Management Accountant

About FareShare

FareShare now operates 21 Regional Centres around the UK. The majority of these are run by local charitable organisations we call our Delivery Partners. This enables us to be a UK-wide organisation yet also think and behave with local concerns at the heart of our actions. We support 9,653 local charities and groups – our Community Food Members. Over the past year 16,992 tonnes of food were redistributed by FareShare Regional Centres nationwide, feeding 772,000 people every week. We operate across 1,500 towns, cities and villages and we save UK charities and community groups more than £28 million each year.

Hunger is a growing issue in the UK and while there is surplus food that is otherwise going to waste, we believe that this food should be used to feed people first. Demand far outstrips supply.

FareShare's Strategy & Vision

Vision: We have the vision of a UK where "No good food goes to waste".

Mission: To use surplus, fit for consumption, food to feed those who are vulnerable in the UK by supporting front line charitable organisations that tackle the cause and not just the symptoms of food poverty.

Our Purpose: We are doers. We are a community. We change lives. 

Our Values: Passion – for our cause and the challenge that lies ahead

Ambition – to go the extra mile and drive the change that must happen

Respect – for ourselves, each other, our volunteers, our partners and our beneficiaries

Collaboration – it's only by working with others that we can be stronger

Focus – on providing the best service possible so that we deliver and achieve the most for our clients/customers

The role

FareShare has undergone a period of rapid change and growth and is forecast to continue to grow. Much of this growth has been funded by winning major grants from Asda (c £12million over 3 years), Big Lottery Fund (£5million over 3 years) and the Walmart Foundation (c £1.6million over 2 years). In addition, the Government's announcement of a £15million fund for charitable food redistribution has also meant changes to FareShare.

With all of this additional funding has come the need for additional reporting and a greater emphasis on how these, and other, funds are improving performance in the Regional Centres as well as working with our Operations and Network Teams to uncover effective and efficient ways of working that can be promulgated throughout the FareShare network.

In addition, there is a need to work with our Fundraising Team as they continue to successfully bid for new funds and require financial information to support their bids as well as provide their reports on the effects of these funds.

The successful candidate will have excellent attention to detail with good time management skills and the ability to prioritise as well as experience/transferable experience of producing reports for a variety of different audiences.

Main areas of responsibility

Key Focus

The key focus of the role is to ensure that, in conjunction with the Head of Finance and both our Operations and Network teams, there are robust systems in place for the collection, interpretation and analysis of performance data from the regional centres. This would include asking commercial questions about efficiency, for example where can lessons be learned from an efficient Regional Centre that could then be rolled out to other centres? When are differences in efficiency caused by other factors such as the location of the regional centre? The role would require regular visits to the regional centres to allow for knowledge to be gained over where the additional funding results in the greatest improvements in efficiency and whether the regional centres will be sustainable at the end of the three major grants.

In addition the post is to be responsible for assisting with providing financial information and associated reports including forecast financial information or a combination of forecast and actual in a report as well as other ad hoc reports mainly, but not exclusively, for our Fundraising Team.

Responsibilities and Duties

Be proactive and collaborative in developing the collection, interpretation and analysis of performance information relating to the FareShare regional centres to assess the effects of the major grant funding on their performance.

Working with the Fundraising team, provide assistance with both bids for funding and also reporting to funders.

Provision of other financial information including forecasts, actual spend, budgets and variances on request for other Departments within FareShare.

Be proactive and collaborative in supporting the development of improved systems and processes in the Finance Department working with other team members as appropriate as well as contributing to the development of financial processes by raising issues and opportunities as part of a regular dialogue with the Head of Finance.

The Management Accountant will, from time to time, be required to undertake other duties of a similar nature as may reasonably be required by the Head of Finance. Flexibility will be essential as, in addition to the reorganisation, a new, as yet unknown, finance system is due to be implemented and specific task requirements and ways of working cannot be accurately set. Any regular changes to duties will be incorporated into this job description.

Person Specification

As an employer committed to Equal Opportunities, these are the criteria that we consider either as being essential or desirable in this role.

Experience

• The Management Accountant is expected to have obtained a CCAB qualification or to be currently studying and close to successful completion of their qualification
• A good track record in financial administration involving commercial analysis
• Experience of working in a Charity/Not-for-Profit financial environment.

Skills, knowledge and abilities

• Able to provide clear, practical and accurate advice to a variety of people at different levels within an organisation. 
• Able to read and critically analyse a business plan
• Proven ability and experience of designing and following processes.
• Good systems skills with both a finance system and Excel spreadsheets. Some of the data needed will be in various different systems operated by FareShare, for example our food system.
• Proven ability to develop and maintain good working relations, both within an organisation and with external stakeholders. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate at all levels with both financial and non-financial management. Historically the regional centres have not shared their performance data. They are apprehensive about appearing in a 'league table'. Diplomacy and tact will be needed to encourage them to share their figures.
• Able to design, analyse and revise processes to deliver services in the most efficient way to meet changing requirements, balancing the needs of individual areas within FareShare and efficiency benefits of aggregation and standardisation
• Ability to motivate and develop individuals from non-financial backgrounds through change

Values and behaviours

• Flexibility and ability to work well as part of a team and alone.
• A commitment to Equal Opportunities.
• An understanding of, and empathy with FareShare's mission and strategy.
• Versatile, adaptable and enthusiastic approach.
• Intellectual with a strong commercial acumen
• Evidence of understanding of modern management information systems through continuing professional development

Application Process: 

Please submit your CV, cover letter and equal opportunities form via our website.