Finance Manager

Contract: Permanent | Full-time

Location: Oxford | Hybrid Working

Salary: £39,827-£45,358

Additional Benefits: Hybrid working options; 10% employer pension contribution; life insurance; generous annual leave allowance.

Our client is an international Christian movement working across the world to support students and develop student-led communities. Through local, regional and global partnerships, it seeks to encourage students to explore and live out the Christian faith, build vibrant communities and equip the next generation to take initiative in sharing their faith within university communities.

The role

Reporting to the Chief Financial Officer, the Finance Manager will be the senior technical accounting professional within the finance team. You will take responsibility for financial control, financial reporting, audit management and the effective operation of financial processes across the organisation.

This is a key role, providing professional financial expertise and advice to colleagues across the organisation and supporting effective stewardship of organisational resources.

Key responsibilities

You will:

• Act as the lead subject matter expert on financial accounting, financial controls, charity SORP compliance and statutory reporting.
• Provide professional financial advice and guidance to budget holders and managers.
• Ensure compliance with relevant accounting standards, charity regulations, internal controls and financial policies.
• Lead the preparation of statutory accounts and act as the principal contact for external auditors.
• Analyse financial performance, identifying risks, trends and opportunities for improvement.
• Lead the development and continuous improvement of finance processes, systems and controls.
• Oversee the finance control environment and implementation of organisational policies and procedures.
• Line manage the Finance Officer and Finance Administrators, including regular one-to-one meetings and annual reviews.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Oversee income and expenditure processes, ensuring financial information is recorded accurately, efficiently and promptly.
• Monitor and analyse financial data to support budget holders in making sound financial decisions.
• Oversee month-end and year-end close processes and contribute to the production of monthly management accounts and annual accounts.
• Manage the annual audit and finance reporting processes.
• Support the preparation of the annual budget and regular financial forecasting.

About you

You will be a fully qualified accountant, or have equivalent experience, with relevant experience in charity finance administration and UK financial regulations.

You will have:

• At least three years' finance experience in a senior role.
• Experience using ERP systems and financial data to inform business decisions.
• Experience setting and monitoring budgets.
• Experience successfully implementing change and managing staff.
• Strong knowledge of the Charities SORP (FRS 102) and UK financial reporting requirements.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain financial matters clearly to non-finance colleagues.
• A high level of proficiency in Microsoft Excel and confidence using Office 365, Word, Outlook and Teams.
• A logical, methodical and efficient approach, with excellent attention to detail.
• The ability to prioritise effectively, meet deadlines and work well under pressure.
• A solutions-focused approach to problem solving and the ability to adapt and assimilate new knowledge quickly.
• The ability to work effectively in a global, multicultural environment and build strong relationships across cultures.
• A collaborative approach, while also being comfortable working independently.

Experience of working in a charity, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and US GAAP would be advantageous.

Occupational requirement

This post has an occupational requirement for the successful candidate to resonate with and agree with the organisation's Christian values.

The organisation's values include:

• Faithfulness to Scripture – recognising the Bible as the ultimate authority and inspiration for life and ministry.
• Prayer – maintaining a posture of humility and dependence on God through prayer.
• Community – cultivating local, regional and global communities that encourage fellowship and learning.
• Student Initiative – supporting students to take initiative in witness to the university.
• Unity in Diversity – valuing the diversity of God's creation and the worldwide body of Christ.
• Partnership – working collaboratively with one another, the local church and like-minded organisations around the world.

What you'll bring

We are looking for someone who combines strong technical finance expertise with a collaborative, service-focused approach. You will be comfortable working at both a detailed operational level and a strategic level, able to provide sound financial advice while developing people, processes and systems.

If you are an experienced finance professional looking for a role where your expertise can make a meaningful contribution to an international Christian movement, we would love to hear from you.