Job Title: Finance Manager
Hours: Part-Time (hours to be agreed during the application process)
Reports to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Line manages: Finance Officer (who completes the monthly payroll)
Member of: Leadership Team, Senior Management Team (SMT) and Management Team
Location: Stoke-on-Trent (hybrid working available – desire to have the post holder attend
the Stoke-on-Trent offices in Longton for at least two sessions per week)
Contract: Permanent, part-time
Salary: £42,191.17 FTE – salary will be pro rata to the hours agreed during te application
process
Safeguarding: Role subject to reference checks and, if required, DBS.
Pension: 5% employer’s contribution; 5% employee’s contribution (eligible after ## months)
Organisational Healthcare Package (eligible after ## months)
Leave:
• Base Allowance – 22 days plus public bank holidays
• Rising to: 1 extra day for every full financial year of employment to a maximum of 8
additional days per year
Principal purpose
Lead a small, high-performing finance function that powers a growing, outward-looking
charity. You will turn numbers into decisions, keep the organisation safe and compliant, and
give the CEO, SMT and Trustees clear sightlines on performance, cash and risk. You’ll own
the monthly drumbeat (accounts, cashflow, forecasts), guide investment choices as our
services expand and our footprint increases, and coach the Finance Officer so payroll and
core processing run flawlessly. In short: strong controls, sharp insight, practical solutions.
Key relationships
CEO; Head of Residential Services; service managers; Maintenance Lead; Trustees (Chair and
Treasurer); external auditors; bank; funders/commissioners; software/support providers.
Key responsibilities
1) Strategic finance leadership
• Act as lead finance adviser to the CEO, SMT and Trustees; present plain-English
analysis and options.
• Contribute to organisational planning and risk as part of the Leadership Team, SMT
and Management Team.
• Model scenarios for growth, tenders and major projects; advise on affordability,
reserves and risk appetite.
• Support bids and contracts with robust budgets, unit costs and clear assumptions.
2) Financial management & compliance
• Produce accurate monthly management accounts, cashflow and forecasts to agreed
timetables; tailor reports for managers and Trustees.
• Prepare year-end statutory accounts under Charities SORP (FRS 102) and lead the
audit to timetable.
• Month-end close by working day 28, audit adjustments reduced YoY
• Maintain a strong control environment: balance-sheet reconciliations, journals,
approvals, banking and treasury.
• Ensure timely submissions to regulators and HMRC (including Gift Aid and VAT, where
applicable).
• Oversee Housing Benefit/service-charge income where relevant; ensure evidence
and claims are accurate and on time.
• Keep finance policies and procedures current; champion good financial stewardship
and value for money.
3) Budgeting, forecasting and performance
•
Lead the annual budget process with budget holders; set clear assumptions and
timelines.
• Run in-year re-forecasts; highlight pressures early and propose mitigations.
• Track restricted, unrestricted and designated funds; monitor grant/contract
conditions and reporting timetables.
4) Payroll, systems and data
•
Line-manage the Finance Officer who completes the monthly payroll; ensure
accurate payroll, pensions and statutory submissions.
• Own the finance system (e.g., Sage/Cloud): chart of accounts, user permissions,
•
efficiency, integrations and data quality.
Improve reporting (dashboards/scheduled reports) and reduce duplication through
simple, standardised templates.
5) People management and ways of working
• Set objectives, coach and give regular feedback to the Finance Officer; support
professional development.
• Build constructive relationships with service managers and colleagues; explain
finance in accessible language.
• Role-model the charity’s values; support a positive, solution-focused culture.
6) External relationships and assurance
• Manage relationships with auditors, bank, insurers, funders and commissioners.
• Provide clear information for bids, monitoring and due diligence.
• Attend and present at Board/committee meetings as required.
Person specification
Essential (E) / Desirable (D) with where assessed: A=Application, I=Interview, T=Test
Criterion
Level
Assessed
at
Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) or significant equivalent
experience
Strong charity finance knowledge incl. Charities SORP (FRS 102); restricted
vs unrestricted funds
Proven monthly management accounts, cashflow and forecasting to
deadlines
Year-end statutory accounts preparation and leading the external audit
Financial modelling and scenario planning; risk awareness and mitigations
Advanced Excel and good knowledge of finance systems (e.g., Sage/Cloud)
Clear communication to non-finance colleagues; concise Board narratives
Line-management of a finance role (e.g., AP/AR/payroll) with coaching
approach
Balance of strategic leadership with hands-on delivery
Understanding of HMRC requirements (Gift Aid; VAT if applicable)
Commitment to the charity’s purpose and values; collaborative working
style
Experience of Housing Benefit claims as a supported accommodation
landlord, service-charge compliance, and working with Housing
Associations; OR strong transferable experience managing public-funded
income streams (rent/charges or grant claims with evidence rules) with
the ability to learn HB/service-charge processes quickly.
Reconciliation of rent/occupancy to HB claims and ledger; resolving
exceptions with local authority HB teams.
Experience of working with funders/commissioners and preparing
monitoring returns
Experience migrating finance systems to cloud and improving reporting
automation
Experience supporting growth (new services/regions) or capital
projects/business cases
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
E
A
A, I
A, I
A, I
I, T
A, T
I
A, I
I
A, I
I
D
A, I
D
D
D
D
A, I
A, I
A, I
A, I
