The Action Group Hiring for Head of Finance Job at Edinburgh, Scotland Full Time

Job Description &
Person Specification
– Head of Finance –

Post: Head Of Finance

Service: Senior Management

Line Managed by: Chief Executive Officer

Salary: PAY POINT HO1 – HO3 £51,673 – £55,984

Responsible For Payroll Manager, Finance Managers

Hours: 39 per week

Location: The Action Group office or home working. You must have the right to work in the United Kingdom and be able to attend frequent ‘in person’ meetings in Edinburgh/The Lothians.

THIS POST REQUIRES A STANDARD DISCLOSURE

Our Vision:

That families caring for a person with a learning disability and individuals who have a learning disability or other support needs:

• encounter no barriers to their chosen lifestyle,
• can follow a path of choice, and
• can enrich their opportunities.

Our Mission:

To value, listen to and involve people and their carers so that our every action is judged to be the best.

Job Purpose and contribution to the strategy and financial context of the organisation

• The Head of Finance will play a key leadership role within the Senior Management

Team to meet the Group’s Mission, Aims and Objectives, by providing financial information, which is accurate and strategic and forward thinking

• You will play a key Leadership role in the Senior Management Team in securing the

Group’s financial position and ensuring that resources are available to provide high quality services to meet the needs of supported people, staff, and customers.

• Provide comprehensive financial reports and information to the Senior Management

Team (SMT), Senior staff team and the Board, to allow decision to be made, which are right for the organisation.

• You will take part in and contribute to the development of the Group’s agreed staff support, training and development programs, and work to maintain all relevant quality indicators including Investors in People; Audit standards; Company house and Charity standards etc.
• You will implement the Group’s agreed service quality system in your own area and provide support and co-operation to other areas, ensuring the highest quality of customer service.
• You will work to improve systems, processes, and digital systems, in the finance functions, including joined up and collaborative working with service colleagues and systems, to maximise efficiency, accuracy, and internal and external customer support. (Systems: ACCESS/CASCADE etc.).

1. Tasks & Responsibilities

• To be responsible for the Leadership and management of the Finance and Payroll departments, ensuring the efficient, customer focused aspects of the accounting functions
• To line manage the Finance and Payroll Managers to ensure that all work is accurate and of a high quality.
• To ensure accurate financial management of contracts, to maximise income. You will do this in collaboration with key services and senior staff/SMT colleagues.
• Provide analytical reports and accounts on any aspect of the charities activities and contribute to the overall financial appraisal of the organisation’s performance.

• To produce accurate and timely quarterly management accounts, so that senior leaders and Board members receive the information to be able to implement proper controls and actions as quickly as possible.
• To ensure that all financial systems operate in compliance with statutory requirements and that appropriate financial control procedures are in place and adhered to, to minimise financial risks. To ensure compliance with statutory bodies HMRC (VAT), OSCR etc.
• To review and authorise payments using the online commercial banking system.
• To Lead on the preparation of year-end accounts, the organisational yearly budget, and the external auditing process.
• To work collaboratively with internal stakeholders to review and improve financial processes to the benefit of staff, supported people and all customers internally/externally
• Treat employees, managers, and service users at The Action Group with respect and consideration at all times.
• To provide sound financial information to trustees, chief executive and other senior management acting as the leading interface between management and trustees on financial matters.
• Provide an external interface with banks, auditors, insurers, pension funds, consultants, and charity finance specialists.
• Perform Company Secretary duties to ensure company returns and director information are submitted to Companies House within prescribed deadlines.
• Provide professional business support to budget-holders to ensure financial control and effective decision making through financial, operational, and business evaluation and analysis.
• Develop and implement budgeting and forecasting systems.
• Ensure that resource implications are fully understood and assist in the training and developing of all staff in understanding and using financial information.
• Develop financial strategies that support the Business Plan, Service-Area Objectives and provide information and support to agreed proposals to improve and/or develop the

Group’s work.

• To agree with others the most effective management of the income and resources, ensuring funds are held according to the Charities policy on investment.
• To maintain and regularly review an organisational Reserves Policy
• Develop and maintain membership and networks of professional bodies and peer groups.

2. Major Duty – Governance

Work with the Chief Executive and Senior Managers to ensure that Board and Senior Management Team [SMT] functions effectively.

• Support and advise the Chief Executive in the governance of the organisation and the delivery of the Group’s Mission, Aims and Objectives.
• Provide clear and concise financial information to the SMT and the Board through carefully structured agendas, papers, policy proposals and progress reports which focus the SMT on the internal and external financial context of the organisation.
• Contribute and, where relevant, provide leadership to any subgroups of the SMT as required to pursue the business plan objectives.
• Ensure that all The Group’s activities are based on sound, consistent and explicit values.
• Ensure that values are explicit and translate into clear roles, responsibilities, behaviours, and standards and form the basis for development and change in the teams and functions, you are responsible for.

3. Major Duty – Values

• Ensure that all The Group’s activities are based on sound, consistent and explicit values.
• Ensure that values are explicit and translate into clear roles, responsibilities, behaviours, and standards and form the basis for development and change in the teams and functions, you are responsible for.

4. Major duty – Strategy

• Work closely with the Chief Executive and SMT to develop a strategic approach to Finance,

Efficiency, and anything else in your wider remit.

