Chief Finance Officer

UNICEF; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

UNICEF UK is seeking an exceptional Chief Finance Officer to join the Executive Team in London, with part-home/part-office base. Reporting to the Chief Executive, you will shape organisational strategy, performance and sustainability, and help define UNICEF UK's future business model.

You will lead strategic financial planning, investment decisions and commercial growth, champion inclusion, governance, and resilience to maximise impact for children.

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with significant senior financial leadership experience.
• Strong strategic capability and commercial acumen.
• Experience in developing commercial ventures, partnerships or audience-led models.

Responsibilities

• Providing strategic financial leadership and commercial insight to the Chief Executive, Trustee Board and Executive Team.
• Executive leadership across Finance and the wider portfolio, including risk, governance, legal and facilities…
• Helping shape UNICEF UK's long-term growth strategy, including investment decisions, commercial partnerships and new income opportunities.
• Leading financial planning, forecasting, performance reporting and business case development.
• Working closely with colleagues across fundraising, marketing, partnerships, policy and digital to seize new opportunities whilst maintaining the highest standards of accountability and stewardship.
• Developing a high-performing, commercially minded team that supports innovation, transformation and growth.
• Playing a leading role as a member of the Executive Team, contributing to organisation-wide leadership, transformation and decision-making beyond the CFO's functional portfolio

Skills

Strategic finance leadership

Commercial insight

Executive leadership

Investment evaluation

Financial planning & analysis

Education

Qualified accountant

Job description

Are you a strategic finance leader who wants to help shape the future of one of the world's most recognised and trusted organisations?

UNICEF UK is the UK Committee for UNICEF, the world's leading organisation for children. We inspire and engage supporters, raise vital funds, champion children's rights and create lasting change for children in the UK and around the world. We employ over 400 colleagues in the UK and have an income exceeding £150m. At a time when conflict, climate change and inequality are affecting millions of children globally, our mission has never been more important.

This is an exciting moment to join us. UNICEF UK is entering a new strategic chapter, built around defending children's rights, growing our influence and diversifying how we generate income and impact. We have grown our income significantly through developing new commercial opportunities, expanding audience engagement, and building on the success of partnerships and ventures like Soccer Aid that have transformed our fundraising model.

We're now looking for an exceptional Chief Finance Officer to join us as a key member of the Executive Team. Reporting to our Chief Executive, you will play a central role in shaping organisational strategy, performance and sustainability. This is far more than a stewardship role. You will help define UNICEF UK's future business model, evaluate investment opportunities, support commercial growth and ensure we have the financial insight, governance and resilience required to deliver our new strategy and maximise our impact for children.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing strategic financial leadership and commercial insight to the Chief Executive, Trustee Board and Executive Team.
• Providing executive leadership across Finance and the wider portfolio, including risk, governance, legal and facilities…
• Helping shape UNICEF UK's long-term growth strategy, including investment decisions, commercial partnerships and new income opportunities.
• Leading financial planning, forecasting, performance reporting and business case development.
• Working closely with colleagues across fundraising, marketing, partnerships, policy and digital to seize new opportunities whilst maintaining the highest standards of accountability and stewardship.
• Developing a high-performing, commercially minded team that supports innovation, transformation and growth.
• Playing a leading role as a member of the Executive Team, contributing to organisation-wide leadership, transformation and decision-making beyond the CFO's functional portfolio

We're looking for a qualified accountant with significant senior financial leadership experience gained within complex organisational settings. You will bring strong strategic capability, commercial acumen and a track record of helping organisations grow income, adapt and innovate. Experience of developing commercial ventures, partnerships or audience-led business models will be attractive. As a leader, you will champion inclusion and model our values in all aspects of your work.

This is a rare opportunity to help shape the future of a globally respected organisation, influence decisions at the highest level, and ensure UNICEF UK continues to deliver life-changing impact for children around the world.

UNICEF UK promotes equality, diversity and inclusion in our workplace. We make employment decisions by matching business needs with skills and experience of candidates, irrespective of age, disability (including hidden disabilities), gender, gender identity or gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation.

Please bear in mind that when you write your response to our application questions, you demonstrate your knowledge, skills, and understanding of the role requirements and how well UNICEF UK's values and mission aligns with yours. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI) such as ChatGPT to generate your answers, will automatically exclude your application from our recruitment process.

Chief Finance Officer

Job Type Permanent

Location London (Part home/part office based)

Closing Date 11pm on Monday 12th October 2026

First Interview Date Thursday 12th November 2026

Informal virtual discussion with Chief Executive Week Commencing 23rd November 2026