Head of Core Finance in Cardiff

Location Cardiff office address: Crown Way, Cardiff, CF14 3UZ Edinburgh office address: Queen Elizabeth House, 1 Sibbald Walk, Edinburgh, EH8 8FT

About the job

We are looking for a Head of Core Finance to join the Finance & Commercial Directorate at Companies House. The Finance Team plays a critical role in ensuring Companies House is well‑governed, financially resilient and trusted. We provide high‑quality financial stewardship, robust assurance, and accurate financial reporting while supporting organisational transformation and delivery. This is a senior leadership role, reporting into the Director of Finance & Commercial and a cornerstone of the organisation’s financial governance.

You will lead the Core Finance function, ensuring strong internal control, compliance with government finance standards, and confidence in our financial systems, reporting and processes. A part of the wider finance team, you will be responsible for the organisation’s financial operations, including payroll, debt management and annual accounts, with the opportunity to play a key role in enhancing the financial maturity of Companies House to drive efficiency and effective decision‑making.

Why choose Companies House?

• At Companies House we take a proactive approach to wellbeing by promoting a welcoming culture, healthy work life balance and supporting colleagues to be their best in work because we know people are the key to our success.
• Our benefits include:

• Flexible working with no core hours (between 6am and 8pm)
• 30 days annual leave
• 8 bank holidays & 1 privilege day
• Enrolment into the Civil Service Pension scheme, with an average employer contribution of 28%

Please note: You will be aligned to our Cardiff or Edinburgh office where you will be expected to attend on a regular basis. Companies House cannot offer Visa sponsorship to candidates through this campaign. We can accept applications from those looking to work part‑time, at least 30 hours per week.

Job description

The Head of Core Finance will lead the organisation’s financial operations, ensuring Companies House maintains robust financial control, effective systems, and high‑quality statutory and management reporting. Covering four key functions, you will lead teams to deliver; core financial operations, debt management, financial policy and financial systems, bringing them together to deliver seamless services to our customers.

Working closely with senior leaders, external auditors, regulators and the sponsoring department, you will provide assurance that Companies House’s finances are well‑managed, and risks are appropriately identified and controlled. Developing effective working relationships with a number of stakeholders, including members of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee (ARAC), the National Audit Office (NAO), Government Internal Audit Agency GIAA, His Majesty’s Treasury (HMT) and other directorates where a collaborative approach is needed to ensure success.

You will be a part of the wider Finance Directorate Senior Leadership Team, ensuring the support and development of teams across the directorate. Including a commitment to continuous improvement, automation and efficiency. The holder will model exemplar behaviours and live the Companies House values. You will also be part of Companies House Leadership Group, offering the opportunity to contribute to the wider running of the organisation, demonstrating strong corporate leadership and effective collaborative working with colleagues and peers. The role will also deputise for the Director of Finance & Commercial when required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Core Finance function (~100 FTE), including financial accounting, statutory reporting, payroll, penalties accounting, debt management and finance systems.
• Develop and implement a strategic vision for the Core Finance function, aligning it with the broader goals of Companies House and the Finance Functions strategy.
• Produce and assure high‑quality external financial reporting, including annual accounts and returns to central government.
• Act as senior technical lead on accounting policy and interpretation, ensuring standards are applied consistently.
• Lead and sponsor the development of effective financial systems, driving automation, data quality and efficiency.
• Improve and transform financial systems, data and technology to meet stakeholder needs.
• Act as SRO for Gold contracts within your responsibility and remit.
• Build and maintain key relationships, in particular developing trust and rapport. This includes managing expectations of senior stakeholders both within Companies House and external advisers.
• Promote effective individual and team performance. Developing individuals and building a high performing team with a commitment to excellence.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

• Significant experience leading financial control or financial accounting functions in complex organisations.
• Proven experience leading and developing high‑performing finance teams.
• Strong technical accounting knowledge with experience in the public sector or other governance‑rich environments.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to put complex financial issues into plain language for non‑specialist audiences.
• Strong stakeholder management skills, including engagement at Director level and with external bodies, eg, auditors.
• Confidence to influence and provide constructive challenge at senior levels.
• Ability to understand financial implications of business strategy / processes and to drive and implement positive change initiatives.
• Proven experience of sound decision‑making skills to balance resource, growth and control / risk trade‑offs to achieve cost effective quality service.
• Experience in implementing / upgrading financial systems and managing service delivery contracts.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant (CCAB, ACA, ACCA or CIMA) with substantial post‑qualification experience.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Seeing the Big Picture
• Communicating and Influencing
• Managing a Quality Service

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• Qualified accountant (CCAB, ACA, ACCA or CIMA) with substantial post‑qualification experience.
• Up to date knowledge of and experience of applying International Financial Reporting Standards.

For more information and to apply, please visit our website via the apply button below.