Head Of Finance

Job Title: Head of Finance
Salary: £45,000 to £50,000 depending on experience, plus £3,000 London Weighting if home base is in London
Closing Date: 5 January 2025
Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer
Line management: None at present but works closely with the Senior Finance and Operations Coordinator.
Contract: Permanent - full-time (37.5 hours, Monday to Friday). The Access Project welcomes reasonable requests for flexible working arrangements.
Job location: Hybrid (combination of London office and home working – does not exclude candidates from outside London)
Interview date: 15 & 17 January 2025

Start date: 31 January 2025

Application process:

The Access Project is partnering exclusively with Robertson Bell agency for this vacancy. Please submit your CV in application for this role to be considered, or call Katie Moore at Robertson Bell agency on 0203 889 4110.

Selection process:
There will be a test (via e-mail) to complete prior to the interview if your application is shortlisted to the interview stage (to be completed within approx. 1-1.5 hr).

Interview questions will focus on the candidates’ experience that will be relevant to this job description as well as the way the candidate prefers to work. We want to understand technical expertise as well as how the person works with people.

Summary of the interview process:

• In person: Interview with Chief Operating Officer and an Executive and/or Trustee.
• Focus areas will include strategic financial management experience, evidence of a business partnering approach across functions, fit for purpose reporting and experience of development and maintaining a sound financial control framework.
• MS Teams: Staff Panel interview, facilitated by Chief Operating Officer.
• Focus areas will include evidence of a business partnering approach, alignment with The Access Project mission and values.

About the role
This is an exciting role for a motivated self-starter, who is keen to make a key contribution to delivering financial strategy and has a well-rounded business partnering approach to Finance. The Access Project has ambitious plans to grow and is looking for a Head of Finance to build strong foundations in relation to financial literacy and commercial awareness across the organisation, working closely with the Executive and budget holders. This role will be crucial in supporting the Chief Operating Officer and Executive team to deliver strategic plans over the next five years and beyond.
This role will give you the opportunity to build strong relationships across the organisation and provide outstanding customer service to various stakeholders.

Given the relative size of the organisation, this is a broad role, encompassing many different aspects of Finance and therefore will provide an amazing opportunity for the right candidate to progress to the next stage of their career.

Role responsibilities - key elements of the role are as follows (not an exhaustive list):
Financial Management and Finance Business Partnering
The Head of Finance will play a key role in managing strategic financial plans including supporting budget holders across the organisation.

• Leading on the annual budgeting and forecasting cycles, including multi-year forecasts and financial models in line with the organisation’s strategic goals

• Enable budget holders, through business partnering and training, to manage their own budgets effectively, make strategic decisions based on sound financial understanding of strategic drivers of the organisation, and use finance systems for processes like expenses

• Developing The Access Project’s financial strategy and associated KPIs

• Working closely with the Sales and Partnerships team to ensure the accuracy of the in-year fundraising pipeline and future income projections

• Supporting the Sales and Partnerships team with financial information for funding applications and producing financial reports to funders

• Excellent understanding restricted funding, its implications and ensuring that spend is in line with requirements of funders and Charities SORP

• Providing on-going training and support to users of Xledger (accounting software) to optimise use of financial information for commercial decision making

Financial Control and Reporting
Be responsible for achieving and maintaining information of utmost integrity and completeness, enabling relevant and timely reporting addressing stakeholder requirements.

• Producing high-quality monthly management accounts with insightful commentary to the Executives, Finco and Trustees, including reporting on finance and fundraising KPIs
• Successfully managing the month-end process including reviewing the work of the Senior Finance and Operations Coordinator and meeting reporting deadlines. This will include posting of month-end journals and preparation of balance sheet reconciliations
• Maintaining, developing and automating all aspect of sound financial controls in the context of the operating model and regulatory requirements
• Optimise use of the accounting software (Xledger), through pro-active maintenance, upgrading and integration with relevant applications
• Lead the annual audit successfully through pro-active planning and preparation of substantive information and annual statutory accounts, resolve audit queries, play a key role in collation of information of the annual report with relevant stakeholders
• Manage the monthly payroll process and related financial controls in conjunction with outsourced payroll providers and the HR department to ensure staff are paid correctly and on time.
• Maintaining, regularly reviewing and updating organisational policies relating to finance
• Ensure The Access Project fulfils its obligations in relation to tax and other regulatory requirements.

Treasury management
Manage the investment strategy to optimise use of surplus cash resources and interest income, in line with policies and related risk management.

• Managing rolling 12-month cash flow successfully and reducing reliance on a small number of financial institutions and inherent counterparty risk.

