Finance Officer jobs in United Kingdom

A respected and mission-driven international development and humanitarian charity is seeking a Programme Finance Officer to join their dynamic finance team on a fixed-term contract for one year. This is an exciting opportunity for someone to play a pivotal part in supporting diverse, high-impact programmes worldwide.

It would suit a finance professional with international NGO experience who thrives in a fast-paced and collaborative environment, working across both humanitarian response and development programming. It is a largely remote role, with the option to work from a Central London office and one day a month in London required for departmental meetings.

As a Programme Finance Officer, you will provide critical financial expertise across a diverse portfolio of grants and contracts, supporting both emergency response and longer-term development initiatives. You will work closely with colleagues in London and Country Offices, ensuring compliance, accuracy, and efficiency in donor-funded programme delivery.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Proposal and Bid Development: Advising on cost recovery, risk costing, donor compliance, exchange rates, and taxation; preparing UK-based cost inputs and developing detailed budgets.
• Programme Delivery Support: Assisting Country Offices with budget creation, monitoring spend (burn rates, KPIs, foreign exchange), and guiding award start-up through to close-out.
• Donor and Organisational Reporting: Producing donor-ready financial reports, supporting donor audits, and contributing to organisational reporting on matched funding, disallowances, and pipeline tracking.
• Process and Systems: Designing/adapting Excel-based financial templates, supporting adoption of PS Financials (with training provided), and liaising with Country Offices using SAP.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Building strong relationships across international teams, contributing to cross-departmental initiatives, and confidently managing consortium negotiations.

The ideal candidate will bring a mix of technical skill, adaptability, and confidence. Specifically, you will:

• Be part-qualified or fully qualified (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) or hold equivalent finance qualifications, with a sound knowledge of accounting principles.
• Have experience in budgeting, donor reporting, and proposal development within an international NGO or charity.
• Demonstrate familiarity with donor compliance (FCDO, EU, UN, and commercial contract frameworks).
• Be proficient in Excel (advanced skills highly desirable), with the ability to adapt and design templates efficiently.
• Possess excellent communication skills, able to work across diverse, international teams and confidently push back in negotiations when required.
• Thrive under pressure and remain calm during rapid-turnaround funding bids (e.g., 72-hour emergency fund applications).

We welcome applications from candidates without an international NGO background, provided bring strong adaptability, the right knowledge base, and a willingness to learn quickly.