Director of Finance

4 weeks ago

Edinburgh, United Kingdom Eden Scott Full time

Director of Finance

The Scottish Qualifications Authority has a vacancy for its Director of Finance.

SQA is the national accreditation and awarding body, and is at the heart of the education and training system in Scotland. We help people to realise their potential and to achieve their ambitions, and through this to benefit the economy, wider society, and the nation as a whole, by providing a wide range of high quality, internationally recognised qualifications and associated services.

We work with schools, colleges, universities, industry, and government, and strive to ensure that qualifications are inclusive and accessible to all, they recognise the achievements of learners and provide clear pathways to further learning or employment.

SQA plays a crucial role in ensuring that the skills, training, and education systems in Scotland are effective, and is acutely aware of its responsibility to uphold both the accessibility and the credibility of Scotland's qualifications system. As an Executive Non Departmental Public Body (NDPB), it underpins key public policy areas, such as widening participation, narrowing the attainment gap, and providing the people and businesses of Scotland with the skills that they need for the future.

The role

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive and as a member of the Executive Management Team, you will provide financial and strategic leadership to the organisation. This includes giving assurance to the Accountable Officer and the Board of Management on the stewardship of public funds and procurement activity. You will play a key role in the strategic development and direction of the organisation.

Key responsibilities will include:


  • Overall responsibility for leading a well organised, skilled and motivated Finance directorate (approximately 39 staff supported by 3 direct reports).
  • Provide effective leadership to Finance and Procurement teams and ensure that people, resources and expertise are developed appropriately to support SQA's strategic goals.
  • Provide strategic oversight in the procurement and sourcing function to ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and implement best business practices to maximise value to SQA.
  • Lead both short-term and long-term budgeting, forecasting and financial planning processes in line with the business plan.
  • Ensure that SQA delivers its annual budget in line with Scottish Government's expectations and funding allocation.
  • Work with all areas of the business to identify commercially astute opportunities for SQA that will contribute towards a sustainable financial model for the organisation.
  • Design, implement and maintain robust financial systems and controls ensuring integrity of all systems.
  • Provide assurance to the Chief Executive and Board on SQA's compliance with all relevant legal, audit and regulatory requirements.
  • Work with Scottish Government to ensure an understanding of the requirements for the development of a sustainable financial model for the organisation.
What you'll need to succeed

As a member of the Executive Management team you will be both a role model of the organisation's values - Trusted, Enabling and Progressive and a leader in our values-led programme.

The ideal candidate will, as a minimum, be educated Degree level (SCQF level 9) and be a fully qualified accountant (CCAB) with experience of operating at Executive level, ideally within the public sector.

You will ideally have previous experience of successfully managing relationships within the public sector, including Government, and be able to demonstrate an understanding of both the Public Sector Procurement process and of public sector financial management controls.

The ideal candidate will also:


  • Possess experience of leading and delivering organisational change.
  • Demonstrate commercial acumen and possess outstanding communication skills with people at all levels, and articulate the bigger picture in ways that are meaningful and engaging for all stakeholders.
  • Actively demonstrate values-led leadership behaviours, and maintain a level of comfort and confidence in leadership in conflict situations and challenging circumstances.
  • Possess experience of working with and over-coming business challenges and financial constraints.
  • Highly developed persuading and influencing skills.
  • Be decisive, adaptable and able to manage business pressures.
  • Have the ability to maintain a strategic focus whilst managing business as usual operations.
What you'll get in return

The opportunity to be part of the Executive Management Team, led by the Chief Executive, contributing to the strategic development and direction of this internationally recognised, high profile organisation.
The opportunity to support the implementation of the corporate plan that will take SQA into a new organisation.
An excellent salary and benefits package including a generous pension and holiday entitlement.
The role can be based in either SQA offices in Glasgow city centre or Dalkeith near Edinburgh with regular travel to the other.

To apply please contact Sarah Gracie at Eden Scott Recruitment

#J-18808-Ljbffr

  • Assistant Director of Finance

    4 weeks ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Marriott International, Inc Full time

    **Job Number** 23076083 **Job Category** Finance & Accounting **Location** W Edinburgh, Elder Street, Edinburgh, United Kingdom, United Kingdom VIEW ON MAP **Schedule** Full-Time **Located Remotely?** N **Relocation?** N **Position Type** Management **W Edinburgh is hiring its first Assistant Director of Finance to join the pre-opening team! We invite...

  • Corporate Finance Assistant Director

    1 month ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Meraki Full time

    Meraki Talent is working with a large Chartered Accountancy firm with a rich and unrivalled history, alongside a solid reputation for quality within the Scottish marketplace on the position of Corporate Finance Assistant Director. **The company**: Our client is renowned across Scotland and the wider UK for being a true trend setter and leader within the...

  • Finance Director EMEA

    2 weeks ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Blend360 Full time

    Job DescriptionBlend is in search of a Finance Director EMEA to drive our continued growth and expansion.As the Finance Director, you will join the management team of our EMEA region, overseeing a hybrid finance team. With an aptitude for identifying talent, you will foster the development of your team members. Serving as an advisor to management, you will...

  • Director of Finance

    4 weeks ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Scottish Government Full time

    Overview: **Director of Finance** - a relatively new, but already critical, role for the SPS which forms part of the senior leadership team. This is a Senior Civil Service post and is both permanent and pensionable. The Director of Finance is a critical and influential strategic leadership role within the SPS. The post-holder will take a lead position in...

  • Associate Director

    1 month ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Millyard Peoples Full time

    Millyard Peoples is delighted to be exclusively partnered with a global company based in the Central Belt of Scotland, to recruit an Associate Director of Transactional Finance. This job is a newly created opportunity that has come about due to the continued growth and expansion of business. Based in Edinburgh, our client is the key provider of financial...

