Head of Finance

The British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI); Grantown-on-Spey; Hybrid; GBP 22,000 - 34,000; Part time

Job summary

The British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI) in the UK is seeking a Head of Finance to lead financial management as the organisation transitions to its next chapter. The role combines strategic financial leadership with hands-on operational duties, including forecasting, budgeting, month-end close and robust controls.

You will work with the Chief Executive, the Executive Team and the Board, manage external accounting partners, drive data-driven reporting and ensure financial

Qualifications

• Significant financial management experience with hands-on operational finance ownership.
• Experience with payroll, supplier payments, debtor/creditor control and year-end or audits.
• Strong governance, reporting, and stakeholder-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day finance operations, including bookkeeping, invoicing and month-end close.
• Oversee financial governance, risk, forecasting and budgeting for BASI.
• Manage relationships with external accountants, auditors and authorities.
• Develop and improve finance processes, controls and data reporting.

Skills

Financial management

Bookkeeping

Budgeting

Forecasting

Payroll

Cash flow

Controls & audits

Stakeholder management

Education

Professional accounting qualification

Tools

Xero

Stripe

Wise

Power BI

Job description

The British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI)

Join us at a defining moment

BASI has come through a major period of change, and we’re now looking for people who want to help shape what comes next.

Since 2019, we’ve worked hard to modernise how BASI operates. The COVID-19 pandemic brought real disruption, but it also gave us a reason to rethink, rebuild and move forward. We’ve strengthened our governance, improved our technology, simplified our structure, protected our financial position and created a stronger platform for future growth.

Today, BASI is officially recognised as the UK’s professional awarding body for snowsports. We support instructors, work with partners, influence international standards and help people turn their passion for the mountains into a career.

Who thrives here?

BASI is a good fit for people who want their work to matter.

You’ll enjoy working here if you like solving practical problems, using evidence to make good decisions and taking responsibility for getting things done. We’re a small team, so people need to be comfortable rolling up their sleeves, working with autonomy and collaborating well with others.

We value curiosity, initiative, professional judgement and a genuine commitment to improving the experience of our members, partners and wider snowsports community.

The opportunity

This is a chance to join BASI at a point where the foundations are in place and the next chapter is ready to be built.

You’ll be part of a focused, ambitious team where your work will be visible and your contribution will count. You’ll help improve how BASI serves its members, supports instructors, works with partners and contributes to the future of snowsports education.

If you’re excited by meaningful work, practical change and being part of a community that loves what it does, we’d love to hear from you.

Help shape the next chapter of BASI.

Role Profile

Position: Head of Finance

Compensation: £45,000 pro rata

Work pattern: Part-time 50% of FTE, Pattern TBD

Reports to: Chief Executive

Location: UK Based/Hybrid, with travel as required

Responsible for: Leading BASI’s financial management and day-to-day finance operations, maintaining strong financial performance through accurate bookkeeping, forecasting, reporting, transaction control, cash management and budgetary discipline.

Working with: BASI Board of Directors; BASI Executive Team

Purpose

The Head of Finance is responsible for ensuring BASI remains financially sustainable, well controlled and able to invest in its strategic priorities. The role combines financial leadership with hands‑on ownership of operational finance, providing accurate reporting, robust controls and insightful analysis to support decision‑making across the Association.

Working closely with the Chief Executive, Executive Team, Board and Audit & Risk Subcommittee, the postholder will strengthen financial performance, rebuild and protect reserves, and bring operational finance activity currently supported externally into BASI without loss of control, timeliness or business continuity.

Key Areas of Responsibility

Financial Leadership & Planning

• Lead the annual budget cycle, rolling forecasts, scenario analysis and management reporting in partnership with the Chief Executive and functional heads.
• Monitor financial performance against agreed targets, explain material variances and recommend corrective action.
• Ensure management accounts and clear performance commentary are produced within 7 days of month-end.
• Provide practical financial insight to support organisational priorities, investment choices and sustainable growth
• Lead the quarterly Audit & Risk Subcommittee process, ensuring documentation is available at least two weeks before the meeting and outputs are ready for Board pre-reading at least two weeks before the relevant Board meeting.
• Support the Nomination & Remuneration Subcommittee as required, particularly with pay, benefits, workforce cost and affordability information.

