Director of Operations – Finance & Support Services

Location: Dartington, Totnes TQ9, UK

Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, Monday‑Friday 08:30‑16:30

Salary: £51,663.00 – £59,597.00 per annum (DOE)

Closing Date: 19 July 2026

Job Reference: 0626/CEN/CT

Responsibilities

• Finance: Manage and maintain all financial aspects of the charity, including budgeting, forecasting, reporting, ledgers, balance sheets, bank reconciliations, debtor accounts, cash flow management, insurance, property and procurement. Take a lead on the development of financial and fundraising processes and strategies. Manage and be the main point of contact for all aspects of ESFA and DfE funding compliance and reporting. Lead a small team to deliver outstanding support to the charity and act as a key financial advisor to managers across the organisation. Produce clear and concise monthly management accounts and provide financial insights to senior managers and the Board of Trustees. Work closely with external auditors, preparing and overseeing our year‑end accounts.
• Operations: Ensure that charity governance and compliance is upheld by contributing to record maintenance, managing registers and supporting reviews of policies and procedures. Work with external IT partners to manage technology, ensuring the correct infrastructure, systems and processes are in place at the right time. Lead on IT security for the charity, implementing regular reviews to monitor compliance. Act as the Data Controller and manage all areas of data protection regulations, prioritising data security. Develop and review charity policies as necessary, ensuring alignment with best practices and legal requirements. Ensure compliance with Health and Safety policies, liaising with external advisors to maintain safety within the workplace.

Requirements

• Part‑qualified in ACCA, CIMA or ACA (fully qualified is a bonus) with significant experience.
• Proven leadership ability to inspire and develop a team.
• Expertise in financial management, from budgeting to reporting.
• Excellent communication skills, able to explain complex financial information to all audiences.
• Experience managing a broad portfolio, ideally including Health and Safety, IT, or facilities.
• Knowledge of governance frameworks and risk management.

Benefits

• Holiday entitlement of 33 days, inclusive of bank holidays.
• Fully funded DBS check and update service.
• Employee assistance programme to support mental and emotional health.

Legal and Equal Opportunities: Lifeworks is a Disability Confident Employer and encourages applications from individuals with disabilities. Qualified candidates with disabilities are guaranteed an interview. Lifeworks promotes safeguarding and robust safeguarding processes for children, young people and adults at risk. All staff undergo Safer Recruitment checks, including pre‑employment, reference, DBS and Barred List checks where applicable.