Finance Director

NFP People; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 67,000 - 71,000; Full time

Job summary

A community-focused charity in Manchester is looking for a Finance Director to provide strategic financial leadership, manage financial operations, and support community programs. The ideal candidate has over 5 years in a senior finance role and a recognized finance qualification. You will lead a small finance team and advise on financial matters to ensure the charity achieves its mission while maintaining sustainability. This role offers a salary of £67,600 – £70,720 plus benefits and flexible working arrangements.

Benefits

5% employer pension contribution

27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays)

Medicash health plan

Group life assurance

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• 5+ years of demonstrable senior leadership experience in a charity or commercial setting.
• Proven track record in financial management, risk management, budgeting, and reporting.
• Experience in implementing system improvements and managing organisational change.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic financial leadership, advising the CEO and Trustees on key financial matters.
• Lead on financial management and control, ensuring high standards across reporting and compliance.
• Produce accurate financial reports and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Skills

Financial management

Leadership

Risk management

Budgeting

Communication skills

Education

Recognised finance qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)

Tools

Xero

Sage

Advanced Excel skills

Job description

Overview

Finance Director

We are looking for a highly skilled and strategic Finance Director to join the team, helping us build on the great work we’re already doing and achieve even more.

This is an exciting and pivotal time to join the charity as we continue our journey of rapid growth and scale, supporting communities in areas of high deprivation to give children and young people the best possible start in life.

Details

Position: Finance Director

Location: Contractually based from one of our offices with flexibility to work from home, subject to business requirements and line manager approval.

Salary: £67,600 – £70,720 per annum (plus 5% employer pension contribution, Medicash health plan, group life assurance, and 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays)

Hours: Full Time (37.5 hours per week, Monday–Friday)

Contract: Permanent

Closing Date: 3:00pm, Tuesday 30th September 2025

Interview Dates:

• First stage: Monday 6th October 2025
• Second stage: Thursday 9th October 2025

Role

The Finance Director will be both a hands-on and strategic role, working to ensure that the charity is making the greatest possible use of the resources available to it. You will lead the finance team (currently 2 FTEs) and work on financial planning, management and reporting, feeding into the Charity’s organisational and strategic goals and work closely with the Chief Executive, Senior Leadership and Leadership Teams to provide effective financial direction to the Finance Committee and the Board of Trustees.

This role will see you:

• Provide strategic financial leadership, advising the CEO, SLT, and Trustees on key financial matters.
• Lead on financial management and control, ensuring high standards across reporting, forecasting, and compliance.
• Produce accurate financial reports and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, including Charity SORP.
• Oversee budgeting and reserves management, ensuring the organisation maintains appropriate financial sustainability.
• Support programme and fundraising teams with financial insights, templates, and reporting.
• Lead financial risk management, procurement, and oversight of contracts and grant agreements.
• Manage, motivate, and develop the finance team, ensuring clear accountability and high performance.

If you are passionate about strategic leadership, financial excellence, and helping communities deliver better outcomes for children and young people, we would love to hear from you.

Qualifications

We are seeking a proactive, experienced, and qualified finance professional with:

• 5+ years of demonstrable senior leadership experience in a charity or commercial setting.
• A recognised finance qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent).
• A proven track record in financial management, risk management, budgeting, and reporting.
• Strong leadership and people management skills with the ability to develop high-performing teams.
• Experience in implementing system improvements and managing organisational change.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain financial information to non-financial audiences.
• Knowledge of Charity SORP (or willingness to develop this).
• Advanced Excel skills and experience using Xero, Sage, or similar systems.

Benefits

• 5% employer pension contribution
• 27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays)
• Medicash health plan
• Group life assurance
• Flexible working arrangements
• Commitment to wellbeing and professional development

Please upload your CV and a supporting statement outlining your motivation for applying and how you meet the criteria of the role (no more than 2 sides of A4).

About the Organisation

The charity works with communities in areas of high deprivation to remove barriers to education and create better outcomes for children and young people. Since launching in 2015, we’ve supported over 50,000 children and young people across 10 communities, with our approach described as “a potential template for community transformation nationally.” Since launching in 2015, we’ve been working with schools, colleges, and local authorities across Blackpool, Rochdale, Birkenhead, and the Liverpool City Region to build inclusive education systems and improve literacy.

We are an equal opportunities employer and particularly welcome applications from those with lived experience of the challenges our programmes seek to address. As a Disability Confident employer, we will provide any support needed in the recruitment process.

Other roles you may have experience in could include Finance Director, Director of Finance and Resources, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Head of Finance, Financial Controller, Finance and Operations Director, etc.

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