Finance Manager

HENRY DOUBLEDAY RESEARCH ASSOCIATION; Coventry; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Garden Organic is seeking a Finance Manager to lead the day-to-day operation of the finance function, manage a small team and deliver timely, accurate financial reporting with strong controls.

You will work closely with the Finance Director on budgeting, forecasting, cash flow, audit preparation and compliance, while providing financial insight to budget holders and non-finance colleagues across the charity.

Qualifications

• Experience in all aspects of financial management including management accounts, statutory accounts, cashflow, reporting and compliance.
• Experience with budgeting and forecasting with budget holders.
• Experience in charity sector and knowledge of charity SORP.
• Experience managing a small team with people management skills.
• Working knowledge of charity finances.

Responsibilities

• Own the production of monthly management accounts and supporting information.
• Develop project-level financial reporting and KPIs.
• Lead budgeting, forecasting, and cashflow monitoring.
• Support Finance Director with board reporting.
• Oversee payroll, Gift Aid, VAT, and donations compliance.
• Lead internal controls and audit preparation.
• Collaborate with non-finance colleagues as business partner.

Skills

Finance management

Governance & compliance

Communication skills

Analytical skills

Education

Qualified Accountant (CA/ACCA/CIMA)

Tools

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central

SharePoint

Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Garden Organic is looking for a Finance Manager to deliver the operational management of the finance department and line management of a small finance team.

Key Requirements: Garden Organic is looking for a Finance Manager to deliver the operational management of the finance department and line management of a small finance team. This is a hands-on role, combining day-to-day delivery, alongside supporting the Finance Director with finance data analysis, reporting and audit.

Hours: Full time (although 4 days a week would be considered)
Duration: Permanent
Salary: £35,000 to £40,000
Role subject to DBS Check: Yes

The charity:

Our organisation promotes the know-how and benefits of organic gardening to individual and community gardeners. Showing people how they can encourage ecosystems to flourish in their own growing space has never been more important to stem the decline of plant and insect species and aid nature’s recovery. Our work is set in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and we want to ensure Garden Organic is having demonstrable and measurable positive impact, in particular on SDG 15 – Life on Land.

We are a membership organisation, attracting individuals who want to find out how best to garden in harmony with nature. We work with private, public and voluntary sector organisations to promote organic growing. We have a good profile and reputation for our research, much of which is conducted as citizen science projects via our membership. We are the home of the Heritage Seed Library – a living collection of vegetable seeds which would otherwise have gone extinct.

Overall purpose of the role:

Garden Organic is looking for a Finance Manager to lead the day-to-day operation of the Finance function, ensuring timely, accurate and insightful financial information, strong financial controls and effective support to budget holders across the organisation. The postholder will manage and develop the finance team and take ownership of month-end reporting, financial operations, forecasting processes, cash-flow monitoring, audit preparation and financial systems.
Working closely with the Finance Director, the Finance Manager will translate financial information into clear management insight, challenge financial performance where appropriate and ensure that finance processes support the organization’s strategic and operational objectives. The role is hands-on and requires a proactive finance professional who can operate independently, solve problems and build effective relationships with non-finance colleagues.

This role demands the proactive and efficient management of the finance function to deliver financial and management accounts & reporting along with all aspects of contractual and financial regulatory compliance and a keen focus on growth, efficiency and opportunities to increase revenue.

What we are looking for

Our ideal candidate will bring energy and enthusiasm to the role as well as proven experience in the fields of finance management, governance and compliance together with a willingness to learn. You will ideally be a qualified Accountant, or with demonstrable qualification by experience, along with evidence of continued professional development and commitment to staying abreast of current financial practice and regulation. The ideal candidate will be able to work independently with minimal supervision, will be comfortable with responsibility and decision-making where needed, and will have a proactive, curious and can-do approach.

Responsibilities & Main Duties:

• Own the production of monthly management accounts and supporting management information, including review and posting of journals, ledger management, adjustments, and balance sheet reconciliations, ensuring timely and accurate reporting ensuring reports clearly distinguish income, expenditure, contribution to core costs and cash movements.
• Develop and maintain project and activity-level financial reporting, including staff and non-staff expenditure, direct and indirect costs, contribution to core costs and relevant performance indicators.
• Maintain the income planner and support high-level forecasting, ensuring pipeline information is translated into appropriate financial forecasts.
• Work with budget holders to explain financial performance, investigate significant variances and identify corrective actions.
• Support the Finance Director in preparing financial information for the Executive Team and Board.
• Oversee day-to-day financial operations, including payroll, Gift Aid, VAT, membership income, donations, and other charitable income streams, ensuring compliance with relevant regulations.
• Lead the budgeting and forecasting cycle, working collaboratively with budget holders to develop accurate and meaningful financial plans.

