***THIS JOB VACANCY HAS NOW CLOSED***
Are you a qualified accountant with experience of managing public sector and charitable funds? Do you have the knowledge, experience and confidence to be the lead finance professional advising senior management and the Trustees? Are you seeking a new challenge in an organisation that is financially stable, operationally dynamic and team oriented? Do you want to make a difference in the lives of those who serve in the Armed Forces and the communities that support them? If so then we invite you to consider joining our team as the charity’s first Director of Finance and Operations.
The Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (the Trust) supports the Armed Forces Covenant by delivering grant programmes that create real change to Armed Forces communities across the UK. It is a charity and is classified as a Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB). The Trust manages the Covenant Fund which has an annual commitment from HM Treasury of £10M, as well as other funds on behalf of government and external organisations. To find out more about our work please visit our website www.covenantfund.org.uk.
The Role
The Director of Finance and Operations will be responsible for oversight of the Trust’s sound financial and operations management, including HR operations, office management and aspects of governance. The successful candidate will take the lead as the Trust formalises its finance, HR and governance processes. Also crucial is supporting the Chief Executive to execute her responsibilities as Accounting Officer of the NDPB and to ensure compliance with the HM Treasury (HMT) Managing Public Money handbook.
Reporting to the Chief Executive, the Director will work collaboratively with the Director of Grants and the Director of Policy and Communications as part of the Executive Management Team (EMT). The EMT in turn work together with Trustees to develop the organisation’s strategic direction, and the full staff team from across the UK to ensure its execution.
The role has the following key responsibilities:
- Develop and monitor the Trust’s financial strategy and the associated governance framework
- Compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements, including all requirements related to charity, company and NDPB status and all requirements of a UK employer
- Financial reporting to MOD and HMT in respect of the Trust’s grant-in-aid, incidental grants and NDPB obligations
- Champion and ensure compliance with policies and procedures designed to safeguard the Trust’s assets and employees
- Oversee the overall risk and control environment, including procurement and business continuity
- Delivery timely and informative analysis of actual results against budget, with specific responsibility for non-grant expenditure
- Management of HR operations and aspects of governance, including appropriate policies and procedures to safeguard the Trust and its employees
The Successful Candidate
You will be a fully qualified accountant with experience developing, delivering and monitoring financial strategy in a UK charity or public body, ideally a grant making charity or public body. You will have experience managing and reporting on the use of public funds, and ideally have experience of compliance with the HMT Managing Public Money handbook and OJEU procurement requirements. You must be able to demonstrate an ability to manage HR operations, governance and office management, ideally through past experience. You will have led financial and management account functions, as well as the statutory audit of accounts prepared in compliance with the charity SORP.
You will be a highly organised team player who is able to provide leadership across the organisation. You will have the ability to manage several priorities and be comfortable representing the organisation at a senior level. You will be proactive in the execution of your responsibilities, with proven experience to lead others through a process of change. You will have a professional approach to work and be comfortable being hands-on operationally as needs require.
The Offer:
This part-time position is being offered at 2.5 – 3 days per week, or if additional flexibility is desired this can be worked as 11 – 13 days per month.
The salary is £60,000 – £65,000 on an annualised basis, pro-rata for part-time. The salary offered will be dependent on experience.
Other benefits include 30 days of leave plus 2.5 hours per week protected time for personal development, both pro-rata for part-time, 8% employer pension contribution and medical insurance.
Applications are welcomed from those who wish to work remotely, with occasional attendance at the Trust office near Victoria Station in London. Since March 2020 the whole team has been working remotely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Trust is committed to being an equal opportunities employer and to providing development and training opportunities.
How to apply:
Applications should take the form of a letter (no more than two pages of A4) providing evidence of how you meet the person specification, as well as a CV. These should both be attached to an email addressed to info@covenantfund.org.uk with ‘Application for Director of Finance and Operations’ in the subject line.
The e-mail should also provide information about your availability/likely notice period.
The deadline for applications is Friday 16 October 2020.
Please click here for the full job description and person specification.
