Director of Finance and Resources

The role

This post plays a key role in the strategic leadership and day to day management of IES, with overall responsibility for IES’s financial stewardship, financial management and support services.  The post reports to the CEO, is a member of the Institute Management Team and acts as Secretary to IES’s non-executive Board of Trustees.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities in the role are set out below.

Financial management

■     Overall responsibility for IES budgeting, accounting, audit, reporting and internal controls.

■     Oversight and responsibility for IES internal systems, processes and reporting, to ensure that there is a regular, timely and accurate understanding of the Institute’s financial position.

■     Providing information and advice to the Management Team and Board of Trustees on IES’s financial position and future financial risks and opportunities.

■     Responsibility for ensuring that timely and accurate financial information is available to project managers, alongside appropriate support with management of project resources. This includes oversight of systems for project accounting and reporting, administration of research contracts and contracts with third parties, contract-related client relationship management, and data protection.

■     Managing relationships with key external suppliers, including the bank and auditors.

Company secretary

■     Ensuring that IES complies with all relevant company and charity law and can meet wider standards of good governance and transparency in the sector.

■     Oversight and responsibility for IES systems and processes that support effective corporate and charity governance.

■     Lead responsibility for IES business continuity planning and risk management, including maintenance and oversight of the IES strategic risk register.

■     Ensuring that IES has access to appropriate and suitably qualified advice where this is needed in order to comply with governance and legal requirements, including legal and tax advice.

Support services

■     Oversight and responsibility for IES premises, information technology systems, telecommunications and office supplies.

■     Ensuring continued IES compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 27001, CyberEssentials and other industry-standard accreditations.

Policies and processes

■     Ensuring that IES policies and processes in relation to these areas of responsibility are in place and kept up to date.

Institute leadership and management

■   Contributing to the wider strategic development leadership and management of IES including:

●      Membership of the Institute Management Team and Operational Management Group

●      Contributing to the development of the annual business plan and supporting its achievement

●      Contributing to, and where appropriate leading, specific continuous improvement initiatives as agreed with the CEO and Management Team

●      Direct line management and professional development of colleagues with responsibility for areas set out above where appropriate (current line management responsibility is for one full-time finance officer and one part time office manager).

What we are looking for:

The successful candidate will be able to combine active delivery of financial and other services with high level proactive advice, and will have:

■     Experience of financial management within a small/medium sized organisation, preferably one reliant on project or contract-related funding. This could include charitable organisations, research bodies, consultancies, legal or professional services firms, academia, or similar.

■     Be a fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or equivalent).

■     Experience managing a diverse team in a similar environment; with strong collaboration skills.

■     Ability to build relationships and communicate effectively with a range of stakeholders including the Board of Trustees, the IES Management team, and research, consultancy and support staff within the organisation.

■     An initiative-taking and adaptable approach to managing a small and administratively lean organisation.

■     Understanding of corporate or charity governance procedures or the ability to learn quickly.

■     Experience or knowledge of relationship management with clients and/or funding organisations, especially research funding organisations; experience with fundraising from corporate or institutional bodies.

■     Experience of change management: experience of introducing new systems, processes, or ways of working to improve efficiency in a small/medium-sized organisation.

Working at IES

We support flexible working and welcome applications from candidates seeking flexible work arrangements The post will be based in our office in central Brighton, although we work in a hybrid way.

IES offers a friendly workplace culture and has an active social committee. Brighton and the surrounding areas offer a superb location in which to live with easy access to the sea, countryside, and plenty of culture and nightlife. Brighton is close to Gatwick airport (30 mins), London (1 hour) and France (2.5 hours).

Our research and practice are guided by our values and our staff act in accordance with these. Our values centre on: respecting others, acting with integrity, collaboration, curiosity, excellence and compassion. You can learn more about what it’s like to work at IES by looking at our Glassdoor profile.

The Institute for Employment Studies is a registered charity (no. 258390). IES seeks to be an equal opportunities employer.