Finance Director

Turning Lives Around; Leeds; On-site; GBP 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A nonprofit organization in Leeds is seeking a Finance Director to oversee all financial operations. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in financial management and will ensure compliance with legal standards while developing long-term strategies. The role includes leadership of the finance team and engagement with senior management.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience managing a finance department, including strategic and operational financial management.
• Understanding of business risk and management.
• Ability to communicate with non-financial colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement long-term financial strategies aligned with company goals.
• Ensure compliance with legal standards and regulations.
• Manage the finance department operations and budget.

Skills

Financial control procedures

Strong commercial acumen

Excellent people management

Strategic thinking

Negotiating skills

Education

Qualified Accountant (CCAB or equivalent)

Tools

Pyramid accounting software

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Word

Job description

Finance Director

Job description and person specification for the role at Turning Lives Around

LOCATION: Head Office: Photon House, Percy Street, Armley, LS12 1EL
HOURS: 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday
SALARY: £75,000 per annum
ACCOUNTABLE TO: Chief Executive
RESPONSIBLE FOR: Finance Team Leader, IT Manager, Properties Senior Manager

ORGANISATIONAL EXPECTATIONS:

Turning Lives Around aims to provide a high-quality service adhering to the principles of best practice, promoting equal opportunities, and working positively with diversity. It expects all its employees to carry out their duties in a professional manner with a client focus, ensuring respect and courtesy is shown to clients, colleagues, other service providers, and all those in contact with the organisation.

Outline of Post

Overall responsibility for the operation of Turning Lives Around's finance function, the management of effective financial planning and financial strategy. Provide vision, leadership, and the management ability to develop and implement a dynamic and effective financial strategy for Turning Lives Around. As a member of the Senior Management Team, the Finance Director also contributes to the strategic development of Turning Lives Around.

Responsibilities include:

Finance and Governance

• Strategic Financial Leadership: Develop and implement long-term financial strategies aligned with the organisation's goals and objectives.
• Regulatory Compliance: Ensure all accounting procedures meet legal standards and charitable regulations, particularly those relevant to Registered Providers.
• Investment Oversight: Manage investment activities to responsibly grow the organisation's financial portfolio.
• Collaboration: Work closely with other departments, including marketing, IT, and customer service, to support organisational objectives.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate financial risks to protect the organisation's assets.
• Fundraising and Grant Management: Experience in fundraising and grant management is desirable.

Property Acquisition and Management

• Advise on strategy for property acquisition and management, developing a clear strategy. Negotiate and manage the purchase of property by Turning Lives Around and manage ongoing maintenance arrangements for any property owned. Negotiate rents and contract management. Ensure the maintenance of client and public safety obligations for both us and the owners of properties used are properly met.

Procurement

• Develop and implement strategy for procurement of goods and services. In purchasing decisions, ensure that best value in any maintenance requirements is considered, and negotiate and manage arrangements for maintenance and safety of goods.

Other

• Report to the Executive and Supervisory Board members on key strategic issues. Represent Turning Lives Around at external events as agreed by the Chief Executive. Contribute to the maintenance and development of high-quality services in all aspects of the organisation's work and to maximising the effective use of resources. Take an active role in the Senior Management Team and demonstrate leadership in carrying out all aspects of the Finance Director's role. Carry out other duties as appropriate to the post or as determined by the Chief Executive. The Job Description is not fixed in content and will vary according to developments within the organisation. The Finance Director will be expected to work flexibly with those changes.

