from the draft figures) and meet OSCR and Companies House deadlines.
• Oversee VAT and tax compliance, payroll and pensions, and banking within Board‑approved policy.
• Maintain financial controls, delegated authorities and segregation of duties; manage restricted and designated funds and funder reporting (including RFF).
• Carry out company secretarial duties and service the Audit Committee; maintain the scheme of delegation.
• Track the savings programme and report variances monthly; line‑manage and develop the Finance Assistant.

4. Key responsibilities — Human Resources (with external consultant support)

• Manage the day‑to‑day employee lifecycle: recruitment and onboarding, contracts and changes, and offboarding.
• Maintain and apply HR policies, drawing on the external HR consultants for specialist advice and updates.
• Act as the first point of contact for HR queries, escalating complex employee‑relations and employment‑law matters to the external HR consultants.
• Administer HR records and work with payroll to ensure accurate, timely pay and benefits.
• Coordinate recruitment, staff development and training, and support a positive, inclusive culture.

5. What this role does not include

For clarity, this role does not include: ownership of financial strategy or senior leadership team strategic direction (which sit with the CEO and Audit Committee); commercial or business development responsibilities; international or multi‑currency operations; or routine day‑to‑day financial processing (which sits with the Finance Assistant, whom this role oversees). Specialist and complex HR and employment‑law advice is provided by the organisation’s external HR consultants.

6. Scope and decision‑making

Decides: day‑to‑day financial processes and treasury administration within policy; the operation of financial controls; HR administration and the application of approved HR policy; and the presentation of financial information. Recommends: the annual budget and reforecasts, accounting and HR policy changes, and responses to audit findings. Escalates immediately: projected cash shortfalls or going‑concern risks; suspected fraud, control failures or regulatory breaches; and significant employee‑relations or safeguarding matters — to the CEO and, as appropriate, the Audit Committee.

7. Person specification

• Qualified accountant, or part‑qualified / qualified by substantial equivalent experience, able to prepare for and lead an external audit and meet statutory obligations.
• Strong management accounting, financial controls and compliance experience in a small or medium organisation.
• Confidence providing financial information and analysis to support senior (CEO/Board) decision‑making.
• Comfortable adopting and getting the most from new finance tools and systems, using them to support and improve decision‑making.
• Ability to manage a day‑to‑day HR function, working with external HR consultants on specialist matters.
• Well organised, able to prioritise across finance and HR while working part‑time, and to communicate clearly with non‑specialists.
• Charity SORP and restricted‑fund accounting knowledge; experience in the charity, cultural or events sector.
• HR experience or CIPD membership; company secretarial or committee/board‑servicing experience.
• Experience with Xero and HR/payroll systems.

8. Audit‑period flexibility

The role is 0.6 FTE (21 hours per week) as an annualised average. The organisation recognises that the audit and year‑end period requires more than the weekly average; additional hours worked during that period are recompensed by time off in lieu in line with policy, and targeted external accountancy support is available during the audit.

9. General

All staff work flexibly across the organisation during peak delivery periods, including the Festival, the Generation Science tour and Careers Hive, which may involve occasional evening and weekend working (with time off in lieu in line with policy). All staff share responsibility for health and safety, safeguarding, data protection and wellbeing, and must work within Edinburgh Science’s policies. Fundraising is a shared organisational priority. This job description sets out the current duties of the post and may be reviewed and reasonably amended in consultation with the postholder.

10. Terms

Level Grade TBC

Working pattern 0.6 FTE — 21 hours per week, with additional hours during the audit and year‑end period (time off in lieu in line with policy).

Reports to Chief Executive Officer

Location Edinburgh, with flexible/hybrid working; on‑site presence required during delivery and audit periods as the role demands.