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The Royal School of Needlework (RSN) is embarking on an exciting journey of change as they strengthen their organisation for the future. They are looking for a highly motivated, experienced financial professional who can help transform their financial model and establish new ways of achieving sustained and stable financial growth.
- Location:Hampton Court Palace (minimum 2 days per week onsite)
- Salary:£65,000 pro rata (0.8 FTE 25 hours per week)
- Closing date:9 a.m. Friday 9th January 2026
No other single organisation covers the breadth of work undertaken by the Royal School of Needlework (RSN). They use over 150 years of remarkable history, knowledge and expertise to teach, practice and promote the art of hand embroidery. Their endeavours are underpinned by their values of Tradition, Quality and Innovation.
The RSN is undergoing an organisational transformation and developing a programme to extend its reach and diversity through collaborations and partnerships. This aims to generate more income and extend the positive individual benefits of stitching within three main areas: well-being and independence, culture and heritage, and sustainability.
They now seek to appoint a dynamic individual to the role of Director of Finance, responsible for driving the quality and transparency of financial management and reporting, ensuring robust financial controls and the smooth running and management of the RSN’s finances.
Embroidery is an international language. For centuries, embroidery has played a compelling role in helping societies and individuals impart knowledge, tell stories and influence behaviour.
The practice of embroidery is also increasingly recognised for its therapeutic and beneficial impact on mental health and well-being, as well as the pure enjoyment of creating a piece of art.
The RSN was established in 1872 at a small single-site in London to revive and teach the art of hand embroidery. Since their humble beginnings, they have expanded their activities and extended their reach worldwide, gaining an international reputation for the knowledge, expertise and skills of their tutors and the excellence of work in their professional studio.
Based at Hampton Court Palace in south-west London, the RSN offers an education programme for everyone, from beginners to those pursuing hand embroidery as a professional career. It shares its knowledge, skills, and heritage through talks, tours, exhibitions, and online resources.
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The Director of Finance is responsible for all the financial systems and procedures of the Royal School of Needlework and its trading subsidiary RSN Enterprises Ltd and provides accurate and effective management reporting to the senior managers and the Council, the Charity’s overning body. This role also acts as the RSN’s Company Secretary.
The key responsibilities of the role include:
- Leadership of the finance function, providing financial guidance and support to the senior departmental managers and contributing to the growth and development of the RSN.
- Providing accurate and effective financial analysis and management reporting in a timely manner to a range of stakeholders, including the RSN Council, and Finance and Investment Committee and the RSN’s professional advisors.
- Preparing all statutory financial accounts and taxation computations, ensuring all annual statutory reports are prepared and filed in a timely manner with Companies House and the Charity Commission.
- Preparing and monitoring annual budgets and departmental management accounts in conjunction with the departmental heads
- Leading the development and maintenance of the RSN’s finance policies and procedures.
The Director of Finance is a key member of the senior leadership team and will lead on financial controls, financial management, and all financial planning and forecasting.
The RSN is seeking an individual who will bring a strategic approach, a problem solver who can support our creative vision, bringing the financial expertise and insight which will underpin the organisation’s approach to finance. During a period of growth and change, this is an opportunity for someone with experience in the charitable sector and an understanding of the current fundraising environment to bring fresh approaches to delivering the RSN’s finance function. Working with the existing Finance team, this is an opportunity to simplify systems and review business processes to equip the organisation for the future.
You will be a fully qualified accountant and a current member of a recognised UK accounting body. With strong financial acumen and expertise in budgeting, forecasting and financial reporting, you will have in-depth knowledge of charity financial regulations and governance.
A self-starter and decision-maker with drive, sound judgement and a pragmatic and resilient outlook, you will be keen to join a team at a time of transformation, and excited by the opportunity to make a real difference to the RSN.
Reporting to the Chief Executive, this is a part-time permanent position (0.8 FTE) based at Hampton Court Palace, with an expectation of being based onsite a minimum of 2 days per week, and to attend networking and other events outside of office hours as required.
We understand that flexible working is an attractive proposition for many candidates, including the opportunity to work from home on occasions, and this is currently in practice at the RSN. Fully remote working is not, however, an option for this role.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
David Hingley | david@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07534 244249
Thank you for your interest in the Royal School of Needlework. As the relatively new Chief Executive, I’m excited to be driving forward a new vision and programme of transformation for the RSN. With a focus on becoming more inclusive, so more people can enjoy and learn the benefits of hand embroidery and become a more sustainable and relevant organisation.
The RSN is over 150 years old, born in the Arts & Crafts movement, and was originally set up to make sure the techniques and practice of the art of hand embroidery did not die out and in doing so provided training and employment for those in need.
