Finance Director

Altum Consulting; Greater London; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A global NGO in London is seeking an experienced Finance Director to lead all financial stewardship and compliance. This pivotal role requires overseeing substantial partner-related expenditure and ensuring robust financial governance. The ideal candidate will have significant senior financial leadership experience across both non-profit and commercial sectors, as well as strong communication skills and commercial acumen. This position is permanent and based in the office five days a week, with occasional flexibility for home working.

Qualifications

• 12-15+ years in senior financial leadership roles.
• Experience in both non-profit and commercial sectors.
• A proven track record in managing complex contract portfolios.

Responsibilities

• Lead all financial operations, ensuring governance and insight.
• Oversee payroll and compliance across multiple jurisdictions.
• Support the wind-down of the Dutch entity and asset transfers.
• Build and lead the finance team, shaping its structure.

Skills

Senior financial leadership experience

Managing complex contract portfolios

Experience across multiple regulatory environments

Grant and donor financial management

Strong communication skills

Commercial acumen

Resilience and pragmatism

Job description

We are pleased to be partnering with a unique and globally focused NGO as it strengthens its new UK base.
Operating at the intersection of independent media, governance and global security, the organisation channels funding, research and partnership support to organisations working in complex, fast-changing environments. As it transitions from a European structure to a UK-led one, it is seeking an experienced Finance Director to lead all financial stewardship, commercial management and multi-jurisdictional compliance.

This is a rare opportunity to join at a pivotal moment and help build the financial architecture, contract management function and organisational governance that will underpin the mission for years to come.

About the role

Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Finance Director will serve as the organisation's senior-most financial leader. You will oversee everything relating to financial flows, controls, reporting and risk, ensuring the organisation remains robust, compliant and strategically well-informed during a period of transition and growth.

A major part of the role involves managing substantial partner-related expenditure and the commercial arrangements that underpin it. You will oversee partner contracting, vendor procurement, commercial negotiations, financial due diligence and the governance of outsourced services. With the Dutch entity winding down and UK operations scaling up, you will manage financial compliance across two regulatory environments, working closely with specialist advisors in the UK, Netherlands and Austria.

This is a hands-on, senior leadership role suited to someone seasoned, commercially astute and unflappable - comfortable moving between high-level strategic planning and detailed financial oversight. As the organisation grows, you will also have the scope to design and shape your own finance function, which is expected to include a partnerships/contracts manager and two finance officers.

Key responsibilities

• Lead all financial operations including budgeting, forecasting, cashflow, banking and reporting, ensuring strong controls, governance and Board-ready insight.
• Oversee payroll, delivered via an outsourced provider, ensuring compliant and seamless financial flows across the organisation.
• Strengthen partner and vendor contracting, leading on negotiations, financial due diligence, risk assessment and cost modelling across a large and diverse portfolio of partner organisations.
• Oversee procurement, ensuring robust and competitive processes, effective vendor management and commercially sound contracts.
• Manage multi-jurisdictional financial compliance, particularly UK and Dutch reporting, VAT and regulatory requirements, coordinating closely with legal, tax and payroll advisors.
• Support the wind-down of the Dutch entity, including asset transfers, contracts and regulatory closure processes.
• Provide strategic financial leadership to the COO and CEO, contributing to long-term sustainability, scenario planning and organisational strategy.
• Build and lead the finance team, shaping its structure and developing capability in analysis, procurement and financial governance.
• Oversee grant and donor financial management, ensuring compliant reporting, cost recovery and financial tracking.
• Lead financial aspects of competitive bids, including pricing models, gross margin analysis and cost-per-head calculations for both grant-funded and commercial tenders.
• Step into broader organisational responsibilities when required, providing senior continuity across operations.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• Significant senior financial leadership experience (likely 12-15+ years), ideally spanning both non-profit and commercial environments.
• A track record in managing complex contract portfolios, partner relationships and procurement functions.
• Experience working across multiple regulatory environments, or the ability to quickly master Dutch VAT and reporting frameworks.
• Strong experience in grant and donor financial management, with excellent understanding of compliance and cost recovery.
• Proven ability to design or reshape teams, systems and financial controls in growing or evolving organisations.
  Exceptional communication skills, able to convey complex financial issues to boards, partners and senior stakeholders.
• Commercial acumen - confident navigating pricing models, bids, vendor negotiations and financial risk.
• Resilience, pragmatism and comfort with ambiguity in a mission-led, globally oriented organisation.

Key details

Salary: Competitive, commensurate with experience
Contract: Permanent
Location: London - 5 days in office, with occasional flexibility for home working
Start: As soon as possible
Team: Opportunity to shape your own structure, expected to include a partnerships/contracts manager and finance officers

This is a high-impact leadership role at a transformative moment for an international NGO. The Finance Director will play a central part in building the systems, governance and commercial foundations that enable the organisation to deliver complex and globally significant work. It will suit someone seasoned, strategic and hands-on - someone who enjoys solving problems, managing complexity and making things work properly.

Altum Consulting and our client are committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.

To apply or find out more, please submit your CV or contact us for a confidential conversation.