Finance Manager

This is a senior, hands‑on finance role at the heart of our charity. The Finance Manager will provide clear financial leadership and practical insight, while working with the Finance Officer to ensure day‑to‑day processing, reconciliations, approvals, records and controls are accurate, timely, and well organised.

The role combines financial strategy, operational delivery, and supportive team leadership. You will be responsible for planning, management accounts, budgeting, forecasting, reporting and compliance, while staying actively involved in finance operations, improving routines, resolving queries, strengthening audit trails and helping the function run smoothly day to day.

Role summary

Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer, the Finance Manager will lead the finance function and provide trusted advice across the organisation. They will ensure financial information is accurate, timely and easy to understand; charity funds are well governed; and day‑to‑day finance is reliable, responsive and able to support our scale, complexity and ambition.

The postholder will be a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, contributing to organisational planning, risk management, service sustainability and continuous improvement. They will line manage the Finance Officer and work alongside them on core routines including ledgers, income recording, payments, reconciliations, payroll checks, month‑end preparation, reporting schedules and finance queries.

Outcomes

• The Chief Executive, trustees and Senior Leadership Team receive accurate, timely and meaningful financial information that supports good governance and confident decision-making.
• Budgets, forecasts, cash flow and reserves are actively monitored, with risks, pressures and opportunities identified early and clearly communicated.
• Financial controls, policies and processes are robust, proportionate, accessible and consistently followed across the charity.
• Restricted and unrestricted funds, grants, contracts and funder reporting are managed with accuracy, transparency and strong stewardship.
• Budget holders feel supported, understand their financial position, plan ahead and use resources effectively.
• The finance function is well organised, responsive and improvement‑focused, with reliable day‑to‑day processing, reconciliations, payment routines, records and reporting schedules.
• The Finance Officer is well supported through clear priorities, supervision and regular hands‑on collaboration so that operational finance work is continuously improving.
• Finance queries, processing issues and month‑end tasks are dealt with promptly and constructively, helping colleagues experience finance as approachable and reliable.

Key responsibilities

Financial strategy, reporting and governance

1.Prepare timely, accurate and meaningful management accounts, quarterly reports, annual budgets, and longer‑term forecasts for the Chief Executive, Board of Trustees, and Senior Leadership Team.

2.Provide clear analysis, insight and advice so leaders and trustees can understand performance, manage financial risk, and make confident decisions in line with the charity’s strategy and values.

3.Lead on charity financial governance, including reserves monitoring, restricted and unrestricted fund reporting, funding compliance, audit preparation and preparation of the annual report and accounts.

4.Prepare costings for tenders, grants, contracts and new service developments, ensuring assumptions are transparent, and full costs are recouped.

5.Support income generation, contract management and service sustainability through practical financial modelling, scenario planning, and advice.

Operational finance

1.Oversee and contribute to day‑to‑day financial processing, reconciliations, approvals and controls, ensuring accurate records, clear audit trails, and good stewardship of charitable funds.

2.Maintain robust internal financial controls, so funds and assets are protected and delegated responsibilities are clear.

3.Manage payroll preparation and oversight, currently outsourced, including pensions, payroll checks, and related reporting.

4.Manage cash flow, banking arrangements and investments, balancing security, liquidity and value for money.

5.Ensure statutory financial reporting and Charity Commission; Companies House and HMRC obligations are met, working closely with auditors.

6.Ensure appropriate processing of Gift Aid, tax, payroll‑related returns and other financial compliance matters, keeping clear records of decisions and assumptions.

People, systems and continuous improvement

1.Provide line management and support for the Finance Officer, creating a positive, well‑organised and learning‑focused finance function.

2.Work collaboratively with managers and budget holders to build financial confidence, improve budget ownership, and help services use resources effectively.

3.Lead the development of a positive finance culture where information is timely, understandable, and used constructively to improve planning, accountability, and impact.

4.Maintain, review and improve financial policies, procedures and systems so they remain proportionate, accessible, compliant and fit for a growing charity.

5.Lead finance‑related change projects, ensuring improvements to systems, reporting and processes are well planned, communicated and embedded.

Compliance, risk and stewardship

1.Maintain financial arrangements that support safe and compliant service delivery, including insurance, and ensure any financial risks that could affect services or organisational stability are raised promptly.

2.Support proportionate procurement, supplier management and value‑for‑money decisions that balance quality, cost, risk, and social value.

3.Support the development, review and monitoring of reserves, cash management and investment approaches, helping trustees balance sustainability, risk and mission delivery.

4.Keep up to date with relevant charity finance, governance, accounting and regulatory developments, including charity SORP requirements, and advise the Chief Executive on implications and improvements.

5.Undertake other tasks to commensurate with the position as required.

Person Specification

Qualification

• Recognised professional finance qualification or equivalent senior finance experience, with a demonstrable commitment to continuing professional development and to maintaining up‑to‑date charity finance knowledge.

Knowledge and experience

• Strong practical experience of preparing management accounts, budgets, forecasts, cash flow information and financial reports for senior leaders, boards or committees.
• Sound understanding of charity or not‑for‑profit finance, including restricted and unrestricted funds, reserves, cost allocation, grant or contract reporting and funder requirements.
• Experience of maintaining effective financial controls, audit trails, risk management arrangements and good financial governance.
• Experience of day‑to‑day finance operations, including reconciliations, ledgers, payment processes, income recording, payroll checks and month‑end preparation.
• Experience of supporting, supervising or working closely with finance staff or colleagues to deliver accurate, timely and well‑organised finance processes.
• Confident use of finance systems, data and Excel to support reporting, forecasting, controls and decision‑making.
• Experience of working constructively with senior leaders, managers, auditors, funders or external advisers.
• Experience of charity accounts, charity SORP, statutory reporting or working directly with auditors on annual accounts.
• Experience of improving finance systems, processes, reporting tools or digital ways of working.

Skills and competencies

• Able to move confidently between strategic financial thinking and detailed operational problem‑solving.
• Strong analytical skills, with the ability to identify financial risks, trends, pressures and opportunities and turn them into practical advice.
• Clear and accessible communicator, able to explain financial information in non‑technical language and build confidence among non‑finance colleagues.
• Good judgement, accuracy and attention to detail, with the ability to balance compliance, confidentiality, timeliness and proportionate decision‑making.
• Organised and responsive, with the ability to manage deadlines, competing priorities and changing demands calmly and constructively.
• Collaborative and supportive leadership style, with the ability to set clear expectations, give helpful feedback and develop confidence in others.
• Curious and improvement‑focused, with the ability to simplify processes, strengthen routines and make financial information easier to use.

Personal Qualities

• Warm, calm and approachable, with the ability to create confidence in finance across the organisation.

• Comfortable with both responsibility and hands‑on work, bringing reliability, humility and a practical problem‑solving mindset.