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- Tasks: Lead finance operations and drive transformational change in a charity setting.
- Company: Kids Operating Room, a purpose-driven international health charity.
- Benefits: Strong daily rate, potential for extension, and impactful work.
- Why this job: Make a real difference by ensuring safe surgical care for children globally.
- Qualifications: CCAB qualified accountant with hands-on finance leadership experience.
- Other info: Opportunity to shape the future of finance in a growing charity.
Strong daily rate for charity sector | Inside IR35 3-6 month interim (with potential to extend).
Realise HR are working on a retained basis with Kids Operating Room (KidsOR) to appoint an Interim Head of Finance.
About Kids Operating Room:
Kids Operating Room is a purpose-driven international health charity working to ensure no child dies from a lack of safe surgical care. Founded by Garreth and Nicola Wood (recently awarded an MBE for their services to global health), the organisation has delivered over 100 children’s operating rooms across some of the world’s most challenging environments. With c.£10m turnover, two legal entities, and a growing international footprint, Kids Operating Room combines the pace of a scaling organisation with a clear and meaningful mission.
The Opportunity:
Kids Operating Room is at an exciting stage of its development and is looking for an experienced interim finance leader to drive change within the function. This is a genuinely transformational role - the incoming interim will have a clear mandate to build robust financial infrastructure, modernise processes, and deliver a finance function fit for its next phase of growth. The current environment has developed and grown over recent years and there is an exciting opportunity to drive and embed a robust and scalable approach to costing, budgeting and reporting. This is a hands-on interim role with a clear mandate:
- Review and build upon existing financial models
- Embed a structured, scalable costing framework
- Drive financial visibility to support planning and decision-making
You’ll work closely with the COO, CEO and SMT, helping to bring clarity to how our work is delivered and scaled globally. This role will suit an experienced interim who is comfortable stepping into evolving environments, quickly understanding what’s in place, and implementing practical, hands-on improvements that make a tangible difference. There is also potential for this role to inform the structure of the longer-term finance function.
Key Responsibilities:
- Review and assess financial models, processes and controls, working closely with the Financial Controller to understand existing structures
- Design and implement robust, scalable project and cost models to improve visibility across programmes and support future planning
- Lead all core finance operations
- Ensure effective management and reporting of restricted and designated funds, aligning financial processes with donor reporting requirements
- Provide clear, timely financial reporting and insight to the COO, CEO, Board and SMT, including variance analysis and reforecasting
- Drive the financial planning cycle, building scenario models to support strategic decision-making
- Provide financial support to the growing commercial subsidiary
- Strengthen project accounting capability to better support fundraising, programme delivery and tracking
- Maintain compliance across tax, VAT and regulatory requirements across multiple legal entities
- Oversee payroll processes (outsourced), treasury and banking arrangements
- Lead and develop the finance team
- Work closely with programme and operational teams across multiple geographies to align financial planning with delivery
What We’re Looking For:
- CCAB Qualified accountant
- Proven experience in an interim or hands-on Head of Finance role
- Comfortable working in environments where processes are still evolving
- Strong experience building or improving costing and financial models and financial infrastructure
- Experience in multi-entity and/or multi-currency environments
- Knowledge of charity finance (including SORP and restricted funds) is advantageous
- Confident operating at both strategic and hands-on level
- Able to build credibility quickly with senior stakeholders
- Pragmatic, collaborative and delivery-focused
Don’t meet every single requirement? At Realise, we are dedicated to helping our clients build diverse, inclusive and authentic workplaces, so if you’re excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every requirement, we would encourage you to apply anyway — you might just be the candidate we’re looking for!
Realise HR Ltd is operating as a recruitment agency on behalf of its clients.
Interim Head of Finance employer: Realise HR
Contact Detail:
Realise HR Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Interim Head of Finance
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the charity sector and let them know you're on the lookout for interim finance roles. You never know who might have the inside scoop on opportunities that aren't advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by researching Kids Operating Room and their mission. Show us that you understand their goals and how your experience can help them achieve their vision of ensuring no child dies from a lack of safe surgical care.
✨Tip Number 3
Be ready to discuss your hands-on experience with financial models and processes. We want to hear about specific examples where you've driven change and improved financial visibility in previous roles, especially in evolving environments.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to connect directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Interim Head of Finance
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Interim Head of Finance. Highlight your experience in building financial models and working in charity finance, as this will show us you understand what Kids Operating Room needs.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're passionate about the mission of KidsOR and how your skills can help drive their financial strategy forward. We want to see your personality come through!
Showcase Relevant Experience: When detailing your past roles, focus on your hands-on experience in finance leadership. Mention specific achievements that demonstrate your ability to improve processes and deliver results, especially in evolving environments.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity with Kids Operating Room!
How to prepare for a job interview at Realise HR
✨Know Your Numbers
As an Interim Head of Finance, you’ll need to demonstrate a solid grasp of financial models and processes. Brush up on your knowledge of costing frameworks and be ready to discuss how you've improved financial visibility in previous roles. This will show that you can hit the ground running.
✨Understand the Mission
Kids Operating Room is all about ensuring safe surgical care for children. Familiarise yourself with their mission and recent projects. Being able to articulate how your financial strategies can support this mission will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect questions that ask how you would handle specific financial challenges or changes in a charity setting. Think about examples from your past where you’ve successfully navigated similar situations, especially in multi-entity environments. This will showcase your hands-on experience.
✨Build Rapport with Stakeholders
You’ll be working closely with senior management, so it’s crucial to build credibility quickly. Prepare to discuss your approach to collaboration and how you’ve effectively communicated financial insights to non-financial stakeholders in the past. This will highlight your ability to bridge the gap between finance and operations.