Financial Controller
The Access Project
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
The Access Project is seeking a Financial Controller to build robust financial foundations, lead budgeting, forecasting, and business partnering across the organisation, and support strategic plans with the Chief Operating Officer.
This permanent, full-time role (37.5 hours, hybrid with a London office) offers exposure to charity governance, audit and fundraising finance, with scope for professional growth and flexible working arrangements.
Qualifications
- Qualified accountant with ACA/ACCA/CIMA or equivalent.
- Experience in not-for-profit sector is desirable.
- Strong business partnering and financial reporting experience.
Responsibilities
- Lead strategic financial plans and budgeting across the organisation.
- Produce monthly management accounts with variance analysis and commentary.
- Oversee month-end processes and balance sheet reconciliations.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Job Title: Financial Controller.
Salary: £47,000 to £52,000 depending on experience, plus £3,000 London Weighting (where applicable).
Recruitment window: 3 August - 2 September 2026 (could be closed sooner).
Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer.
Line management: Finance Team.
Contract: Permanent - full-time (37.5 hours, Monday to Friday). The Access Project welcomes reasonable requests for flexible working arrangements.
Job location: Hybrid/London office (those posted within commutable distance of London can be considered for the role and are welcome to apply).
Interview date: 11 & 14 September 2026 (potential for changes).
Start date: 1 October 2026.
Interview questions will focus on your experience that will be relevant to this job description as well as HOW you work. We want to understand technical expertise as well as how you work with people.
Summary of the interview process:
- In person: Interview with Chief Operating Officer and an Executive and/or Trustee.
- Focus areas will include strategic financial management experience, developing fit for purpose stakeholder reporting solutions including statutory reporting, experience of developing and maintaining a sound financial control framework, clear evidence of a cross-functional business partnering approach when delivering solutions.
- MS Teams: Staff Panel interview, facilitated by Chief Operating Officer.
- Focus areas will include evidence of a business partnering approach, demonstrable alignment with The Access Project mission and values.
This is an exciting role for a motivated self-starter, who is keen to make a key contribution to delivering financial strategy and has a well-rounded business partnering approach to delivering Finance solutions. The Access Project has ambitious plans to grow and is looking for a Financial Controller to build strong foundations in relation to financial literacy and commercial awareness across the organisation whilst working closely with the Executive. This role will be crucial in supporting the Chief Operating Officer to deliver strategic plans over the next five years.
This role will give you the opportunity to build strong relationships across the organisation and provide outstanding customer service to various stakeholders.
Given the relative size of the organisation, this is a broad role, encompassing many different aspects of Finance and therefore will provide an amazing opportunity for the right candidate to develop a broad Finance skillset.
- The Financial Controller will play a key role in managing strategic financial plans including supporting budget holders across the organisation.
- Leading budget preparation, implementation, variance analysis as well as forecasting cycles, including multi-year forecasts and financial models in line with the organisation's strategic goals.
- Enabling budget holders, through business partnering and training, to manage their own budgets effectively and make commercial decisions based on sound understanding of strategic financial drivers of the organisation and effective use of finance systems such as XLedger.
- Developing financial strategy and associated KPIs through bespoke financial models tracking effective use of funds.
- Working closely with the Sales and Partnerships team to ensure the accuracy of the in-year fundraising pipeline and future income projections.
- Supporting the Sales and Partnerships team with financial information for funding applications and producing financial reports to funders.
- Excellent understanding restricted funding, its implications and ensuring that spend is in line with requirements of funders and Charities SORP.
- Overseeing a successful month-end process including reviewing the work of the finance team and meeting reporting deadlines. This will include overseeing month-end journals and preparation of balance sheet reconciliations.
- Producing high-quality monthly management accounts with insightful variance analysis and commentary aimed at the Executive, FinCo and Trustees, including reporting on finance and fundraising KPIs.
- Managing the monthly payroll process and related financial controls in conjunction with outsourced payroll providers and the HR department to ensure staff are paid correctly and on time.
- Scrutinising all aspects of sound financial controls in the context of the operating model and regulatory requirements driving through use of technology to automate checks and balances.
- Optimising use of the accounting software (Xledger), through pro‑active maintenance, development and integration with relevant applications.
- Leading the annual audit successfully through pro‑active planning and preparation of substantive information and annual statutory accounts, resolve audit queries, play a key role in collation of information of the annual report with relevant stakeholders.
- Maintaining, regularly reviewing and updating organisational policies relating to finance.
- Ensuring The Access Project fulfils its obligations in relation to tax and other regulatory requirements.
- Managing rolling 12-month cash flow successfully and reducing reliance on a small number of financial institutions and inherent counterparty risk. Managing the organisation's portfolio in line with its investment policy and risk management procedures.
- Analysing monthly movements on short-term deposits and producing associated reporting to Executives and Trustees.
