Head of Finance & Operations

Head of Finance & Operations

circa £60K plus companies benefits

London

Job purpose:

Working to the Finance and Operations Director, this is a senior role with significant authority. He/she will manage the finance and operations team and will be responsible for adherence to the review and implementation of financial controls and for providing high quality financial and management information. In addition, the post holder will be responsible for supporting the various Creative Skillset programmes and managing the funds team in the operation of awarding funding to third parties to deliver the training that supports industry needs.

Key responsibilities:

  Finance

• To formulate, implement and manage Creative Skillset’s systems and processes to maintain effective financial controls. 
• To ensure that the finances of the organisation are managed effectively within approved budgets, expenditure controls and cash flow. Ensuring the organisations assets are safeguarded and employed effectively. 
• Oversee the provision of all financial reporting information required by internal and external committees as required including, but not limited to, the Finance and Audit Committee and external stakeholders
• To prepare the annual statutory accounts and manage the audit process in liaison with external auditors, in compliance with Charity (SORP 2015/ FRS102).
• To ensure contractual arrangements are monitored and controlled and that they are only entered into when their commercial and financial consequences have been fully considered by the organisation.
• To oversee, manage and ensure compliance and effective reporting on Creative Skillset’s contracts whether in drawing funds from external bodies, or making grants from funds received or from Creative Skillset’s own funds.
• To advise on best practice in contract applications and bids in securing future funding.
• To ensure that contractual finance obligations are met and that funding is drawn down in an appropriate and timely manner.
• To develop organisational templates and procedures for the effective costing and recharging of activity in support of existing and future funding.
• To oversee the Treasury function within Creative Skillset, to ensure that appropriate management and control is maintained.
• Contribute to business planning and strategy

Projects and Investments

• Manage a team - working closely with the Sector leads to develop appropriate funding schemes and integrated systems and processes.
• Work with the Sector leads to ensure their proposed application and assessment guidelines are consistent.
• Leading the assessment of applications to the Investment Funds and making grant recommendations.
• Ensuring that all systems and procedures are responsive, timely, flexible, streamlined and as customer focussed as possible.

This job description is not intended to be either prescriptive or exhaustive. It is issued as a framework to outline the main areas of responsibility at the time of writing. Your manager will, in discussion with you, review the job description at appraisal. It is Creative Skillset’s intention to work with you to update and incorporate changes to your job description as required. However, if agreement cannot be reached, Creative Skillset reserves the right to impose changes.

Essential responsibilities and attributes:

• Qualified or experienced accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with knowledge of SORP accounting regulations
• Proven experience of working in a role involving managing, leading, building and maintaining effective internal and external partnerships and relationships.
• Excellent diplomacy and well developed negotiation and persuasion skills combined with sound judgement and decision making processes.
• Planning skills, with the ability to complete and finish tasks on time, to high standards and to budget.
• Experience of producing reports and other formal professional documentation.
• Excellent management and leadership skills, with the ability to effectively manage a team of people.
• Demonstrable understanding and practical application of financial controls
• Ability and experience of working hands-on as well as overseeing and taking an overview as a senior team member
• Financial/budget management skills and experience of resource allocation including performance measurements and value for money;
• Experience of the ‘not for profit’ sector.
• Practical knowledge of public sector accounting and financial management.
• VAT, ideally within a not for profit organisation.
• Adaptability and ability to work well in a team and also autonomously in a sometimes, pressurised environment, and to deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and persuasion skills, including presentation skills and the ability to interpret and convey complex quantitative and qualitative intelligence to a range of audiences.
• First class interpersonal skills and ability to deal sensitively with a variety of audiences and apply appropriate judgements.
• Ability to weigh arguments and substantiate judgements.
• Ability to write clearly and lucidly, with excellent report writing skills, including the drafting of formal documents and guidance.
• Ability to work on multiple strands of activity simultaneously and to be able to establish priorities and meet deadlines.
• Good eye for detail.
• Good technical knowledge and experience of applying accounting standards
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
• Ability and willingness to use and implement new techniques and/or tackle new challenges effectively.
• Excellent IT skills including the effective use of all MS Office products (Word, Advanced Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint).
• Knowledge of SUN Accounting system and Q&A reporting tool useful