Lead for Finance and Operations

As a key member of the senior management team, the Finance and Operations Lead will ensure that the charity has robust financial management and oversight at all levels of the operation, along with responsibility for several key operations across the organisation to ensure the smooth running of the Hearts Milk Bank services. These will include procurement, HR processes, IT, volunteer management and support with event planning. You will be an integral part of a supportive team. The Human Milk Foundation aims to be a nurturing environment which focuses on personal development, and we encourage developing independence and autonomy alongside the support of senior team members. You will ideally have an understanding of the work we do at the Human Milk Foundation and Hearts Milk Bank and the role in supporting infant and maternal health that milk banking plays. Support will be offered by the charity in the form of training, supervision and regular opportunities to gain new skills.

Key roles and responsibilities:

• Management of the organisation’s daily financial operations.

• Ensuring that sound and timely financial advice and information is provided internally and externally to provide a transparent picture of the Charity’s financial status.

• Ensuring that key financial policies, processes, systems, and practices are in place to ensure robust financial decision-making, budget setting, resource allocation and financial performance monitoring at all levels of the charity.

• Oversight of income funds to ensure correct use of funds and ease of reporting back to funders, and correct allocation between restricted and unrestricted funds.

• Maintenance of monthly bookkeeping and running of management information, currently on Xero, and related financial systems.

• Running of the monthly payroll and pensions.

• Working with the HMF Treasurer to ensure that all statutory reporting requirements are met, to include preparation of annual accounts, SORP accounts and audit returns, including completion of returns for Companies House and Charity Commission.

• Management of external relationships with finance-related partners.

• Overseeing operational excellence within the HMB and HMF teams to ensure all projects are delivered to the highest standard in line with objectives, budgets and KPIs.

• Development of strategic and operational plans and projects.

• Development of reporting and analysis to support improved operational efficiencies.

• Working closely with human resources to lead with integrity and establish and maintain a trusting, inclusive, and productive environment.

• Carrying out regular reviews of HMF and HMB policies, documents, and SOPs.

• Promoting and maintaining Health & Safety to comply with business and legislative requirements.

• Acting as a point of escalation for troubleshooting across the office team, providing robust communication and a suitable plan of action to resolve issues or concerns.

• Recruiting, coordinating, and managing a team of volunteers, providing training, support and developmental opportunities.

Roles in the Human Milk Foundation may flex or change over time. Some elements of this job description may develop and others may be less relevant as the organisation changes and in line with any developing career interests of the successful candidate.

Requirements

Candidates/post holders will be expected to demonstrate the following:

Essential (E) | Desirable (D)

Education

• Degree education or equivalent - (E)
• Book keeping qualification or equivalent - (E)
• Accountancy qualification such as ACA, FCA or CIMA - (D)

Knowledge & Experience

• Proven experience of working with a range of stakeholders - (E)
• Minimum of 2 years working within a small/medium organisation - (E)
• Strategic budget management within a challenging resource environment - (E)
• Strong understanding of the statutory requirements for accounting procedures (E)
• Understanding of SORP gained from working within a charitable setting (D)
• Knowledge and application of payroll, taxes, gift aid and VAT recovery (E)
• An understanding of donor milk use and impacts on infant feeding, and the significance of optimal infant feeding to infants, families and society (D)

Skills & Abilities

• Principles and practice of strategic and operational financial and resource management (E)
• High capacity for attention to detail and a meticulous approach (E)
• Professional communication skills (E)
• Able to produce positive solutions under time pressure (E)
• Ability to work independently (E)
• Ability to think and articulate ideas at a strategic level (E)
• High standard of IT literacy with an emphasis on financial systems (Xero, Excel, and related software) (E)

Personal Attributes

• A desire to help drive this service forward, while maintaining the highest of standards and respect for the team, beneficiaries and aims of the charity (E)
• A desire to improve the experience of families in the perinatal period (E)
• A willingness to learn new skills and responsibilities, showing a long-term commitment to the broad aims of the HMF (see below) (E)
• An ability to motivate and encourage others and desire to work as part of a close, supportive team (E)

Charity overview

The Human Milk Foundation (HMF) is a charity based at the Gossoms End NHS Health Centre in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire. Our goal is to support more families to feed their babies with human milk, through education, research and the supply of donor human milk.

We operate the UK’s first independent, non-profit human milk bank - the Hearts Milk Bank, providing donor human milk to neonatal intensive care units across London, the southeast, south Wales, Northumbria and East Anglia.

Much like donated human blood, there are situations where donated human milk can be lifesaving. Premature babies are very vulnerable and at risk of infections and life-threatening conditions such as necrotising enterocolitis (NEC), which causes some or all of the bowel to die. Mothers who have given birth early are sometimes unable to produce enough of their own milk straight away and can be very unwell themselves, so donor milk is often vital in protecting the baby during the first days and weeks after birth; it allows the mother the time and support to establish her own milk supply.

The HMB team recruit milk donors who undergo blood tests and complete a detailed lifestyle and health questionnaire before donating milk. Donor milk is collected from donors by volunteer SERV (“blood-biker”) volunteers and delivered to the milk bank where it is heat-treated (pasteurised) to destroy potentially harmful bacteria and viruses, checked by microbiologists to make sure that there is no unacceptable bacterial contamination and stored frozen. The milk is collected and delivered to hospitals and to mothers in the community who cannot breastfeed such as those with cancer, HIV or lack of breast tissue.

The HMB has recruited over 4,000 milk donors and supplied donor milk to feed thousands of babies, cared for in over 50 neonatal units. We have also supported more than 700 families in the community, including mothers who are establishing their own milk supply and mothers with cancer.

The Human Milk Foundation has a small team of dedicated individuals with a broad set of skills across medicine, lactation support, milk banking, research, and communications. We all have a great passion to make change to improve the health of babies, giving parents and families the support they need to be able to feed their babies, and new members of the team should share that passion.

The HMF is committed to promoting equal opportunities in employment. You and any job applicants will receive equal treatment regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation (Protected Characteristics).