Fundraising Manager

Impact Invest; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

London office

Job summary

Impact Investing Institute is seeking a hands-on Finance Manager to lead management accounting, budgeting, forecasting and grants management. The role involves working with the Finance Director and cross-functional teams to ensure accurate financial information and strong controls.

The successful candidate will have strong accounting experience, knowledge of UK VAT, and proficiency in Xero and Excel. Hybrid working from London with an office and home-based arrangement is offered.

Qualifications

• Strong hands-on management accounting experience, including month-end and reconciliations.
• Experience with grants, funding or externally funded projects and related reporting.
• Ability to work with budget holders and non-finance colleagues.
• Professional accounting qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) preferred.
• Good knowledge of UK accounting, VAT and compliance obligations.

Responsibilities

• Lead monthly management accounting process and ensure timely reports.
• Manage month-end processes: journals, accruals, prepayments and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Support budgets/forecasts with variance analysis and commentary.
• Monitor grants/project budgets and provide financial reporting to funders.
• Oversee payroll, AP/AR, controls and audit readiness.
• Maintain Xero and drive continuous improvements in finance processes.

Skills

Management accounting

Budgeting

Forecasting

Grants funding

Stakeholder communication

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA

Tools

Xero

Excel

Job description

Location: Hybrid – London office and home working (up to 4 or 5 days per week)

Closing Date: 4 October 2026

Closing Time: 11:59 pm

About the role

The Impact Investing Institute is seeking an experienced, hands-on Finance Manager to play a central role in the effective management of the Institute’s finances.

This is a broad role combining management accounting, financial operations, budgeting and forecasting, and grants and project finance. The Finance Manager will be responsible for the smooth running of the Institute’s day-to-day finance function and provide high-quality financial information and insight to the Finance Director, budget holders and colleagues across the organisation.

The successful candidate will be comfortable operating across both the detail and the bigger picture: ensuring transactions, reconciliations and month-end processes are completed accurately, while also working closely with budget holders on forecasts, variances, grants and externally funded projects.

The role will work closely with the Finance Director, colleagues within the programme and central teams, and the external advisers on matters such as audit and tax. It would particularly suit someone who enjoys working in a small, purpose-led organisation, can operate independently and is motivated by improving the quality and usefulness of financial information and processes.

Key responsibilities

Management accounting, budgeting and forecasting

• Lead the monthly management accounting process, ensuring accurate and timely production of management information.
• Manage month-end processes, including journals, accruals, prepayments, deferred and accrued income, as well as balance sheet reconciliations.
• Support the Finance Director in the preparation and maintenance of budgets and forecasts, working closely with the Finance Director, budget holders, and project leads.
• Monitor actual expenditure against budgets and forecasts, investigate variances, and provide clear analysis and commentary.
• Produce management information and financial analysis to support effective decision-making and budget monitoring across the Institute.
• Support cash-flow forecasting and financial risk reporting.
• Develop effective relationships with budget holders, helping non-finance colleagues understand their budgets, forecasts and financial responsibilities.

Grants and project finance

• Support the development of grant and project budgets and associated financial forecasts.
• Monitor income and expenditure against individual grant and project budgets, identifying and communicating emerging variances or risks.
• Prepare financial information and reports required by funders, ensuring reporting deadlines and requirements are met.
• Maintain appropriate financial records and supporting documentation for grants and restricted or designated funding.
• Help ensure compliance with relevant funding agreements and financial conditions.
• Support colleagues in understanding the financial requirements associated with grants and externally funded projects.

Financial operations and control

• Manage accounts payable and receivable processes, ensuring invoices, payments, and receipts are processed accurately and on time.
• Maintain the integrity of the general ledger and ensure transactions are accurately recorded and appropriately supported.
• Complete regular bank and balance sheet reconciliations and investigate discrepancies promptly.
• Oversee employee expenses, ensuring claims comply with Institute policies and have appropriate supporting documentation.
• Oversee the provision of an accurate, compliant and timely payroll service, working with the Head of HR as appropriate.
• Maintain appropriate financial controls and ensure the Institute’s finance policies and procedures are followed.