Team Leadership & Business Partnering

• Line manages and develops the Finance team, including recruitment, onboarding, performance management, coaching, and workload planning.
• Act as a trusted business partner across the organization, providing financial insight, guidance, and training to non-finance colleagues.
• Support managers in assessing the financial viability of new initiatives, ensuring full cost recovery and sustainable planning.

Systems, Controls & Audit

• Lead on the implementation and optimization of financial systems (e.g. Business Central, SharePoint), ensuring best practice and effective use across the organisation.
• Maintain and continuously improve financial controls, ensuring they are robust, proportionate, and fit for purpose.
• Lead the preparation for the annual audit, acting as the primary contact for auditors and ensure all documentation is complete and audit ready.
• Manage relationships with external stakeholders including auditors, banks, payroll providers, pension providers, and insurers.
• Oversee income management across fundraising, grants, trading, and membership streams, ensuring accurate recording, allocation, and compliance with donor restrictions.
• Support fundraising activities, including financial input into grant applications, reporting, and maximising tax-efficient income (e.g. Gift Aid).
• Support departments with project budgets, cashflows and grant applications.
• Oversee membership income processing (Direct Debit, card, online, and bank transfers), ensuring accurate reconciliation between finance systems and CRM.
• Ensure timely reconciliation of subscription income, debtors, and deferred income, including appropriate adjustments and write-offs.
• Work closely with the membership team to provide analysis and reporting to support performance and governance.

Risk, Governance & Compliance

• Support the Director of Finance and Corporate Resources in maintaining strong internal controls, governance frameworks, and assurance processes.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant financial, legal, and regulatory requirements, including charity and tax regulations.
• Assist in monitoring compliance with supplier, landlord, and service delivery contracts.

General

• It is the nature of the work of Garden Organic that tasks and responsibilities are, in some circumstances, unpredictable and varied. All employees are expected to work in a flexible way when the occasion arises where tasks are not specifically covered in the Job Description and have to be undertaken.
• A valid UK driving license would be useful.

Person Specification:

Experience

Experience of all aspects of financial management including management accounts, statutory accounts, cashflow, reporting and compliance.

Yes

Experience of working with budget holders to produce annual budget and forecasts.

Yes

Experience of working in charity sector (Membership, grants and government funding projects) and knowledge of charity SORP.

Yes

Experience of statutory reporting, contract compliance, annual accounts (VAT, Pension, PAYE etc.) in charity or public sector organization.

Experience of managing a small team, with strong people management skills, and an ability to prioritise, deal with issues, delegate, coach and lead by example

Yes

Yes

Knowledge and Skills

Excellent IT skills including the use of (MS Dynamics 365) Business Central and Microsoft Office (Excel and Power point), SharePoint

Yes

Excellent written and oral communications skills, including ability to communicate clearly.

Yes

Good financial analysis skills to examine financial consequences of proposals and plans.

Yes

Highly organised, self-motivated team player with excellent attention to detail and able to work with minimum supervision.

Yes

At least part qualified or qualified by experience ideally with working knowledge of charity finances.

Recruitment Timetable

Recruitment Timetable:

At Garden Organic we embrace diversity and recognise the value it brings to our organisation. As such, we match charity needs with the skills and experience of candidates and welcome candidates from various backgrounds irrespective of age, disability, gender, gender identity or reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief or sexual orientation. We are committed to fostering an inclusive workplace and take pride in ensuring that everyone feels welcome, respected and empowered.

Garden Organic is also a Disability Confident Employer and aims to create opportunities wherever possible. It should be noted that some of our roles require travel and attendance at events where accessibility arrangements will vary.

Safer Recruitment:

Garden Organic is also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects employees, associates and volunteers to share this commitment. We may require some candidates to undertake a DBS check relevant to the requirements of the role.

Please note that we only accept applications from individuals with the right to work in the UK. We are unable to sponsor working visa applications.