Job title: Finance Director
Organisation: Link Community Development
Salary: £49,933 - £60,694 p.a. pro rata, with 29 days annual holiday
Job type: Flexiblepart time: 60% – 80% negotiable
Closing date: 31stOctober
Location: Edinburgh
Applicants must have the right to work in the UK
Link Community Development (LCD) is a charity working in partnership with communities and national and local governments in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, South Africa and Uganda to support the delivery of quality education.
The successful applicant will lead the finance team and ensure operational finances, including donor financial reporting, across LCD are maintained on a day to day basis and play a lead role in financial strategy and planning.
We are looking for an outstanding qualified accountant, with proven experience in financial control and management. With experience from either the private or charitable sectors, you should be comfortable producing statutory accounts, and managing the budgeting process and financial reporting to a variety of donors across the LCD group.
Link Community Development is in the process of redefining the relationship between its 9 member organisations (in Ghana, Ethiopia, Malawi, Uganda, South Africa, England & Wales, Scotland, Ireland, USA). This will require an ambitious, flexible and high quality finance function to support the group.
The post holder will be required to travel overseas, including to rural Africa, up to 10 weeks per year.
Website:
For a full Job Description, Person Specification, Application Pack or informal discussion about the position please visit our website or contact our London office on0207 2269331 or email terviews will be held in Edinburgh on 7thNovember.
JOB DESCRIPTION
The purpose of this post is to:
•provide an effective financial management service to the group of Link Community Development organisations
•lead on all financial matters as part of Link’s international senior management team
•act as the leading interface between management and Trustees of Link Community Development on financial matters
•support the Chief Executive Officer and Senior Management Team to achieve goals set by the Trustees
•oversee management of the day to day finances of the UK entity, including compliance with all UK financial reporting requirements
Duties and Responsibilities:
•Provide accounting services for use by Link staff in the UK and overseas in planning and controlling the work of Link. This includes financial accounting, management accounting, forecasting, budgeting and control systems that meet multiple donor requirements.
•Line manage accounts staff in London and Overseas
•Ensure accounts staff in London and overseas have skills needed to perform to a high standard
•Ensure, in close co-operation with CEO, Senior Management Team and Treasurer, that an appropriate financial policy framework is in place to guide Link’s financial decision making. In particular, clarity will be required on reserves, overhead ratios and co-funding liabilities
•Advise the CEO, Senior Management Team, Treasurer and Trustees on major financial issues which arise and which are outside the agreed boundaries of management authority
•Maintain regular liaison with Treasurer
•Advise on risk register and lead on the mitigation of financial risks
•Prepare the annual budget and forecasts
•Prepare termly accounts, with variances from budget, for meetings of Trustees
•Prepare the statutory annual accounts, and maintain contact with auditors
•Ensure high quality and timely financial reports/audits are submitted to Link’s donors
•Maintain records to meet legal and tax requirements and to measure both the inputs and the outcomes of Link’s operations
•Plan and manage UK cash flow and intercompany balances
•Shape and manage UK financial processes
•Keep abreast of financial developments across the UK charity sectors, especially those relevant to international development agencies
General
•Monitor relevant legal requirements and regulations on behalf of the Trustees
•Ensuring data protection policy and practice fulfils legal requirements
•Manage staff performing relevant administrative functions
FINANCE DIRECTOR - PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
•Qualification as full chartered or certified accountant (or equivalent)
•Five years professional experience in accounting
•Able to undertake regular travel, including to rural areas of Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, South Africa and Uganda
•Significant management experience, including as part of a management team
•Up to date technical knowledge of financial reporting (UK GAAP, IFRS and Charities SORP) and tax (corporation tax and VAT)
•Numerate with strong communication skills – able to explain financial information to a non -financial audience
•Able to deal with a demanding workload and conflicting priorities
•Commercially astute with an understanding of the risks that can arise from different fundraising opportunities/business models used to support charitable activities
Desirable
•Experience of meeting the differing requirements of international development donors e.g. DFID, USAID, EU, Comic Relief, BIG etc
•Experience of working in challenging resource poor environments, particularly in Africa
•Knowledge and experience of UK charity sector and relevant corporate governance
•Experience of oversight of financial systems in different countries
•Experience of distance management
•Experience of building the technical capacity of staff (including overseas), and developing streamlined easy-to-use financial systems
•Experience of budgeting & reporting in a multi-currency environment and/or in a complex grant-dependent organisation