  • Head of Finance

    1 month ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Leith School of Art Full time

    **Leith School of Art** **Head of Finance & Operations** £40,000 (FTE) Leith (Flexible) Full-time or 4-days per week (Permanent) Leith School of Art is a unique and special place, set up over 30 years ago as an alternative to large institutions. Their ethos is to focus on teaching individuals while fostering a sense of community. They are a small...

  • Deputy Programme Director

    2 weeks ago

    Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom The University of Edinburgh Full time

    Contract type: Full-time 35 hours per weekFixed term (Maternity cover): from July 2024 – June 2025The opportunity:We are looking for a Deputy Programme Director to support the increasing online education activities of the Edinburgh Surgery Online suite of (eight) Masters programmes including the MSc in Patient Safety and Clinical Human Factors. This is a...

  • Finance Director EMEA

    6 days ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Blend360 Full time

    Company Description Blend is a premier AI services provider, committed to co-creating meaningful impact for its clients through the power of data science, AI, technology, customer experience (CX) and people. With a mission to fuel bold visions, Blend tackles significant challenges by seamlessly aligning human expertise with artificial intelligence. The...

  • Capella - Finance Director

    2 days ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Wilkinson & Associates Ltd Full time

    PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RECRUITMENT - The best appointment you'll make Competitive Salary - Public / Third Sector - Qualified Accountancy & Finance Ref: 2328 Date Posted: Thursday 02 May 2024 W&A is excited to be partnering with Capella to assist in sourcing a Finance Director. This role is part-time with 2.5 working days per week and based in the...

  • Director - Regulatory Finance

    2 hours ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Greenwich Partners Full time

    We are now working with one of the top global infrastructure investors, who are looking to hire a Director level professional to their portfolio management team. The portfolio management team works on the following: # Work with investment, operations and industry partner teams to provide day-to-day asset management oversight to their growing portfolio of...

  • Deputy Programme Director

    2 weeks ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom The University of Edinburgh Full time

    Contract type: Full-time 35 hours per week Fixed term (Maternity cover): from  July 2024 –  June 2025 The opportunity: We are looking for a Deputy Programme Director to support the increasing online education activities of the Edinburgh Surgery Online suite of (eight) Masters programmes including the MSc in Patient Safety and Clinical Human...

  • Head of Finance

    1 day ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Scottish Prison Service Full time

    The post holder will be accountable to the Director of Finance for the effective delivery of the financial operations, finance policy and strategy. The role will require regularly deputising for the Director of Finance and it is expected that the post holder will also contribute to the development of a number of strategic organisational priorities. The role...

  • Finance Business Partner

    4 weeks ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Scottish Prison Service Full time

    Reporting to the Head of Finance, you will be responsible for leading the management of the SPS HQ Financial Reporting function. The role is to provide financial leadership to the HQ Directorates ensuring the production of relevant, accurate and timely financial advice and supporting information in order that the Directorates will achieve their agreed...

  • Finance Support Officer

    1 day ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Scottish Government Full time

    Overview: **Can you demonstrate great planning and organisation skills, while prioritising workloads to meet deadlines? Are you comfortable working with figures? If yes, then our Finance Support Officer (FTA) post is for you!** This post sits at the heart of People Directorate in the Business Support Unit. The Unit provides business management services;...

  • Finance Administrator

    4 weeks ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom University of Edinburgh Full time

    **Grade: UE04 £23,144.00 - £25,138.00 per annum.** **Finance Operations** **Full-time: 35 hours per week** **Contract Type - Open-ended** **Location: 9-16 Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1HT** **Vacancies available: 1** Further exciting opportunities in transforming our Finance Services at The University of Edinburgh! **The Opportunity**: We are...

  • Finance Administrator

    1 month ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom University of Edinburgh Full time

    **UE05 £25,742 to £29,605 per annum (A revised salary range for this grade of £27,979 to £32,332 is planned to take effect from Spring 2024)** **College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine, Deanery of Clinical Science, Centre for Cardiovasular Science** **Open ended, full time (35 hours per week)** The Centre for Cardiovascular Science (CVS) is...

  • Finance Support Officer

    1 day ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Scottish Government Full time

    **Details**: **Reference number**: - 296954**Salary**: - £25,713 - £27,335**Job grade**: - Administrative Officer**Contract type**: - Fixed Term**Length of employment**: - 12 months**Type of role**: - Other**Working pattern**: - Full-time**Number of jobs available**: - 1Contents Location About the job **Benefits**: Things you need to...

  • Finance Business Partner

    1 month ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Wilkinson & Associates Ltd Full time

    Wilkinson & Associates are delighted to be working exclusively with an Edinburgh based manufacturing organisation as they look to appoint a Finance Business Partner. This newly created role will report to the Finance Director and will take ownership of the monthly reporting and the forward looking performance of the site. The role will require a...

  • Finance Assistant

    1 month ago

    Edinburgh, United Kingdom Anderson Strathern Full time

    A new vacancy has arisen in our Edinburgh office for a Finance Assistant who is keen to learn and looking to develop a career in Finance within Anderson Strathern. You will be working with our Finance Director, Susanne Godfrey, and our Finance Manager, Rebecca Anderson, as well as the wider Finance team. In the Finance team, you will have the opportunity to...

  • Lecturer in Climate Finance

    4 weeks ago

    Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom The University of Edinburgh Full time

    Closing date: 16/05/ PM Full-time: 35 hours per weekThe Opportunity:The University of Edinburgh Business School is seeking to appoint a Lecturer in Climate Finance & Investment within the Accounting and Finance Subject Group. We are looking for highly competent teachers and researchers with a strong publication trajectory. For this appointment we would...