- Managing the organisation's portfolio in line with its investment policy and risk management procedures.
- Providing cover for finance team colleagues, as and when required.
- Undertaking other tasks and ad-hoc projects as requested by the Chief Operating Officer.
- Holds a professional accounting qualification (e.g. ACA/ACCA/CIMA), including newly qualified accountants with sufficient experience. Finance professionals that have sufficient relevant experience and are close to becoming fully qualified may also be considered.
- Outstanding attention to detail whilst being able to think strategically at the same time.
- Has substantial and relevant experience within the not-for-profit sector.
- Strong understanding of and practical application of Charities SORP and FRS102 requirements.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to adapt style to various stakeholders.
- Able to build effective relationships across the organisation, ensuring that budget holders are fully supported in relation to finance to enable them to effectively carry out the financial aspects of their roles.
- Able to effectively communicate complex financial matters to non-finance colleagues.
- Committed to driving and seeing through improvements within the finance team.
- Flexible approach to work and able to work well as part of a team and alone.
- Passionate about educational disadvantage and The Access Project's mission.
- Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
- A commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
- Committed to upholding a professional code of ethics.
- Demonstrable business partnering experience, preferably in a similar size organisation and business model.
- Strong financial control, management accounting and reporting experience.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to adapt and influence change.
- Advanced Excel skills and experience using a range of financial reporting tools.
- Experience of using a range of accounting software (Xledger desirable).
- Good working knowledge of MS Office programmes.
- Desire to pro‑actively learn about AI and its application to finance activities.
We believe that every young person should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and make the most of their education. We're passionate about reducing the educational barriers our students face, helping them to pursue a career in their chosen field and follow their dreams.
Our mission is to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds to access top universities, through a unique combination of tuition and in‑school mentoring. We work with them to make good applications, get the grades and transition to university.
The programme combats educational inequality and improves social mobility by raising students' grades and supporting them to understand the pathway to a top university. Students who receive support from our programme are more than twice as likely to attend top universities as statistically similar students, according to UCAS.
For more information including our values, why work for us and our team, please follow:
https://www.theaccessproject.org.uk/about-us/join-our-team
- 25 days annual leave p.a. (pro rata), Bank Holidays and Winter closure (5 days).
- PerkBox - offering nationwide shopping discounts, gym memberships, holidays, learning and much more.
- Employee Assistance Programme, a 24‑hour helpline for staff.
- Paid wellbeing day.
- Online Medical assistance - access 24/7 to a qualified GP within minutes, with referrals and prescriptions available same-day.
- Interest‑free travelcard loans.
- Cycles scheme loans.
- Two paid Volunteering Days.
- Employer's pensions contributions (3%).
- CPD options with a business case aligned with strategic objectives.
The Access Project is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Our safeguarding system is underpinned by a range of policies and procedures which encourage and promote safe working practice across the organisation.
The Access Project aspires to represent the diversity of communities across the UK at all levels of the organisation and proactively takes steps to support this. We are committed to creating a culture where the experiences and voices of people from marginalised backgrounds are listened to and valued; where their skills are appreciated; and where their talents are nurtured and encouraged.
The Access Project is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. If you believe you have most of the skills to fulfil the role we encourage you to apply. Amongst staff at our organisation, there is under‑representation of people who are Black, Asian or people from ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled, care‑experienced, from low socio‑economic backgrounds, and who are LGBTQIA+. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience in reference to our mission.
We are proud to be a Level 1 Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments please contact us.
The Rehabilitation of Offenders 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order 1986 applies to posts where there is access to children. This means that applicants for employment that involves working with children and young people must disclose anything listed in their criminal record, with the exception of protected cautions and convictions. All Disclosures are carried out in the strictest confidence and are made only in connection with your application for employment and for no other purpose. The application for a DBS check at a level appropriate to the job role will be activated before your first day of work. Members of staff who are not eligible for a standard or enhanced DBS check are required to undertake a basic DBS check only in line with legal requirements. If you are selected for appointment to the role, you will be subject to this procedure.
It is important to give full information, including the organisation you work in, or most recent employment if not currently working, full dates, address and explanation of any gaps in employment.
All appointments are subject to verification of employment and suitability of the candidate for the post applied for. We reserve the right to approach any previous employer for a reference and to verify their identity but will request your permission before doing so. If you have experience of working with children, please include this as one of your references.
- Ensure you give all the information requested, including dates, establishment where you studied and make clear the level of any examinations e.g., GCSE, GCE 'O' Level or 'A' Level or equivalents etc. and the grades you obtained. Also include any skills training you have had. You will be required to produce original documentary evidence of any qualifications relevant to the job, and these will be detailed on the person specification.
- Proof of qualification is required before the appointment is confirmed.
For further information about The Access Project, please see our website via: www.theaccessproject.org.uk or contact The Access Project on 020 4513 5999.
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