Finance Manager

Home-Start Southwark and Lewisham; London; On-site; NOK 571,000 - 825,000; Full time

Job summary

Home-Start Southwark and Lewisham is seeking a proactive accountant to lead a growing charity's finance function. Part-qualified or fully qualified, you will own the organisation's financial systems, reporting and compliance, and collaborate with the CEO and senior leadership to shape finance strategy.

You will implement cloud-based accounting with AI-enabled features, design meaningful management reporting, and ensure compliance with SORP 2026 and Charity Commission requirements, enabling the

Qualifications

• Part-qualified or fully qualified accountant.
• Experience with cloud-based accounting and AI-enabled features.
• Familiarity with SORP 2026 and Charity Commission requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of an AI-assisted finance function for the charity.
• Own financial systems, reporting and compliance, including board-level interactions.
• Collaborate with the CEO and senior leadership to shape finance strategy over the next 6–12 months.

Skills

Cloud accounting

AI-enabled finance

Management reporting

Financial systems

Compliance

Board liaison

Education

Part-qualified accountant

ACCA/CIMA/CA

Job description

We are seeking a proactive, forward-thinking, part-qualified or qualified accountant to lead the development of an efficient, AI-assisted finance function for the charity. Reporting directly to the CEO, you will be part of Home-Start Southwark and Lewisham's senior leadership team, in the only finance-focussed role within the team, taking ownership of the organisation's financial systems, reporting, and compliance - and critically, you will have the opportunity to strategically shape how finance operates over the next 6-12 months.

This is a growth opportunity for someone who has an interest and belief in our work supporting local families and combines strong technical finance skills with curiosity about technology, a willingness to challenge existing ways of working, and the confidence to work at Board level. You will implement cloud-based accounting with AI-enabled features, design meaningful management reporting, and ensure the charity is fully compliant with SORP 2026 and Charity Commission requirements - all while keeping the CEO's time focused on leading the organisation, not managing the books.

Why this role matters now

This is not a maintenance role. We are looking for someone who wants to build something - to design and embed a finance function that is fit for a growing charity. You will have the rare opportunity to shape the tools, processes, and reporting frameworks from the ground up, working directly with the CEO to make finance a strategic enabler rather than an administrative burden.