Head of Finance

Brook Street; City Of London; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A public sector support agency is seeking an experienced Head of Finance to oversee financial operations and provide guidance to budget holders. This role involves budget preparation, compliance management, and team leadership, requiring a professional accounting qualification and extensive managerial experience. The ideal candidate will have knowledge of charity law and experience in an Academy setting.

Qualifications

• Professional accounting qualification is essential.
• Extensive experience at senior manager level required.
• Knowledge of charity law and governance is desired.

Responsibilities

• Oversee annual budget preparation.
• Prepare budget monitoring reports for various stakeholders.
• Manage treasury activities and cash flow.
• Ensure compliance and regularity with financial procedures.
• Lead on audit preparation and liaise with auditors.
• Prepare annual accounts and manage fixed asset register.

Skills

Professional accounting qualification (ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA)

Team leadership experience

Knowledge of charity law

Experience in Academy financial operations

Job description

We are pleased to be supporting one of our public sector clients who are currently seeking a highly skilled and experienced Head of Finance to support the Chief Financial Officer in ensuring the long‑term financial health by overseeing financial operations, managing compliance and regularity, managing risk, and providing financial guidance to budget holders.

As part of this, you will be active in annual budget preparation including provision of estimates, forecasting and projections; providing Budget monitoring reports for Trustees, SLT and budget holders monthly; and Treasury management including cash flow and investment activity. You will also line manage the Finance Manager who is responsible for a small team, which ensures the timely processing of all payments and checking of payroll

Responsibilities

• Annual Budget preparation including provision of estimates, forecasting and projections
• Budget monitoring reports for Trustees, SLT and budget holders on a monthly basis
• Treasury management including cash flow and investment activity
• Manage compliance and regularity procedures and report exceptions to the CFO
• Oversight of the payroll records for budget monitoring and audit purposes
• Advising budget holders on planning and monitoring of their budgets including
• recommendations for action when necessary
• Providing management reports when requested
• Prepare annual accounts, including reconciliation of prepayments and accruals
• Lead on audit preparation and liaising with auditors
• Drafting updates to the Financial Procedures and Financial Regulations
• Managing VAT procedures, reconciliation, and submission of claims on a monthly basis.
• Maintaining the Academy's Fixed Asset Register
• Assisting with the tendering process by providing advice and guidance to relevant budget holders
• Management of high value contracts
• Acting as an approver to authorise the bank payments

Qualifications

You will have a professional accounting qualification with membership of a recognised professional body, such as ICAEW, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA. You will also have extensive experience at a senior manager level, including team leadership. Experience of working in an Academy and knowledge of charity law, and governance would be desirable

Additional Information

Brook Street NMR is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.