Director of Finance & Operations

Bliss is the UK’s leading neonatal charity: our vision is that every baby born premature or sick has the best chance of survival and quality of life.

We now seek a new Director of Finance and Operations to join our passionate, collaborative and inspirational charity. You will join us as we embark on the process of developing plans for our next strategic period, which will build on our achievements to date in making the biggest difference possible for babies born premature or sick across the UK. As a key member of the Senior Management Team, you will work closely with other colleagues and the Board of Trustees to help deliver our strategy across the organisation.

Role Summary

• Title: Director of Finance & Operations
• Location: Hybrid (minimum 2 days/week in Bliss Head Office, London SE1)
• Salary: £75,000 FTE
• Terms: 28-35 hours a week, Permanent role

The successful candidate will lead all aspects of Bliss’ financial management, including our strategic approach to financial and business planning as well as supporting effective delivery of our day-to-day financial systems and processes. You will also have overall responsibility for Bliss’ core organisational support functions of HR, IT, and facilities.

We are looking for an exceptional candidate who:

• Is a CCAB qualified (or equivalent) team leader with outstanding communication and interpersonal skills

• Has significant accountancy experience, with knowledge and experience of charity finance

• Has a good understanding of the financial and governance aspects of a charity, particularly the application of Charity SORP

• Has a strong understanding of business functions including HR, contract management, IT systems, and office and administrative processes

• Will enjoy working collaboratively across an organisation to drive business planning and performance.

• Has the ability to motivate, manage performance and support professional development within the Finance and Operations team.

If you believe your skills and experience align with this position, and you are passionate about improving outcomes for sick and premature babies, then we would very much like to hear from you. We offer a generous package of benefits, including a positive approach to agile working, and are a vibrant organisation, dedicated to the cause but also to supporting each other and learning as we work. If you don’t meet all the requirements but feel that you have transferrable skills, please do apply and use your application to illustrate this.

Bliss recognises the positive value of diversity, promotes equity and challenges discrimination. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds, including applications from Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority communities, people who identify as having a disability, and LGB+, Trans and non-binary candidates.

For more details, please view the job description and person specification attached to this advert

How to Apply

Please email a covering letter explaining why you are interested in this role and what you could bring to it - with reference to the person specification in this job description - together with your CV 

Recruitment Timeline 

• The deadline for applications is 9am on Monday 22nd July
• First round interviews will be held virtually on Thursday 25th July
• Second round interviews will be in person at our London Bridge offices on Tuesday 30th July

We recognise that interviews are due to take place during summer holiday season. If you aren’t able to make the interview dates above, but are interested in the role, please do still apply and let us know your interview availability during this period.

It is Bliss’ policy not to contact applicants who have not been invited for an interview so if you have not heard from us three weeks after the closing deadline, you should assume that your application has been unsuccessful.