Operational Finance

• Own day-to-day finance operations, including bookkeeping, ledger integrity, invoicing, reconciliations, supplier payments, payroll and month-end close.
• Maintain effective debtor, creditor, cash and expense controls, ensuring transactions are accurate, complete, appropriately authorised and auditable.
• Oversee Business Partner and ELCAS invoicing, credit control, refunds, deferred income and the accurate recognition of course and membership income.
• Manage the financial control elements of trainer and subcontractor payments, including non-standard arrangements and payment exceptions.

Systems & Process Improvement

• Act as business owner for Xero and the finance elements of Stripe, Stripe Connect, Wise, internet banking and related reporting integrations.
• Ensure regular human reconciliation of receipts, invoices, bank feeds and payment-platform data, resolving exceptions promptly.
• Maintain reliable finance data flows across Strapi, Stripe, Xero and Power BI so reporting is based on complete and validated information.
• Improve finance processes, documentation and controls while avoiding unnecessary bureaucracy, working with technology suppliers and internal colleagues where changes are required.

Financial Governance, Compliance & Risk

• Lead financial reporting and preparation for the Executive Team, Audit & Risk Subcommittee and Board, meeting agreed governance deadlines.
• Manage relationships with BASI’s external accountant and auditors and coordinate year-end schedules, audit evidence, statutory accounts, tax filings and accounting queries.
• Maintain proportionate controls over purchasing, supplier records, bank-detail changes, payroll, expenses, financial records and delegated authorities.
• Monitor and escal...

Cash, Reserves & Commercial Performance

• Maintain rolling cash-flow forecasts and provide clear advice on liquidity, working capital, reserves, deferred income and payment priorities.
• Monitor progress against the Board’s reserves expectations and recommend action where financial resilience or targets are at risk.
• Work with functional heads to strengthen budget ownership, forecast accuracy, purchasing discipline and financial accountability.
• Provide financial input into workforce costs, remuneration, insurance renewals, contracts, projects and significant commercial decisions.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Be the principal finance partner to the Chief Executive and a trusted adviser to the Executive Team and Board.
• Build constructive relationships with budget holders and translate financial information into clear, practical recommendations for non-finance colleagues.
• Lead the transition of operational finance into BASI, establishing an effective in-house operating rhythm while retaining appropriate external specialist support.
• Promote a culture of financial discipline, timely information, sound judgement and continuous improvement across the Association.

Key Relationships

• Chief Executive: financial strategy, cash, reserves, organisational performance, delegated authorities and Board reporting.
• Executive Team: budgets, forecasts, income, expenditure, projects, workforce costs and corrective action.
• Board and Audit & Risk Subcommittee: financial performance, assurance, risk and decision support.
• External accountant and auditors: statutory accounts, tax, audit and retained specialist advice.
• Company Secretary, external HR consultant and technology suppliers: statutory records, payroll inputs, systems, integrations and controls.

Required Skills & Experience

Essential

• Significant financial management experience combined with demonstrable hands‑on ownership of operational finance.
• Strong bookkeeping, month-end close, management accounting, budgeting, forecasting and cash-flow capability.
• Practical experience of accounting software and digital payment platforms, with the ability to oversee high-volume reconciliations.
• Experience of payroll, supplier payments, debtor and creditor control, financial controls and year-end or audit preparation.
• Strong analytical, governance, written communication and stakeholder-management skills.
• High attention to detail, sound professional judgement and the confidence to challenge incomplete or inadequately supported financial activity.

Desirable

• Professional accounting qualification or equivalent relevant experience.
• Experience in an awarding body, professional membership organisation, education, charity or not-for-profit environment.
• Experience of Xero, Stripe, Stripe Connect, Wise, Power BI, systems integration or bringing outsourced finance operations in-house.
• Experience of international payments, foreign currencies or contractor-heavy delivery models.

Selection Methodology

• CEO interview
• Work Sample