Senior Programme Finance Specialist (Part-time, 6-month FTC)

Care International UK; Greater London; On-site; GBP 23,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading humanitarian organization in the UK seeks a Senior Programme Finance Specialist for a part-time role over six months. The ideal candidate will have strong budgeting and financial analysis skills, able to manage complex proposals and grants. Key responsibilities include leadership in financial oversight, developing robust budgets, and ensuring compliance across diverse funding mechanisms. This position offers a meaningful opportunity to contribute to impactful global programs while maintaining strong financial integrity.

Qualifications

• Experienced programme finance professional with strong budgeting and financial analysis skills.
• Comfortable with complex proposal budgets and understanding donor compliance.
• Ability to clearly explain financial issues to non-finance colleagues.

Responsibilities

• Provide financial, contractual, and compliance leadership across programmes.
• Develop compliant budgets and financial narratives for proposals.
• Ensure robust financial design at proposal stage and oversight during delivery.

Skills

Budgeting

Financial analysis

Attention to detail

Excel proficiency

Job description

Senior Programme Finance Specialist (Part-time, 6-month FTC)

CARE International UK

Salary: £22,851 per annum (£45,703 FTE)

Contract Type: 6-month fixed term contract with possibility to extend up to 12 months, depending on funding.

Closing date: 18 January 2026 at 11pm

Interview date: TBC

About CARE

CARE International is a global humanitarian organisation leading the fight to end poverty in the world's most challenging situations. Women and girls are at the centre of our work, because we cannot overcome poverty and inequality until all people have equal rights and opportunities. We know that when a crisis erupts, women are often the first to pick up the pieces, so we work alongside women, so they have the power to make change where it's needed most. Founded in 1945, CARE currently works in over 100 countries and last year alone reached 53.4 million people through nearly 1,500 projects.

Why work for CARE International UK?

This is an excellent opportunity to join CARE International UK's Programme Management Team in a senior programme finance role at a time when the organisation is continuing to evolve how it funds and delivers programmes. The role sits at the heart of CARE's engagement with a wide range of institutional, corporate, and philanthropic donors and plays a critical role in ensuring programmes are well designed, financially robust, and compliant from proposal stage through delivery.

As Senior Programme Finance Specialist, you will work across diverse funding mechanisms, including traditional grants and commercial contracts, and collaborate closely with programme managers, country offices, and finance colleagues across the CARE confederation. The role offers meaningful exposure to complex programmes and innovative funding arrangements, as well as the opportunity to shape how CARE strengthens financial quality, risk management, and donor confidence across its portfolio.

About you

You are an experienced programme finance professional with strong budgeting and financial analysis skills and a track record of supporting proposals and managing grants for institutional and corporate donors. You are comfortable working on complex proposal budgets, including for commercial contracts and non-traditional funding mechanisms, and have a solid understanding of donor compliance requirements and cost recovery principles.

You bring excellent attention to detail, strong Excel skills, and the ability to explain financial and contractual issues clearly to non-finance colleagues. You are confident working independently across a mixed portfolio, supporting programmes across the full project lifecycle from proposal development and contracting through to delivery, reporting, and close-out. You share CARE's commitment to tackling structural inequality and are comfortable working in line with feminist leadership, localisation, and safeguarding principles.

About the role

The Senior Programme Finance Specialist provides senior financial, contractual, and compliance leadership across a mixed portfolio of programmes funded by institutional, corporate, and philanthropic donors. The role has a strong focus on programme funding and proposal development, working closely with Programme Funding colleagues, Programme Managers, and Country Offices to develop compliant, well-structured budgets and financial narratives.

Key objectives include ensuring robust financial design at proposal stage, effective financial oversight during delivery, and strong compliance and audit readiness across the portfolio. The role also contributes to financial risk management, supports contract negotiations and amendments, and provides technical advice and capacity strengthening to colleagues and partners. Strong budgeting capability, experience with institutional and corporate proposals, and the ability to work confidently with commercial contracts are central to success in this role.

Safeguarding

CARE International UK has a zero-tolerance approach to any abuse to, sexual harassment of or exploitation of, a vulnerable adult or child by any of our staff, representatives or partners. CARE International UK expects all staff to share this commitment through our Safeguarding Policy and our Code of Conduct. They are responsible for ensuring they understand and work within the remit of these policies throughout their time at CARE International UK.

All offers of employment at CARE International UK are subject to:

• Satisfactory references. CARE International UK participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from successful applicants' previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment.
• Appropriate criminal record checks (including a Bridger check).

By submitting an application, the applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.

Equality and Diversity

We are committed to Equality and value Diversity. We are a Disability Confident Employer and particularly welcome applications from disabled people. We guarantee interviews to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role (see person specification). If you require the candidate brief or need to submit your application in an alternative format, because of a disability, please do get in touch by sending an email to [e-mail].

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We particularly welcome applications from people of underrepresented backgrounds, including those from Black, Asian and other ethnic minority communities, and individuals who identify as LGBTQ+.

Right to Work in the UK

Following recent changes to Skilled Worker Visa eligibility, a number of roles have been removed from the immigration salary list.

Applicants residing outside of the UK may apply for this role if it is has an eligible occupation code, identifies as a 'higher skilled' job and meets the salary threshold. Before submitting your application, please review the latest Skilled Worker Visa guidance here.