Head of Finance

**Job title**:Head of Finance

**Department**:Operations

**Responsible to**:Chief Executive **Responsible for**:Finance Assistants, Operations Administrators, Income & Communications Officer

**Location**:Alnwick, or Berwick (Flexible/Hybrid) - May require occasional attendance at other Hospice premises and stakeholder sites

**Salary**:Competitive

**About us**:HospiceCare North Northumberland (HCNN) provides emotional and practical support to adults and their families who are living with a life limiting illness, have experienced bereavement, and/or are living with dementia. Operating in rural north Northumberland and providing nursing care in the beneficiary’s home, this much needed service has been established since 1995. It’s an exciting time at HospiceCare North Northumberland:

- we’re reaching more people & increasing our range of outstanding services;
- we’re increasing the number of shops that provide pre-loved goods;
- we expect to increase our income during the next few years, so we can do even more

**About You**:We are seeking an experienced, qualified accountant to be a member of our Strategic Management Team and who will lead a small team of skilled professionals to:

- provide strategic financial advice to ensure sustainability of the hospice in the future
- be responsible for the provision of Operations Support Services to the Hospice, including administration, finance, facilities, IT, insurance, HR processing.
- Part-qualified applicants will be considered but must have 5+ years’ experience of Management Accounting._

**Job purpose**:

- To provide strategic financial advice to guide the long-term viability of HCNN.
- To be operationally responsible for the provision of operational support services to the Hospice, including responsibility for finance, administration, HR processing, facilities, IT, Insurance.
- To ensure Company Secretarial duties are fulfilled.
- As a member of the Senior Management Team, contribute effectively to the overall leadership of HCNN and lead on change management activities to ensure that the organisation remains sustainable.

**As Retail Operations Manager, your duties & responsibilities will be**:

- To ensure the long-term sustainability of HCNN, via delivery of the strategy through effective financial planning & control (including management of delegated budgets) and appropriate risk-management.
- Manage performance and conduct issues in accordance with organisational procedures.
- To undertake business and strategic planning development, preparing the annual budget cycle in conjunction with the CEO and SMT colleagues, and gaining Trustees approval.
- To devise and implement appropriate financial management procedures and controls to reflect legal and regulatory requirements and best practice.
- To ensure month end procedures are completed accurately and in a timely manner to aid effective financial reporting, including;
- bank reconciliations,
- VAT and payroll returns,
- balance sheet reconciliations,
- accruals and prepayments
- and other grant returns.
- To prepare & present appropriate financial reports and related advice, including but not limited to forecasts, management accounts, P&L and statutory accounts, in a timely and accurate manner to enable the effective financial management of HCNN. This includes providing advice and guidance to budget-holders in order to support effective setting and management of delegated budgets.
- To ensure the financial conditions of any grants and external funding are met and appropriate and/or required financial reports are produced.
- To ensure statutory accounts and returns are filed accurately and on time, including but not limited to: Corporation Tax, VAT and Gift Aid, and that information held by the Charity Commission and Companies House is regularly reviewed and updated as appropriate.
- To ensure that appropriate audit procedures are implemented, working with the Auditor to ensure audits are completed in accordance with agreed timescales, and that audit actions and incorporated into future service development.

**Key qualities & experience required include**:

- CIMA/ACCA/AAT Level 3
- Part-qualified applicants will be considered provided they have 5 years’ experience of Management Accounting
- Knowledge of charitable sector financial management & audit requirements
- Knowledge of Gift Aid desirable
- Ability to maintain awareness of external developments relevant to HCNN and to the role, to understand the implications of such developments and to incorporate these into future service development plans.
- Over 3 years’ experience within a finance function including budget setting, management of an operational finance function and strategic reporting.
- Managing all aspects of payroll, including pensions
- Leadership skills & experience

**Benefits**:

- Contributory pension scheme
- Dedicated personal development allowance
- Health plan
- Flexible working
- Generous annual leave

**Job Types**: