Head of Finance

Salary: £62,000 per annum
Contract type: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time

Closing date: Sunday 12th May 2024
Interview date: Interviews will be held on Friday 24th May 2024

We are looking forward to strengthening our leadership team with a forward-looking and experienced individual, who is also passionate about serving our community.

Our 2024-2030 Strategy is ambitious and all of our efforts will be required to achieve the objectives that we have set ourselves. The Head of Finance role will be essential in enabling our financial strategy to become a reality through wise, risk-sensitive and entrepreneurial financial management.

This role is an exciting opportunity to work with our leadership team, our Trustees and our managers to develop and implement financial strategic plans, operational systems and to improve our financial governance overall.

About Us

YMCA Brighton is a registered charity. We provide supported accommodation to over 300 people across the city of Brighton alongside our EVOLVE Work and Learning Service.

Our Mission

We provide the home, the community and the services that equip people to overcome barriers and achieve their aims

Our Vision

Working together to create an inclusive community where everyone can belong, contribute and thrive

Our Values

Community, Compassion and Empowerment

You will receive:

Comprehensive Induction to YMCA Brighton. You will receive regular Supervision Support from your line manager. Annual Appraisal. Work in a supportive environment. An encouraged culture to support staff health & well-being and a healthy work-life balance. Opportunity to access counselling and reflective practice sessions when the job is challenging. Staff benefits from a wide range of health & well-being services. Well-being time per week. Annual Leave Entitlement of 30 days plus Bank Holidays.

This position is based in Brighton, East Sussex.

About the job

Responsibilities of Head of Finance:

Financial Strategy

To develop and maintain a clear financial strategy in collaboration with the leadership team that is consistent with our 2024-2030 strategy. To contribute to the overall strategic direction of the organisation from a financial perspective. To ensure that the finances, financial controls and systems are developed and effectively managed and meet regulatory and audit standards. To provide oversight of YMCA Brighton’s plans to ensure alignment with long term financial sustainability objectives and support growth in income and cost management. To lead and manage the development of annual financial plans, budgets, re-forecasting and multi-year modelling. To advise the CEO and senior operational staff on the financial and commercial viability of existing/new services and related contractual arrangements together with Charity finance issues, including taxation and legal reporting issues. To take lead responsibility for coordinating and supporting the work of the Finance Sub-Committee of the Trustee Board. To ensure IT systems are suitable for financial planning, monitoring and reporting to meet operational and legal requirements.

Financial Management

To produce budgets, forecasts, business plans and management accounts/reports that are accurate, up-to-date, comprehensible and prepared and distributed on time. To ensure efficient income and expenditure, cashflow and treasury management and reporting systems are in place and regularly reviewed. To provide performance analysis and reporting, including management of all financial assumptions around rents, occupancy, voids and bad debt. To lead on management of investments, tax, reserves policy, bank relationships and balance sheet management. To continually develop and improve such systems to ensure timely and proactive measurement and interpretation of the financial monitoring of operations. To manage relationships as appropriate with external stakeholders/advisors including bankers, debt providers, donors, auditors, tax advisors, regulators and Insurers. To ensure that YMCA Brighton financial activities are subject to appropriate internal controls and audit. To manage relationships with YMCA Brighton’s auditors on financial matters as appropriate, particularly about their annual audit to ensure that it can be conducted efficiently and with a successful outcome. As part of the leadership team, you will be required to work closely with the Head of Operations to ensure leases, capital expenditures, repairs, H&S expenditure and maintenance are monitored and managed effectively.

Governance

To work with the CEO to ensure reporting mechanisms to the Board and its committees are effective and to produce reports as required. To assist the CEO in advising the Board and its committees on all financial and other risks and to regularly report on risk management via the Risk register. To ensure that rules and regulations affecting YMCA Brighton as a registered Charity are fully understood and complied with in regards to accountancy law and financial regulations. To continuously review all financial risks and ensure that they are being managed and reported appropriately. To attend Board meetings and Committees in the evenings as required.

Staff Management

To ensure the proper recruitment and management of those staff reporting directly and indirectly in accordance with YMCA Brighton policies and procedures and good employment practices. To carry out regular meetings, individually and as a team for staff that are line managed, including Annual appraisal and supporting learning and development opportunities.

Other Personal

Willingness to work from operational sites as required and agreed with the CEO. As the organisation evolves, the responsibilities of the Leadership Team may vary appropriately in response to organisational needs. To follow YMCA Brighton’s policies and procedures at all times, including, but not only, those relating to EDI, Health and Safety, Safeguarding and GDPR and Data Governance. To respond to all reasonable instructions and guidance as these procedures develop further. In line with GDPR and Confidentiality, Clients, volunteers and/or staff information is confidential. It is a condition of employment that you will not use or disclose any confidential information obtained by data protection legislation. To follow YMCA Brighton’s Code of Conduct for staff, regarding workplace professionalism, at all times. To undertake any other duties which reasonably fall within the range and responsibilities of this post, as directed. All staff have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of service users, volunteers, their families, and carers, you have a duty to ensure you are familiar with safeguarding policies, attend training for safeguarding and know who to contact if you have concerns about an adult or child’s welfare. YMCA Brighton has a duty of care to employees and will ensure that, as far as is reasonably practicable, adequate training, facilities and arrangements for risk avoidance are in place. All employees are required to comply with relevant Health and Safety legislation and policies relating to Health & Safety and Risk Management. Participate in 1:1 Supervision & Appraisal. To undertake and complete all required training both face-to-face and online through ME Learning. Undertake any other duties which reasonably fall within the range and responsibilities of this post, as directed.

Person Specification for Head of Finance

Experience:

Essential

A qualified accountant with at least 5 years of post-qualified experience in a senior financial capacity. Holds qualifications such as ACCA, CPFA, ACA, or CIMA. Experience in managing a broad range of functions including finance, business processing, and administration. Taxation and legal matters as they affect a Charity. Experience of developing, leading and coordinating organisational finance strategy. Producing budgets, cash flow, management accounts and quarterly forecasting. Implementing IT systems for accounting packages, rental management, management reporting tools and designing and developing spreadsheets. Use of Microsoft 365, including Teams Leading year-end, interim and internal audit.

Desirable

Experience in the charity/not-for-profit sector. Experience of working with Trustees or similar governing Board and Committees. An established track record of managing incremental growth within an organisation. Experience in housing or related sector.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

Essential

Ability to develop effective working relationships with a wide range of people and to be able to negotiate with and influence them. The ability to manage professionals from other disciplines. Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to present complex financial information to people who do not have a financial background. Strong interpersonal skills.

Personal Qualities:

Essential

Understanding of, and commitment to, EDI and anti-discriminatory practice.  Able to demonstrate that your personal ethos mirrors the values of YMCA Brighton. Ability to communicate confidently and effectively, verbally and in writing. Respond flexibly and quickly to the demands of the post. Ability to work accurately under pressure and to meet tight deadlines. Organised and proactive in prioritising workload.

Employment with YMCA Brighton is conditional on a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, a minimum of 2 satisfactory references and proof of eligibility to work in the UK.

We are an equal opportunities employer who constantly strive to be representative of the communities we serve. We value the unique perspectives and talents that people bring from a variety of cultural backgrounds and experiences, and we recognise the added value that diversity continually brings to the organisation.

To ensure our recruitment is fair, we welcome candidates to complete the Recruitment Diversity Monitoring Survey (it is optional)

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