Head of Finance

Cathedral Appointments | B Corp™; Exeter; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Cathedral Appointments is recruiting on behalf of a well-established charity based in Exeter for a Head of Finance on a fixed term contract. You will lead the finance function and provide strategic financial management.

The role requires CCAB qualified senior finance professional with board-level communication, leadership, and a track record in budgeting, VAT, payroll, and statutory reporting. It is an office-based, full-time post with opportunities to shape financial governance.

Qualifications

• CCAB qualified (or equivalent)
• Senior finance experience with a team
• Strong strategic planning and budgeting
• Experience with VAT, HMRC and statutory accounts
• Charity sector experience beneficial

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the finance team to meet objectives
• Provide financial advice to ensure regulatory compliance
• Produce reports and board-level analysis for planning and risk
• Manage the finance budget and monitor income/expenses
• Prepare monthly management accounts and reporting
• Oversee procurement controls for high-value purchases
• Lead payroll and maintain robust financial controls
• Ensure timely statutory submissions to HMRC and others

Skills

Leadership

Financial planning

Budgeting

Financial reporting

VAT & payroll knowledge

Procurement

Contract negotiation

Charity finance

Education

CCAB qualified

Charity sector experience

Tools

Payroll systems

Accounting software

Job description

Cathedral Appointments is recruiting on behalf of a well-established charity based in Exeter, seeking an experienced Head of Finance to lead their finance function on a fixed term contract basis. This is an excellent opportunity for a senior finance professional to bring strong technical and leadership skills to an organisation with a genuine social purpose.

The Role

Reporting into the senior finance leadership team, the Head of Finance will take ownership of the day to day running of the finance function, providing strong technical and commercial input to support sound financial management and control across the organisation. This role would suit a qualified finance professional with substantial senior level experience, strong people leadership skills and the confidence to operate and communicate at Board level.

Responsibilities for the Head of Finance:

• Lead and manage the finance team, ensuring the right capability, resources and professional development to meet operational objectives
• Provide specialist financial and technical advice to support compliance with relevant UK financial regulations and recognised good practice
• Produce reports, analysis and evaluation for senior leadership and the Board, providing assurance on financial planning, budgetary control and risk mitigation
• Take ownership of the finance team's budget, ensuring robust planning and monitoring of income and expenditure
• Produce and maintain monthly management accounts, delivering accurate and timely financial reporting
• Manage procurement activity, ensuring appropriate controls and support for high risk and high value purchases
• Lead the payroll function and implement robust financial controls, ensuring accurate, timely and secure processing
• Ensure timely and accurate statutory submissions to HMRC and other relevant government bodies

Requirements for the Head of Finance include:

• CCAB qualified (or equivalent expertise gained through study and experience), with a genuine commitment to continuing professional development
• Substantial senior level experience as a finance professional, including significant experience managing a finance team
• A strong track record of strategic financial planning and budgetary control
• Advanced knowledge of VAT, HMRC, payroll regulations and statutory accounts requirements
• Highly developed leadership, negotiation and commercial skills, with the confidence to communicate effectively at Board level
• Experience of procurement, tender processes and contract negotiation would be an advantage
• Prior experience within a charity finance function, and familiarity with Charities SORP, would be beneficial
• Own transport and the flexibility to travel to other sites as required
• Competitive salary of £50,000 – £55,000, dependent on experience
• Full time, office based role in Exeter
• The opportunity to lead and shape a finance function within a well-regarded organisation
• Genuine autonomy and influence at a senior level, working closely with the Board and senior leadership team
• A fixed term contract offering an immediate and meaningful leadership opportunity

If you are an experienced finance leader looking for a rewarding new challenge within a purpose driven organisation, we would love to hear from you.

Note on Sponsorship:

We regret to inform you that at this time, we are unable to offer sponsorship for work authorisation for this role. Therefore, candidates must possess valid authorisation to work in the UK without requiring visa sponsorship.