Head of Finance - EY Foundation - Permanent - London, Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow in City of Westminster

At the EY Foundation, we are seeking an experienced Head of Finance who will report directly to our Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The Head of Finance will be responsible for the effective day-to-day functioning of the Finance Function, including budgeting, reporting, auditing, and financial planning, and advising senior management on financial strategy. The successful candidate will have a solid financial background, strong business acumen, and experience managing people. The role requires the ability to forecast financial trends and manage financial risk. The candidate should demonstrate a strong commitment to social mobility, diversity, and inclusion.

Within the Foundation we adopt flexible roles that reflect the dynamic nature of our charity and enable our people to learn, develop and grow their skills and open up career opportunities. This is part of our investment in you. This role profile provides an outline of what will be involved in your role rather than an exhaustive list of duties; the role and responsibilities will evolve over time.

• Lead the finance team to deliver an effective financial service to the EY Foundation, focusing on continuous improvement, collaboration, and a business partnering approach.
• Deputise for the CFO in all finance matters and at Board/Committee meetings.
• Stakeholder collaboration: work closely with internal and external stakeholders, including finance and non-finance colleagues and across EY, to support strategic planning and decision making.
• Financial analysis: monitor actual performance against projections and conduct analysis to identify trends, variances, and opportunities.
• Manage the department through effective leadership, motivation, training, and development of colleagues.
• Act as a senior manager contributing to the broader goals and ambition of the charity.
• Oversee monthly financial reporting, quarterly reforecasting and annual budget processes to provide challenging but supportable financial targets in line with Leadership Team guidance.
• Oversee pricing models to ensure full cost recovery for bids, tenders, and commercial partnerships.
• Provide KPI information to the Leadership Team and Board.
• Champion best practice financial management, commercial decision making and internal controls and risk; implement new processes or systems as required.
• Prepare and present the annual statutory accounts, liaising with external auditors and implementing audit findings.
• Ensure compliance with Company, tax and Charity law with responsibility for VAT/gift aid.
• Oversee procurement guidance and contract reviews in line with organisational requirements.

• CA (or equivalent) qualification preferred.
• Proven experience in producing departmental plans and budgets as part of the annual business plan, monitoring progress and reforecasting.
• Proven experience in producing financial plans for the organisation, including cashflow forecasts.
• Experience in ensuring systems are in place to report against KPIs.
• Experience in people line management and development of staff, including leading by example and implementing professional development plans.
• Experience in building effective team working relationships within the department and organisation, promoting strong links between departments.
• Proven experience in delivering insightful monthly management accounts and financial information.
• Experience in developing performance, quality and cost effectiveness of departmental outputs and cross-department working.
• Experience in developing and maintaining accounting systems and procedures to monitor internal controls, providing segregation of duties and supporting training.
• Experience in reviewing, scoping and implementing new reporting methods/systems to identify and deliver improvements in financial reporting.
• Experience in managing outsourced payroll arrangements.
• Experience in monitoring cash flow to ensure efficient use of cash balances.
• Experience in reviewing VAT returns to ensure accurate information.
• Proficiency in Excel; knowledge of GDPR legislation.
• Strong communication skills adapted for diverse audiences; ability to drive clarity, confidence and commitment.
• Ability to facilitate purposeful meetings and presentations that secure decisions and enable delivery.
• Data-driven with the ability to use insights to improve processes and assess impact.
• Ability to understand and communicate EY Foundation's value proposition to senior stakeholders, contributing to strategic objectives and improving delivery and outcomes.
• Role-models inclusive behaviours and considers diverse perspectives in decision-making.
• Strong alignment with the charity’s mission and values; enjoys working with a diverse group of people in a busy environment.
• Identifies and implements improvements to systems, processes and ways of working to enhance consistency and effectiveness.
• Strong commitment to improving the working lives and prospects of disadvantaged young people in the UK.

• Understanding of the practical applications of the Charity SORP.
• SharePoint proficiency.
• Experience using Xero and Microsoft Dynamics.
• Experience using financial systems and awareness of PowerBI.
• Project management expertise with a track record of successful completion.
• Contract review/procurement experience.

The EY Foundation is a charity established in 2014 to help young people from low-income backgrounds develop the skills needed to succeed in the workplace. We were founded by EY, the professional services firm, who continue to be our primary funder. Our ambition is that all young people eligible for Free School Meals have employment and earnings potential equitable to other young people in the UK. We work with a wide range of organisations to deliver employability skills programmes, scalable digital interventions, and by leveraging our convening power to influence systemic change. We operate in regions across the country with hubs in London, Manchester, Glasgow, and Birmingham. We operate a hybrid working model, with staff in the office at least one day per week, and occasionally more depending on role and business needs. We are an independent charity and raise income through corporate partners, fundraising, and grants. EY Foundation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Successful applicants will need to undertake an Enhanced DBS check via the Disclosure and Barring Service, where appropriate.

Our organisation is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. We are an Equal Opportunities Employer and welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, identities and experiences. We encourage you to join us and help create a culture of belonging and inclusion.