Reporting, compliance and year-end

• Work closely with the Finance Director and external accountants on monthly, quarterly and annual financial reporting.
• Support the preparation of annual statutory accounts and the year-end close.
• Provide comprehensive support for the annual audit, including preparing schedules and documentation and responding to auditor queries.
• Prepare quarterly VAT returns, including relevant partial recovery calculations and supporting reconciliations, ensuring submissions are accurate and completed on time, working with external accountants and advisers where appropriate.
• Help ensure the Institute meets relevant accounting, tax, regulatory, and funder requirements and deadlines.
• Maintain high-quality financial records and an effective audit trail.

Systems and continuous improvement

• Maintain accurate financial information within Xero and other relevant systems.
• Identify opportunities to streamline, strengthen and automate finance processes and controls, particularly as the Institute has recently transitioned to operating an in-house finance function.
• Develop reporting and processes that make financial information accessible and useful to colleagues across the Institute.
• Maintain and, where appropriate, improve finance policies, procedures and documentation. Own the organisation’s Finance Procedures Manual.
• Undertake other financial analysis and projects as required, in coordination with the Finance Director.
• Show curiosity about the use of AI and other digital tools to improve efficiency, reduce manual effort and strengthen the finance function.

About you

We are looking for a finance professional who combines strong technical accounting skills with a practical and collaborative approach. You will be comfortable taking ownership of a broad finance remit in a small organisation and able to move confidently between detailed financial processes, management reporting and conversations with non-finance colleagues.

Experience and knowledge

You will ideally have:

• Strong hands-on management accounting experience, including management accounts, month-end, budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Experience of grants, funding or externally funded projects, including grant budgeting, forecasting, expenditure monitoring and financial or funder reporting.
• Experience of working directly with budget holders, project leads and other non-finance stakeholders.
• Experience of supporting year-end accounts and external audit.
• A good understanding of financial controls and the operation of an effective finance function.
• Experience of operating a finance function within a small organisation with responsibility for transactional finance, reconciliations and month-end processes.
• Strong Excel skills and proficiency in Xero or equivalent accounting systems. Experience of Xero is preferred for this role.
• Good working knowledge of UK accounting requirements, VAT regulations and relevant compliance obligations.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing priorities and deliver accurate work to deadlines.

Experience within a charity, not-for-profit, institute, research organisation or other purpose-led organisation would be highly desirable, as would experience gained within a smaller organisation where finance roles tend to be broad and hands-on.

Qualifications

A recognised professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA or CIMA) is preferred.

Personal attributes

The successful candidate will be:

Collaborative – able to build trusted relationships with colleagues, budget holders, project leads, external accountants and other stakeholders.

Clear and communicative – able to explain financial information to people without a finance background.

Accurate and organised – with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage deadlines and competing priorities.

Proactive – comfortable identifying issues and improvements rather than waiting to be directed.

Digitally curious – interested in using AI and other tools thoughtfully to improve efficiency, accuracy and ways of working.

Pragmatic and adaptable – willing to work across a broad range of finance activities in a small organisation.

Independent – able to take ownership of responsibilities and work with appropriate autonomy.

Trustworthy – demonstrating a high level of integrity, judgement and discretion when handling sensitive financial information.

Salary: £45,000–£54,000 per annum, full-time equivalent, within the Institute’s Manager salary band and depending on skills and experience.

Working pattern: The role is available for up to 4 or 5 days per week. We are open to discussing the working pattern with the successful candidate.

Location: Hybrid working/London office based.

Reporting to: Fractional Finance Director.

About the Impact Investing Institute

The Impact Investing Institute is an independent non-profit organisation reshaping capital markets so that private finance reaches the challenges that matter most – the energy transition, regional economic growth, and the prospects of future generations. We work with investors, policymakers, businesses and civil society to turn intent into practice, building the evidence, tools and conditions for a fairer, greener, more resilient future in the UK and globally.

We are a small and agile team with bold ambitions and a big impact. We achieve our impact through collaboration and co-creation: we work closely as a team and with secondees, volunteers, board members, and a network of external stakeholders across financial services, social investment, businesses, government and regulators.