Director of Finance

Right now over 134,000 children in the UK are eligible for a wish because they are dealing with the gruelling daily reality of life with a critical illness. When it comes to their dreams, they deserve to wish for more than a life defined by their illness. We are granting a record number of wishes yet we face an urgent challenge. The demand for wishes is far outpacing our best efforts to keep up, so it’s taking longer than ever to grant once-in-a-lifetime wishes. But the heart-breaking reality is that many families simply can’t wait this long.

We can’t keep asking families to wait for a wish that could bring joy, healing, and strength during their toughest times because for children who don't have long to live, there is no time to wait. When it comes to the dreams of children battling critical illness, they deserve to wish for more than a life defined by their illness.

Wishes have the power to rescue the magic of childhood and provide a much-needed escape from the gruelling daily reality of a life defined by ongoing treatments, endless hospital stays and their critical illness.

As the Director of Finance, you will play a critical role in enabling us to deliver more wishes by guiding the development and implementation of our financial plans and operational strategy. You will model and ensure the embedding of a business partnering approach, to support a working environment and internal operating systems that deliver against our strategy. You will join a dynamic senior leadership team that fosters collaboration, innovation, and excellence in all aspects of our work.

We are looking for a visionary leader with a proven track record of strategic financial management, business partnering experience and a passion for making a positive impact.

If you are motivated by our cause, and possess strong interpersonal skills, a commitment to building effective relationships with stakeholders at all levels and across a range of contexts and an ability to coach and develop teams we would love to hear from you.

Key responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership on financial strategy and management. Leadership of a KPI framework that demonstrates the achievement of measurable outcomes across Finance & Governance.
• Advise and support the CEO and Board on all financial matters, including risk management.
• Oversee the organisation’s finance systems, policies, and processes.
• Oversee operational activities, such as procurement, and relevant policies and procedures, ensuring alignment with organisational goals.
• Provide inspirational leadership to foster the development of high-performing teams guided by strategic objectives and a shared sense of purpose.
• To lead on the development of financial systems and processes in a way that can support innovation across the organisation e.g. the use of GIK and restricted funding as part of fundraising propositions.
• To work with the Finance Business Partners to ensure we have the appropriate processes and systems in place to inform financial decision making across the organisation and to provide a means of effective control.
• Define and promote a governance strategy that supports delivery of the strategic plan.

To be successful in this role you will need:

• Accountancy qualifications, preferably CIMA, ACA and ACCA, and a clear understanding of Charity Fund accounting (SORP 2008 and the Charities Act 2003)
• Extensive experience in financial management and interdepartmental budgeting in a senior leadership position (preferable charity/non-for-profit).
• In-depth understanding of the complexity of overseeing and managing finances, particularly in contexts of conflict and including banking, tax, cash-flow management, exchange rate fluctuations and impact on budgets and forecasts, financial reporting, legal compliance, and transferring of funds to community-based organisation.
• Senior leadership or previous Director of Finance experience with an understanding of costing funding bids and ensuring financial reporting systems meet under requirements
• Experience of engaging and working with diverse funding streams including commercial contracts and Trust and Foundations and multiple currencies and geographic jurisdictions,

To see the full list of key responsibilities and essential criteria, click the link.