Financial Controller

Hybrid / London (with option to work at one of our regional offices)

Ref FIC-251

Are you a driven, analytical, and highly organised individual with a proven track record of implementing audit recommendation, developing and implementing financial controls and control account reconciliations?  Do you have significant experience of leading financial teams and preparing and coordinating budgets?

If so, St Giles Trust is looking for a highly experienced Financial Controller to provide a high level financial support service to staff across the organisation, external funders and stakeholders, including full responsibility for the management of the Finance department.  This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to the financial sustainability and impact of a charitable organisation dedicated to making a positive difference nationally.

About St Giles Trust

An ambitious, well-established charity that helps people facing adversity to find jobs, homes and the right support they need.  Central to our ethos is our belief that people with first-hand experience of successfully overcoming issues such as an offending background, homelessness, addictions and gang involvement, hold the key to positive change in others.

About this exciting opportunity

This crucial and multi-faceted role will see our successful candidate oversee and manage the charity’s financial activities, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and developing and implementing financial policies, procedures, and controls to safeguard assets and maintain fiscal responsibility.  We will expect you to take the lead on budgeting and forecasting to collaborate with department heads to create and monitor annual budgets and provide accurate financial forecasts and variance analyses to support informed decision-making.

We will also rely on you to prepare timely and accurate financial statements for internal and external stakeholders, including donors and regulatory bodies, ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, and accounting standards within the charity sector and to manage financial aspects of grants, including budgeting, reporting, and compliance. Coordinating and facilitating annual audits and supervising and mentoring the finance manager and transactional manager, plus facilitating ongoing professional development for the finance team, are all also vital aspects of the role.

What we are looking for

• Significant experience of working in a similar role
• Financial knowledge to ensure effective financial management of budgeting, planning and forecasting
• Experience of in-year reporting and monitoring key performance indicators
• Experience of working with non-finance managers on financial issues
• Experience of working with SunSystem financial system and with Sage 50 Payroll/similar payroll software
• Strong leadership skills and proven experience of providing effective staff supervision and management
• Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Accounting and a Qualified Accountant
• Excellent interpersonal, relationship-building and communication skills, verbal and written.

As an organisation that works with children and adults at risk we are committed to safeguarding, protecting and promoting the safety of our clients. Successful applicants must therefore submit a Basic DBS Check.

In return, you can expect a competitive salary, generous leave allowance of 30 days, 2 days "duvet days", staff pension, flexible working, a mentoring programme, an advice and counselling service, clinical therapist sessions, life insurance (4 x annual salary), season ticket loan, employee perks programme, eye care voucher and much more.

We are an equity and inclusion confident employer. We welcome all applications, and we particularly encourage applications from people of the global majority (black, brown, multi- heritage) and those who identify as disabled, neuroexpansive, neurodiverse, with any protected characteristics and/or social barriers or challenges. We value the empowering and informative impact that all lived experiences and diversity of thought can offer the organisation.

St Giles will guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria set out in the Job Description for the vacancy.

To apply please email our HR Team and request an application form.

Closing date: 14 February 2025