• Analysing monthly movements on short-term deposits and producing associated reporting to Executives and Trustees

• Managing the organisation’s portfolio in line with its investment policy and risk management procedures

Other responsibilities

• Providing cover for the Senior Finance and Operations Coordinator, and Chief Operating Officer, as and when required

• Undertaking other tasks and ad-hoc projects as requested by the Chief Operating Officer

Person specification

• Holds a professional accounting qualification (e.g. ACA/ACCA/CIMA), including newly qualified accountants. Finance professionals that have sufficient relevant experience and is close to becoming fully qualified may also be considered

• Has substantial and relevant experience within the not-for-profit sector

• Strong understanding of Charities SORP (FRS102)

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to adapt a style to various stakeholders

• Able to build effective relationships across the organisation, ensuring that budget holders are fully supported in relation to finance to enable them to carry out the financial aspects of their roles effectively

• Able to effectively communicate complex financial matters to non-finance colleagues

• Outstanding attention to detail whilst being able to think strategically at the same time

• Committed to driving and seeing through improvements within the finance team

• Flexible and able to work well as part of a team and alone

• Passionate about educational disadvantage and The Access Project’s mission

• Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people

• A commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

• Committed to upholding a professional code of ethics

Skills and experience

• Demonstrable business partnering experience, preferably in a similar size organisation and business model

• Strong financial control, management accounting and reporting experience

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

• Ability to adapt and influence change

• Advanced Excel skills and experience using a range of financial reporting tools

• Experience of using a range of accounting software (Xledger desirable)

• Good working knowledge of MS Office programmes

About the organisation
We believe that every young person should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and make the most of their education. We’re passionate about reducing the educational barriers our students face, helping them to pursue a career in their chosen field and follow their dreams.
Our mission is to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds to access top universities, through a unique combination of tuition and in-school mentoring. We work with them to make good applications, get the grades and transition to university.
The programme combats educational inequality and improves social mobility by raising students’ grades and supporting them to understand the pathway to a top university. Students who receive support from our programme are more than twice as likely to attend top universities as statistically similar students, according to UCAS.
For more information including our values, why work for us and our team, please visit our website 
https://www.theaccessproject.org.uk/about-us/join-our-team

Benefits:

• 25 days annual leave p.a. (pro rata), Bank Holidays and Christmas closure (5 days).
• PerkBox – offering nationwide shopping discounts, gym memberships, holidays, learning and much more.
• Employee Assistance Programme, a 24-hour helpline for staff
• Online Medical assistance – access 24/7 to a qualified GP within minutes, with referrals and prescriptions available same-day.
• Interest-free travelcard loans
• Cycles scheme loans
• 3 paid Volunteering Days
• Employer’s pensions contributions (3%)
• CPD options with a business case aligned with strategic objectives

The Access Project Contact information
Please direct any queries to our email via: Sarah.Berry@theaccessproject.org.uk

For further information about The Access Project, please see our website via:

www.theaccessproject.org.ukor contact The Access Project on 020 4513 5999.

Safeguarding Statement
The Access Project is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Our safeguarding system is underpinned by a range of policies and procedures which encourage and promote safe working practice across the organisation.

Equal Opportunities Statement
The Access Project aspires to represent the diversity of communities across the UK at all levels of the organisation and proactively takes steps to support this. We are committed to creating a culture where the experiences and voices of people from marginalised backgrounds are listened to and valued; where their skills are appreciated; and where their talents are nurtured and encouraged.
The Access Project is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. If you believe you have most of the skills to fulfil the role we encourage you to apply. Amongst staff at our organization, there is under-representation of people who are Black, Asian or people from ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled, care-experienced, from low socio-economic backgrounds, and who are LGBTQIA+ . We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience in reference to our mission.
We are proud to be a Level 1 Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments please contact us.

Disclosure of a Criminal Record
The Rehabilitation of Offenders 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order 1986 applies to posts where there is access to children. This means that applicants for employment that involves working with children and young people must disclose anything listed in their criminal record, with the exception of protected cautions and convictions. All Disclosures are carried out in the strictest confidence and are made only in connection with your application for employment and for no other purpose. The application for a DBS check at a level appropriate to the job role will be activated before your first day of work. Members of staff who are not eligible for a standard or enhanced DBS check are required to undertake a basic DBS check only in line with legal requirements. If you are selected for appointment to the role, you will be subject to this procedure.

Present or most recent employment
It is important to give full information, including the organisation you work in, or most recent employment if not currently working, full dates, address and explanation of any gaps in employment.
References
All appointments are subject to verification of employment and suitability of the candidate for the post applied for. We reserve the right to approach any previous employer for a reference and to verify their identity but will request your permission before doing so. If you have experience of working with children, please include this as one of your references.

Education, Qualifications and Training:
Ensure you give all the information requested, including dates, establishment where you studied and make clear the level of any examinations e.g., GCSE, GCE 'O' Level or 'A' Level or equivalents etc. and the grades you obtained. Also include any skills training you have had. You will be required to produce original documentary evidence of any qualifications relevant to the job, and these will be detailed on the person specification.
Proof of qualification is required before the appointment is confirmed.