Director of Finance and Operations

Salary: Pro rata based on Band A (£65,222 – £73,357)
Hours: We would consider applicants looking to work 4- 5 days per week (28-35 hours). We will consider applications for jobshares if candidates apply with a jobshare partner.
Location: Our office is based in Angel, London but we welcome applicants from across the UK. The postholder is expected to be in the office 2 days per week. This will need to include Mondays (SLT meeting day) and alternate Tuesdays (all staff meeting day).
Contract: Permanent
Closing date: Monday 2nd October, 9am

Young Women’s Trust champions young women aged 18 to 30 on low or no pay. We’re here to create a more equal world of work and raise young women’s incomes.

We offer young women free coaching, feedback on job applications and information to help them get where they want to be. We bring together a network of thousands of young women to support each other, build their self-belief, and have their voices heard. We work with young women to campaign for equality in the workplace. And our research provides insight into what young women’s lives are really like, fuelling our campaigns for change.

This position arises following a year in which interim Directors of Finance and Operations have supported the organisation to set a long-term financial strategy, business plan, and move into new serviced offices. It is therefore an exciting time to be joining the organisation in this post – with a clear and inspiring strategy and plan in place, but with considerable scope for the new post-holder to contribute their vision as to how this is delivered.

We welcome candidates who are new to working in the voluntary sector and will provide training or mentoring as needed.

Download this job description as a PDF

Overall Purpose

To lead the Finance and Operations team to provide an effective, efficient and business-focussed support function for the Young Women’s Trust.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Governance

As a member of the Senior Management Team, contribute to the leadership and delivery of the Young Women’s Trust strategic and operational goals.
Play a full part in the collective leadership of Young Women’s Trust, role-modelling our values and inspiring your colleagues.
Provide support and guidance to the Chief Executive on the legal and governance duties of a charity.
Work with the Chief Executive, Chair and Treasurer to plan and develop the activities of the Board of Trustees, ensuring best practice in governance arrangements, and lead on the operation of the Finance and General Purposes Committee.
Act as lead advisor for legal compliance, including client and commissioner of external legal advice as needed.
Ensure our reporting, controls, and regulatory compliance are effective for ensuring the safety and security of the organisation, and for achieving our goals.
Provide line management, support and development for the members of the Finance and Operations Team.

Finance

Maintain the financial sustainability if YWT, ensuring the charity delivers against its long term financial plan.
Ensure effective reporting of the financial and non-financial performance of YWT, both at Board of Trustee and Senior Leadership Team level.
Working primarily through the Finance Officer, ensure the consistent delivery and quality of standard finance routines of transactions processing, monthly management accounts, and annual budgets and closure of accounts processes;
Assisted by our outsourced investment advisors, ensure oversight of the charity’s endowment and investments; including managing investment manager performance and providing regular and timely advice to the Board on investment management strategy and delivery.
Lead on (with some support from the Finance Officer) the financial aspects of funder bidding, management and reporting. Support contract management and negotiation with funders and suppliers as required, development of commercial partnerships in support of fundraising and service delivery objectives, and providing technical accounting support on reports and analysis for funders;
Lead on the annual production and audit of the organisation’s statutory accounts, including preparation and completion of the statutory accounts in accordance with charity and accounting standards, and submission of annual returns to the Charity Commission and Companies House.
Ensure that systems of internal control exist and function to protect the organisation’s assets, to guard against fraud and error, and to ensure levels of cover and business continuity for critical processes.

Business Planning

Oversee the organisational planning processes to enable YWT to achieve its strategic objectives, and embed agile ways of working.
Ensure the risks of the organisation are effectively identified, mitigated and overseen.

Human Resources and Working Practices

Oversee HR practices and policies, working with other members of SLT, our staff led Working Practices Group and external consultants as necessary.
Using external experts as required, co-ordinate and interpret advice on any human resources issue arising.
Ensure the consistent delivery and quality of standard human resources processes including staff recruitment, induction and development, monthly payroll and pensions, annual objectives and appraisals, and annual staff survey.
Lead on delivery of our Equity Diversity and Inclusion workplan, working closely with other members of SLT and our EDI Working Group.

IT Facilities and Business Support

Oversee the charity’s information management strategy, incorporating legal and regulatory requirements (GDPR), data security, and use of data and insight to deliver the objectives of the trust.
Working with our outsourced IT providers, ensure the quality, performance, and modernity of IT hardware, software and connectivity used by YWT.
Champion information governance at YWT, ensuring that the charity complies with its obligations and achieves the level of data maturity consistent with its aims and values-based approach to supporters, members and others.
Ensure the smooth running of our serviced office in Angel, London N1.
Manage the charity’s two investment properties’ leases and ultimate disposal.
Ensure active management and periodic quality and best value refreshes of support contracts across HR, IT and Facilities.

Person Specification

Qualifications and training

Recognised qualification in accounting or evidence of qualification by experience

Experience

Essential

Track record of successful leadership of a finance function
Experience of managing HR, IT and general operations functions
Significant experience of management and development of staff
A track record of developing and delivering organisational plans as part of a management team
Experience of effectively managing and monitoring budgets (£2million+
desirable)
A strong track record of efficient and effective delivery of objectives, both personally and by managing a team

Desirable

Experience of working in a similar role in a charity or not-for-profit environment
Experience in and understanding of good charity governance
Experience in investment management
Experience in charity funding bidding, managing and reporting

Skills & attributes

A strategic thinker with the ability to see the bigger picture and make decisions in line with the charity’s needs as part of a team
Advanced skills in MS Excel and MS Word and finance software (experience with Xero desirable)
Collaborative working style
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
A flexible, creative and solutions-focused approach to problem-solving
An understanding of the issues facing young women, especially those facing the greatest inequalities in relation to finances, employment and unpaid work
The commitment to working in line with and as a senior member of staff providing a consistent model for the Young Women’s Trust values
A well-developed and up-to-date understanding of themes within equity diversity and inclusion and the roles a support function plays in this.

At Young Women’s Trust we value and celebrate diversity, and welcome applications regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity. We particularly encourage applications from communities under-represented in our sector including racially minoritised people, people with disabilities, and those from working class backgrounds.

You’ll be joining a team that will embrace your ideas and support and encourage you to bring your whole self to work.

We can make reasonable adjustments throughout the application process and on the job. If you have particular accessibility needs, please get in touch and let us know any requirements you may have.

Young Women’s Trust is a Living Wage employer and we commit to Show the Salary for every job we advertise. Non-graduates are welcome and we offer a wide range of flexible working options including job share, part-time and compressed hours, different start and finish times and working from home.

We offer:

27 days annual leave plus bank holidays – rising annually to a maximum of 30 days
Enhanced parental leave irrespective of length of service
- Up to 52 weeks maternity leave – 26 weeks at normal rate of pay, 13 weeks Statutory Maternity Pay, 13 weeks unpaid
- Up to 26 weeks new parents leave at your normal rate of pay
2 annual wellbeing days
Employee Assistance Programme
Learning and development budget
Flexible working which is fully embedded in our working culture

Download this job description as a PDF

How to apply

Please complete a job application form and return to: recruitment@youngwomenstrust.org

We would be grateful if you could also complete our anonymous online equal opportunities monitoring form.

Interview dates:

Round 1 interviews – Wednesday 18th October 2023

Round 2 Interviews – Wednesday 25th October 2023

Deadline to apply: Monday 2nd October, 9am

Optional: If you would like to talk about the role before applying, please email recruitment@youngwomenstrust.org to arrange a discussion

You must have the right to work in the UK to apply for this role.

We are not able to sponsor work visas for non-British applicants.