Head of Finance and Operations

Salary: £45,000–£50,000 per annum, plus performance-related bonus of up to £5,000 per annum

Location: South London

Contract: Permanent, full-time

Hybrid working: Up to one day per week from home, with additional flexibility possible

We are working with an established arts and education charity to recruit a new Head of Finance and Operations. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a small, ambitious organisation delivering a range of artistic, educational and community programmes. The charity receives income from a diverse mix of public funding, trusts and foundations, individual giving, sponsorship and commercial activity.

Sitting within the Leadership Team and working closely with the Director, this is a genuinely broad role encompassing finance, operations, governance, HR and organisational management. A key part of the role will be leading the charity’s financial management and planning. You’ll manage the annual budget, produce quarterly management accounts and cash-flow forecasts, oversee VAT returns and work closely with external accountants and auditors on the year-end accounts and audit. You’ll also work with budget holders, senior colleagues, trustees and the Finance, Audit & Risk Committee to ensure strong financial management across the organisation.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have previous experience working within a small charity or similarly sized not-for-profit organisation. This isn’t a role where finance sits in isolation – you’ll need to be comfortable getting into the detail, working across different areas of the organisation and balancing strategic responsibilities with the practical realities of working in a smaller charity. Strong charity finance experience will therefore be important. You’ll need to understand the complexities of restricted and unrestricted funding, be confident managing and reporting against different funding streams and have a good working knowledge of Charity SORP. Experience of dealing with funders and their different reporting and monitoring requirements will also be particularly useful.

Alongside finance, you’ll oversee a varied operational remit including building and office management, HR processes, organisational policies and governance. You’ll also support the Board and committees, take responsibility for company secretarial duties and maintain relationships with key funders and stakeholders. This role would suit someone who enjoys the variety that comes with working in a small charity – practical, organised and collaborative, with the confidence to operate at leadership and trustee level while still being happy to roll their sleeves up when required. You don’t necessarily need to tick every box. We’re keen to hear from candidates with strong charity finance experience who can demonstrate the ability to manage a broad and varied remit.

The role sits on the Senior Leadership Team, reporting to the Charity Director. You will manage a General Manager and Freelance Bookkeeper. Fully-qualified and part-qualified ACCA, CIMA or ACA candidates will be considered.

Closing date: 10am, Monday 21 September 2026.