Head of Finance

Brook Street NMR; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A public sector recruitment agency seeks a Head of Finance to support financial health and oversee operations. This role involves managing annual budgets, compliance procedures, and payroll oversight. Candidates should have a professional accounting qualification and extensive senior-level management experience, ideally with knowledge of charity law. The position includes leadership responsibilities and interaction with key stakeholders to ensure effective financial governance.

Qualifications

• Professional accounting qualification with a recognised body.
• Extensive experience at a senior manager level with team leadership.
• Desirable: experience in an Academy and knowledge of charity law.

Responsibilities

• Prepare annual budget, forecasting, and projections.
• Provide monthly budget monitoring reports.
• Manage compliance and report exceptions to the CFO.
• Oversee payroll records and team.
• Lead audit preparation and liaise with auditors.

Skills

Budget management

Compliance management

Financial reporting

Team leadership

Treasury management

Education

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

Job description

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.

Responsibilities

• Active in annual budget preparation including provision of estimates, forecasting and projections; advising budget holders on planning and monitoring of their budgets and providing recommendations for action when necessary.
• Provide budget monitoring reports for Trustees, Senior Leadership Team (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.
• Oversee the payroll records for budget monitoring and audit purposes, including responsibility for a small team that ensures timely processing of all payments and checking of payroll.
• Provide management reports when requested.
• Prepare annual accounts, including reconciliation of prepayments and accruals.
• Lead on audit preparation and liaison with auditors.
• Draft updates to the Financial Procedures and Financial Regulations.
• Manage VAT procedures, reconciliation, and submission of claims on a monthly basis.
• Maintain the Academy’s Fixed Asset Register.
• Assist with the tendering process by providing advice and guidance to relevant budget holders.
• Manage high‑value contracts.
• Act as an approver to authorise 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.

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