Over the years, we have continued to practice, promote, and teach the art of hand embroidery, and now reach people worldwide through a diverse range of online activities.
The RSN is undergoing a period of significant change, developing new and different commercial approaches, and attracting new and more diverse audiences is critical to our future success. Through a
wide range of courses aimed at complete beginners, as well as keen leisure stitchers and those seeking a career in hand embroidery, we teach around 2,000 people each year.
At our Hampton Court Palace base, we also operate a creative and commercial studio that undertakes bespoke commissions and conservation work, as well as a shop and online retail operation.
We undertake tours, talks, exhibitions and offer the largest (free) online stitch bank resource and have started digitising our Collection and Archive to allow greater access. However, we want to continue to innovate and grow, reaching a broader range of individuals and using our knowledge and skills to extend the benefits and enjoyment to many more people.
We look forward to meeting you.
Rhian Harris Chief Executive
The RSN is unique. No other single organisation covers the breadth of education and practice to ensure hand embroidery continues to be enjoyed by a broad range of people. The RSN strive to ensure their activities are accessible, attractive and add value to society. In the wake of the global pandemic, they have reviewed operations, explored their social purpose and challenged themselves to understand better the broader benefits people derive from their activities today.
This is an exciting time for the RSN as they develop a pioneering and transformational programme to increase reach and diversity through collaborations and partnerships to extend the positive individual benefits of stitching within three main areas: well-being and independence, culture and heritage and sustainability.
The professional studio specialises in creating bespoke commissions for fashion, art and royalty as well as restoring and conserving valuable historic textiles and bringing heirlooms back to life.
All work is undertaken in the UK to a consistent and high standard by RSN-trained professional embroiderers and is the only such UK studio with access to such a pool of highly skilled stitchers for large and specialist commissions.
Their vast range of clients includes royalty; in 2023 they undertook the embroidery for nine items for the coronation of King Charles III, including the design and embroidering of the Robe of Estate for her Majesty Queen Camilla, (patron of the RSN since 2017), as well as the Anointing Screen for the most sacred moment of the coronation ceremony behind which his Majesty was anointed King.
Hand embroidery is further promoted through activities such as exhibitions, talks (both live and on demand), introductory taster sessions, and school projects.
Their extensive Archive and Collection helps inform and inspire students and hand embroidery enthusiasts, comprising thousands of embroidered items and designs collected and donated from all over the world.
Validated by Kingston University, they run a BA Honours degree course as well as other types of educational courses. Their one-day or weekly leisure courses are taught online and onsite across the UK, as well as in the USA and Japan, and offer pre-recorded video courses for people to study at their own pace.
A Certificate and Diploma accreditation for more serious stitchers comprises several modules on different techniques, each with around 40 hours of tuition and they also host an annual international summer school. In total, around 2,000 people undertake a course with the RSN each year.
Access to the Collection and Archive is currently limited but forms part of a project to catalogue items to make them available online; the first 100 items to be digitised went live online in April 2024.
The RSN Stitch Bank was introduced in 2021 to mark the RSN’s 150th anniversary. Currently containing nearly 400 stitches, it is a free online resource that aims to digitally conserve a record of every stitch worldwide. It is the largest free database of stitches in the world and is used by embroiderers as well as a wide variety of people, such as curators and historians of stitch.
An online retail operation and physical store are based at Hampton Court Palace. Every purchase helps support the RSN. The RSN is a registered charity and does not receive government funding. It must earn or raise every penny it spends and is very grateful to the Livery Companies, Charitable Trusts and individuals who support its work.
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Job Description and Person Specification.
To formally apply, please submit a CV and supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: Royal School of Needlework — Director of Finance” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
David Hingley | david@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07534 244249
As a sector-leading executive search consultancy, we know the importance of creating recruitment processes that are fair, inclusive, and free from bias. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a process that values differences.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010 and can show that you meet the ‘essential’ criteria described in the person specification, please let us know.
If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please contact David or Clare. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Closing date: 9 a.m. Friday 9th January 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: Thursday 15th January 2026
First stage interviews: Tuesday 20th and Wednesday 21st January 2026
Final interviews: Thursday 29th January 2026
Peridot and Royal School of Needlework are committed to promoting equality and diversity. To help us raise awareness and support a culture that is diverse and recognises and develops the potential of all, we need to appreciate the profile of candidates who apply for positions. We will send you an equality monitoring survey at the point of receiving your application and at the time of placement. This ensures that our processes remain inclusive and equitable throughout, and provides us with important data to help us showcase our impact.
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