Chief Finance Officer

NFP PEOPLE; Chichester; On-site; GBP 60,000; Part time

Job summary

A prestigious Cathedral organization in Chichester is seeking a Chief Finance Officer to provide strategic financial leadership. This pivotal part-time role involves overseeing financial health, managing risks, and ensuring compliance with charity regulations while developing new income streams. The ideal candidate must have a recognized accounting qualification and senior-level experience in financial leadership, especially within a charity or heritage setting. Benefits include a pension contribution, generous leave, and flexible working opportunities.

Benefits

Pension contribution

Pro rata of 34 days’ leave, including bank holidays

Employee Assistance Programme

Free onsite parking

Flexible working opportunities

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with senior level experience in financial leadership within a charity or heritage setting.
• Strong commercial awareness and expertise in income generation.
• Excellent stakeholder influence and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead financial strategy and planning across all Cathedral entities.
• Manage financial risk and cash flow forecasting.
• Oversee financial oversight for new projects and compliance with regulations.

Skills

Strategic financial leadership

Income generation

Financial risk management

Budgeting and forecasting

Excellent communication skills

Collaboration and people management

Education

ACA, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA qualification

Tools

Xero

Job description

Chief Finance Officer

We are seeking a Chief Finance Officer who will provide strategic financial leadership, playing a pivotal role in securing the long‑term sustainability of this nationally significant Cathedral.

Position: Chief Finance Officer

Location: Chichester/Hybrid

Hours: Part‑time (21 hours per week)

Salary: £60,000 pro rata

Contract: Permanent

Benefits: Pension contribution, pro rata of 34 days’ leave including bank holidays, Employee Assistance Programme, free onsite parking, and flexible working opportunities

Closing Date: Monday 2 February 2026

Interviews: First interviews will take place in person in Chichester on Tuesday 10 February

The Role

This is a pivotal senior leadership role with responsibility for the overall financial health, sustainability and strategic direction of the Cathedral. Working closely with the Chief Operating Officer, Chapter and senior colleagues, you will provide robust financial leadership while supporting income generation, investment planning and effective use of resources across a complex charity operation.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading financial strategy, planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting across all Cathedral entities
• Overseeing monthly management accounts, statutory reporting and audit processes
• Managing financial risk, cash flow forecasting and investment of liquid funds
• Supporting and advising trustees and committees with clear financial analysis
• Identifying and developing new income streams including commercial activity, grants and fundraising
• Providing financial oversight for new projects and strategic initiatives
• Ensuring compliance with Charity Commission and Church of England financial requirements
• Managing and developing the finance team
• Overseeing IT strategy and third party service providers to ensure value for money

A copy of the job description is available once you click to apply.

About You

You will be a qualified accountant with senior level experience and the confidence to operate both strategically and hands on within a values‑led organisation.

You will bring:

• A recognised accounting qualification such as ACA, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA
• Recent senior financial leadership experience, ideally within a charity or heritage setting
• Strong commercial awareness and experience of income generation
• Proven expertise in budgeting, forecasting and financial planning
• Experience of financial risk management and investment decision making
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to influence a wide range of stakeholders
• A collaborative leadership style with strong people management skills
• The ability to manage competing priorities and multiple projects effectively
• Experience of Xero or the ability to learn new systems quickly

You do not need to be a member of the Church of England but should be in sympathy with the organisation’s mission and values.

About the Organisation

The Cathedral is a living, working place of worship that has been at the centre of life in Chichester for over nine centuries. It is the Mother Church of the Diocese, which covers East and West Sussex and it is also a visitor attraction, a venue for music and the arts and an all‑round hub for the community welcoming over 350,000 visitors each year. Staff do not have to be Christian, but you should understand the Christian mission.

You may also have experience in areas such as CFO, Chief Finance Officer, COO, Director of Finance, Finance Manager, Financial Controller, Director of Corporate Services, Corporate Services Director, Head of Finance, Head of Resources.

PLEASE NOTE: This role is being advertised by NFP People on behalf of the organisation.