• Ensure that your effort is effectively directed within the framework of the Business Plan approved by the Board and SMT and ensure that a strategic long-term view is developed beyond the typical Business Planning cycle.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues across all departments and functions of The Action

Group to influence and assist with the achievement of our aims and objectives, the implementation of the Business Plan.

5. Major duty – Financial Control

• Ensure appropriate risk management techniques and financial controls are embedded throughout the organisation at strategic and operational levels.

• Provide and/or coordinate all accountancy and taxation services and advice to the charity.
• Ensure that you deliver services and output within the boundaries of the financial resources allocated to you.

6. Major duty – Management & Leadership

• Ensure that The Finance and Payroll function is led and managed effectively and that the departmental management structure is robust and fit for purpose.
• Demonstrate leadership to your department and facilitate change management plans effectively.
• Chair meeting and hearings as required to do.
• Represent The Action Group and the Chief Executive when required
• Provide motivation and inspiration to staff and keeping them informed about key decisions through internal communications and marketing.
• Create a mutually supportive Finance and Payroll Team in which individual roles are clearly defined but where a sense of collective responsibility for key decisions and policies is also fostered.
• Provide support and cover for senior colleagues as required and directed.
• Present the organisation to others in a positive way, confirming it as a reliable, credible, and viable concern.

7. Major duty – Quality

• To develop and implement the Group’s Quality System within own service-area
• To work positively across boundaries and functions to solve problems and improve services.
• To participate in meetings of the full Board and Audit Committee.
• To prepare annual reports for the Board of Directors, on activity and plans for improvement.

Other duties:

8. Health and Safety

• Always adhere to The Action Group’s health and safety policies and ensure the team works in ways that are safe.
• Contribute to SMT work to ensure Health and safety systems of the organisation are robust and continue to be developed.

9. Contributing to the Team

• Communicate openly, fully, and effectively with others at all times
• Contribute to a positive and effective SMT team culture with supportive, open, and constructive working relationships.

10. Personal Development

• Take an active role in your professional development by attending training, acquiring new role related skills, and qualifications.

11. Confidentiality

• In relation to the tasks described above, the highest standard of confidentiality is required of the post holder.

12. Supervision Received

• The post holder will meet regularly with the Chief Executive in line with the Group’s Supervision Policy.

• The post holder will be required to provide regular Supervision to their direct report in line with The Action Group’s Supervision policy

13. Amendments

This job description may be amended, following discussion with the post holder, with the approval of the Chief Executive.

The above list highlights the key accountabilities of the role; however, it should benoted that the above list is not exhaustive, and other tasks may be required depending on the needs of the business.

This job description may be amended following discussions with the postholder and with the approval of the CEO.

Head of Finance – Person Specification

What the Action Group looks for in an applicant:

As Head of Finance, you should be an experienced Leader and manager, who has a genuine commitment to, The Action Group’s objectives, and has the following skills and attributes:

• Leadership, management, and organisational skills, including fairness and impartiality and openness to new ideas and information.

• The skills and experience to think and operate strategically.

• The skills to work closely with the Board, CEO, Senior Management Team, and staff, building positive working relationships in a constructive and consultative environment. Leading and acknowledging the contribution of others and making them feel like valued members of the team and resolving confrontation in a respectful way.

• The ability to influence stakeholders positively, to achieve results that are in the best interest of The Action Group.

CRITERIA: Motivation and Outlook

ESSENTIAL

• Demonstrate a commitment to The Action Group’s Vision, mission, and Motivation Values.

• Positive attitude to problem solving
• Forward-thinking and creative in approach

• A professional attitude at all times
• Able to deal with new challenges and change
• Committed to highest professional standards

Criteria: Qualifications

ESSENTIAL

• Professional Accounting Qualification

Relevant management qualificationdegree level accounting qualifications qualification

DESIRABLE

• MBA
• Other relevant qualifications

Criteria: Skills and Experience

ESSENTIAL

• 5 Years successful financial management in social care or another organisation.
• Proven track record of successful strategic financial delivery in a Social Care Charity or other organisation
• Experience of preparing budgets for The Board, CEO, Auditors.
• Experience of preparing internal budgets and monitoring their performance
• Experience of managing conflict
• Demonstrable experience of management of change
• Experienced line manager at a senior level
• Experiences at lobbying with Local Government and government agencies and other social care providers
• Proven experience of governance
• Experience of Financial forecasting and modelling
• To have a workable understanding of HR, project management and business planning
• Management of payroll servicesExcellent IT skills

DESIRABLE

• Experience of working in a charity or voluntary sector
• Experience of sitting on a board or managing Senior staff
• 5 Years direct financial management experience in a social care environment
• Knowledge of the charity and voluntary sector
• Knowledge of quality systems
• Knowledge of funding streams

Criteria: Personal Qualities

ESSENTIAL

• Excellent interpersonal skills and a confident communicator both written and verbally
• Business focused
• Financially aware
• Negotiation, diplomacy and Influencing skills
• Strategist with the ability to lead, direct and shape
• Ability to develop and maintain networks
• Able to lead and motivate staff
• Ability to initiate and generate new business opportunities for the organisation
• Skilled time manager, with ability to have a good work life balance and cope with working in a rewarding and demanding environment

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: £51,673.00-£55,984.00 per year

Benefits:

• Sick pay
• Work from home

Schedule:

• Day shift

Experience:

• Financial management: 5 years (preferred)

Language:

• English (preferred)

Application deadline: 27/09/2022