Main Tasks

Finance, including Payroll and Salaries

• Responsible for Turning Lives Around's financial strategy. Account for all income and expenditure of Turning Lives Around. Produce the annual accounts, submitting these for audit and provide up-to-date monthly information on income and expenditure. Direct the annual budgeting process, ensuring budgets are owned and understood locally and overall, they reflect Turning Lives Around's financial targets. Manage the organisation cash-flow and reserves and provide information as required. Deal with Turning Lives Around's banking links regarding cash-flow and investment of reserves. Ensure all funds within Turning Lives Around are properly managed and accounted for through the operation of appropriate systems. Ensure management information systems provide accurate, transparent, and timely reports. Ensure the finance department keeps proper records to monitor income and expenditure, correctly processes salaries, and accurately records tangible fixed assets, other assets, and liabilities. Ensure all key documentation is stored in a safe environment and manage the organisation’s archiving system. Advise on salary grades of existing and new staff ensuring these are consistent and competitive. Ensure salaries are correctly paid. Manage Turning Lives Around staff pension schemes. Ensure appropriate insurances for Turning Lives Around property, staff, and activities are procured and maintained. Attend and act as Principal Advisor to Turning Lives Around Senior Management Team, arranging meetings and taking or ensuring follow-up action. Take responsibility for completing statutory returns and meeting funding requirements in claiming and obtaining grants and other forms of income owing or available to Turning Lives Around. Provide funders with the financial and other information they require as conditions of funding and any additional information they may reasonably request. Undertake business and financial analysis as required including establishing annual cost improvement/renewal programme and maximise efficiency to give Turning Lives Around a competitive edge. Ensure annual accounts are prepared on time and they adhere to the requirements of the Charity Commission, Companies House, etc., and best practice. Liaise with external auditors. Provide information, advice, and guidance to Executive and Supervisory Board members to ensure effective governance. Support the Chief Executive and Senior Management Team in producing costed options for the tendering process. Monitor, and control funding for new developments, setting up any new budgets and accounting systems as necessary. Act as Turning Lives Around's holder of Service Contracts and Leases.

Property Acquisition and Management

• Advise on strategy for property acquisition and management, developing a clear strategy. Negotiate and manage the purchase of property by Turning Lives Around and manage ongoing maintenance arrangements for any property owned. Negotiate rents and contract management. Ensure the maintenance of client and public safety obligations for both us and the owners of properties used are properly met.

Administration

• Fulfil the role of Company Secretary for governance purposes. Ensure reporting to Companies House, the Charity Commission and any other regulators is done in a timely way. Oversee and ensure smooth operation of the finance function. Ensure effective high-quality customer service is offered by the Finance Department. Line manages the Finance Team Leader, IT Manager, Properties Senior Manager including regular supervision and appraisal in accordance with Turning Lives Around's Policies.

Procurement

• Develop and implement strategy for procurement of goods and services. In purchasing decisions, ensure that best value in any maintenance requirements is considered, and negotiate and manage arrangements for maintenance and safety of goods.

Other

• Report to the Executive and Supervisory Board members on key strategic issues. Represent Turning Lives Around at external events as agreed by the Chief Executive. Contribute to the maintenance and development of high-quality services in all aspects of the organisation's work and to maximising the effective use of resources. Take an active role in the Senior Management Team and demonstrate leadership in carrying out all aspects of the Finance Director's role. Carry out other duties as appropriate to the post or as determined by the Chief Executive. The Job Description is not fixed in content and will vary according to developments within the organisation. The Finance Director will be expected to work flexibly with those changes.

Person Specification

Detailed below are the essential and desirable criteria required of applicants for the above post. The ‘Essential Requirements’ indicate the minimum requirements, whilst the ‘Desirable Requirements’ are additional attributes to enable the applicant to perform the duties of the post more effectively, or with little or no training. They are not essential but may be used to distinguish between acceptable candidates.

Essential Requirements

Approach

• The relationship between the Board Members and the Executive Officers of Turning Lives Around lies at the heart of the success of the organisation. The successful candidate will communicate with all Board members openly and with integrity ensuring they receive the quality of information to enable them to carry out their governance role to the highest level. Ability to communicate with colleagues who are not financially trained or qualified. Ability to think, communicate, and act strategically. Ability to contribute to Corporate Management.

Experience

• Extensive experience of managing a finance department, including strategic and operational financial management. Experience of managing capital projects. Facilities and Asset management. An understanding and experience of business risk and management. Proven achievement in staff motivation, appraisal, and development.

Knowledge and Skills

• Extensive, expert knowledge of financial control procedures and systems. Understanding of contract compliance and other reporting requirements. Financial analysis of capital and revenue projects. Strong commercial acumen and negotiating skills. Strategic and business planning. Excellent people manager, able to motivate and keep performance focus. Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines. Skilled project manager. Strong written and verbal presentation skills. Highly experienced and skilled in accounting software (preferably Pyramid), Excel, Word, and other software. Proven achievement in customer care management. Proven management achievement in financial administration. Qualified Accountant minimum requirement CCAB or equivalent.

Behavioural and Other Job-Related Characteristics

• To respect confidentiality and work appropriately with confidential issues. To demonstrate commitment to your professional development. To demonstrate understanding of and commitment to the upholding of professional boundaries. To demonstrate commitment to the organisation's Equal Opportunities/Diversity Policy.

Desirable Requirements

Experience

• Experience in the social care/housing/voluntary sector. Understand the principles of Homelessness. Housing finance experience.