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Director of Finance

Salary: £70,000 - £75,000

Location: Holderness House, London EC2A

Closing Date: 23 June 2025

Job Description

Applications are now closed.

Please refer to the Director of Finance application pack for full details.

Purpose of the Post

You will lead all aspects of charity financial and resource management for two separate but closely connected charities, the Army Cadet Charitable Trust UK (ACCT UK) and the Combined Cadet Force Association (CCFA), which are supported by a single head office team. We are looking for someone to bring enthusiasm, personal credibility, discretion and sensitivity. You will be ultimately responsible for Finance and Resource Management within the charities.

As Director of Finance, you will work directly with the trustees of both charities and the wider Senior Leadership Team (SLT) which comprises of the Director of Development, the Deputy Chief Executive (DCE) (Director of HR and Programmes), and the Chief Executive. You will have primary responsibility for ensuring that the charities meet their statutory obligations, that financial functions are well-ordered and support the work of the charities.

Managing and leading a small and diverse team through high-pressure periods, including month-end, year-end and annual budgeting, you require high emotional intelligence and excellent communication skills. You will work closely with staff at all levels, often having to mentor the charities’ managers to help them plan and manage their own budgets.

Your financial responsibilities are substantial as you will have overall control and responsibility for all financial matters. You will be thinking both strategically and seeing the big picture, whilst also analysing figures in detail to ensure that the financial management of both charities are sound. In periods of change and growth, it is critical that you are effective in coordinating corporate finance (funding sources, non-profit capital structuring and investment decisions) and managing charity policies regarding capital requirements to deliver against each charity’s objects and plans, taxation, equity and investments as appropriate.

Director of Finance: Principal Responsibilities

Leadership

Lead and direct the finance team

Champion a culture of continuous improvement and professional development within the team.

Maintain up-to-date knowledge of accounting standards (including the charities SORP) best practice

Financial Accounting and Audit

Oversee all aspects of financial accounting, including the financial planning, budgeting and forecasting processes.

Ensure that financial systems are well-constructed, compliant, aligned with operational goals and that controls are robustly implemented.

Manage the external audit process, including the preparation of annual financial statements and liaison with auditors.

Prepare and submit annual statutory accounts and regulatory returns for each charity.

Provide and/or coordinate all accounting and taxation services or advice to each charity.

Oversee the payroll and pension functions, ensuring timely and accurate processing, compliance with all obligations, and effective coordination with the HR Manager to maintain accurate data.

Financial Reporting

Act as secretary to the ACCT UK Finance and General Purposes Committee, the CCFA Finance and Compliance Committee and the two charities’ joint Investments and Audit Committee.

Lead the finance reporting cycle, including preparation and review of quarterly management accounts and cash flow forecasts.

Provide timely, accurate, and insightful financial reports and analysis to the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), Senior Management Team (SMT), and trustee committees.

Monitor financial performance against budget, investigate variances, and provide regular updates to the Chief Executive and budget holders.

Provide financial analysis and guidance on all activities, including sound financial recommendations to the SLT and trustees.

Attend trustee board meetings and report on the financial status of each charity.

Contribute to funding proposals and negotiations with key potential funders, including the Royal Navy, Army, RAF, and MOD.

Manage relationships with key external partners, including banks, pension advisors, investment managers, and auditors.

Monitor investment and liquidity portfolios, reporting performance against agreed benchmarks to the Investments & Audit Committee.

Strategy, Fundraising and Trading

Monitor and control each charity’s cash flow and liquidity position.

Contribute to strategic planning and decision-making through financial modelling, analysis and advice.

Collaborate with the DCE and Director of Development to support the continued growth of the charities income diversification and long-term financial sustainability.

Identify, assess and negotiate new commercial funding opportunities and partnerships.

Carry out any other commensurate duties required by the Chief Executive.

Disqualified Persons

There are rules which disqualify certain people from being a trustee or senior manager of a charity. The trustees have identified this post as falling under the definition of senior manager. Being disqualified means that a person cannot take on a senior manager position, even on an interim basis, unless the Charity Commission has removed (or ‘waived’) the disqualification.
You would be disqualified from acting as a charity trustee or senior manager if any of the reasons shown in the Charity Commission’s disqualifying reasons apply to you.

Key Skills and Attributes

Essential

Qualifications and Training
(methods of assessment: application, certificates)

CCAB or CIMA qualification

Evidence of continuing personal and professional development

Experience and Knowledge
(methods of assessment: application, interview)

Proven leadership of a finance function and small team

Strategic financial planning, budgeting and forecasting

Strong knowledge of Charities SORP (FRS 102) second edition

Preparation of statutory accounts and managing audits

Skills and Ability
(methods of assessment: interview, references)

Credible and confident at Board level

Strong communicator; able to convey complex financials clearly

Strategic thinker with operational focus

High emotional intelligence; able to coach budget holders

Strong systems, compliance, and control mindset.

Desirable

Qualifications and Training
(methods of assessment: application, certificates)

Relevant qualification in fundraising, charity management, or leadership.

Experience and Knowledge
(methods of assessment: application, interview)

Experience reporting to trustees and working with funders

Senior charity or not-for profit experience

Familiarity with public-sector partnerships

Skills and Ability
(methods of assessment: interview, references)

Able to demonstrate understanding of and empathy with the work of youth organisations

Experience in procurement or investment oversight

Employment Details and Benefits

Employment Details

Location: Holderness House, 51-61 Clifton Street, LONDON, EC2A 4DW
Salary: £70,000 – £75,000 dependant on experience for a full-time role
Contract: Permanent, full time, 40 hours per week.
Permanent, part time, 24 hours per week pro-rata is also possible.
Probationary Period: Six months
Notice: Three months on either side

Staff Benefits

Flexible working arrangements, you agree a working pattern with the Chief Executive.

The ability to work both from home and from our Holderness House office.

Personal Accident Insurance, including loss of earnings cover and death benefit.

15 days of sick pay in any 12-month period (after 12 months employment – pro-rata for part time staff)

A contributory pension scheme.

If you contribute the minimum legal requirement of 4%, the charities will contribute an additional 3%.

If you contribute at least 5% then the charities will contribute 10%.

Good leave allowances (pro-rata for part time staff)

20 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays.

Additional privilege leave, on set days each year, such as between Christmas and New Year.

An additional five days of volunteering leave.

Support for qualifications and personal development.

Employee Assistance Programme. We provide a programme offered by Care First to help support employees’ personal wellbeing. This offers a free confidential telephone counselling service, which is available 24 hours per day, 365 days a year, and a wellbeing portal to support employees.

Season ticket loan.

Railcard. If you are eligible for a railcard and use it for work we will cover the cost.

Eye Care. Contributions towards eye tests and glasses for employees using computer screens.

Please refer to the Director of Finance application pack for full details.

How to Apply for the Role of Director of Finance

Thank you for your interest in working for the benefit of our charities’ beneficiaries. If you would like to apply, please prepare the following documents:

A full CV

A covering letter of no more than two sides of A4 that details how you meet the requirements of the job description, why you want to work with us and why you are the best person for the role.

Administrative details:

Your current (or last) salary

Notice period (if applicable)

Any recruitment dates (see below) you cannot make

Please submit your application to Martin Meek, HR Manager, by email to recruitment@acctuk.org

If you have any questions about the post or the recruitment process, please contact Martin on 020 4586 8182 or email recruitment@acctuk.org. Interviews will be held at Holderness House, 51-61 Clifton Street, EC2A 4DW

Applications are now closed.

Notification of shortlisting: Monday 30th June 2025

Initial interviews: Friday 11th July 2025

Second interviews: Date TBC

Please note that as a charity dedicated to improving the lives of young people, we require staff to make a declaration about any relevant convictions, undergo both a Disclosure and Barring Service check and a Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) check, one of the requirements being that applicants must have been resident in the UK for 3 years.

We will follow up references.