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CLOSED: Director of Finance & Resources, ACF

Closing date: Monday 2 July 2018

ACF logo

Association of Charitable Foundations, Director of Finance & Resources

Location: London, Kings Cross
Contract: Permanent
Hours:  5 or 4 days per week (negotiable, depending on candidate needs)
Salary: £52,000–£56,000, with generous benefits
 

Why join us?

This is an exciting time to join the ACF leadership team as Director of Finance & Resources. In order to achieve our ambitions and be sustainable in the longer term, we need to adopt a more commercial and enterprising approach to our work, while continuing to put our mission and our members first. We have a small and ambitious staff team and this role is crucial in developing our financial strategy, and nurturing our people – ensuring that they have the systems, culture and support they need to thrive. This role will suit someone who enjoys thinking strategically and applying their technical skills operationally, as ACF is a relatively small organisation with an annual turnover of £1m and a staff of 12.

About ACF

ACF is the membership body for UK foundations and grant-making charities. Driven by a belief that foundations are a vital source for social good, our mission is to support them to be ambitious and effective in the way that they use their resources. We do this through the provision of policy and advocacy, research and information, and a wide-ranging programme of events and learning. Our 350 members collectively hold assets of around £50bn and give over £2.5bn annually.

One year into a new strategy under a new Chief Executive, ACF has ambitious plans to strengthen our policy voice on behalf of foundations, to develop our thought leadership and deliver ever-more value to our members. We recently launched our Stronger Foundations initiative, a member-led process of inquiry into what excellent foundation practice looks like which will raise standards across our sector.

About the role

The role is critical to the success of achieving ACF’s new strategic objectives. Driven by our belief that foundations are a vital source for social good, we want to play a greater role in:

  • Supporting foundations to achieve their charitable objectives
  • Advocating for an enabling policy, legislative and operating environment
  • Connecting foundations to people, organisations, governments and movements
  • Inspiring foundations to be ambitious and effective

In order to achieve this, a supporting strategic objective is that ACF thrives and is sustainable, supporting members over the longer term, by:

  • Ensuring we are financially robust
  • Responding to member need
  • Valuing our people and having a values-driven culture
  • Implementing effective systems and prizing environmental sustainability
  • Adapting to technological change

As the Director of Finance & Resources role you will lead this supporting strategic objective and ensure it underpins all of ACF’s activities.   The role will be a member of the Executive Leadership Team and will provide relevant information and advice to the board of trustees. You will ensure that strong financial governance and leadership is applied across all of ACF’s activities. This will include directing and overseeing all financial matters including the preparation of the financial reports, budgets and forecasts, and the implementation of robust financial plans and strategies to maximise opportunities and minimise risk. You will work with the Executive Leadership Team to develop ACF’s enterprising and commercial income streams, and you will take responsibility for IT strategy and provision, for HR processes and systems and for ACF’s premises.

About you

To be successful you will be a qualified accountant or equivalent, and have previous experience of working in a leadership role in a charity. You will be an inspiring leader and enjoy working with a small but dynamic team on the development and delivery of a range of strategies and plans. You will have a strong working knowledge of overseeing Finance (including SORP), HR, IT and property functions of organisations similar to ACF. You will also have some people management experience. You will have a passion and desire to ensure that ACF’s resources optimise the delivery of member services in their entirety and a genuine interest in and curiosity about organisational development, and ACF’s financial sustainability, the members of ACF and how we can continuously improve our services and relationships.

To apply: download the Candidate Pack and application form and the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form.

Closing date: 10am on Monday 2 July, 2018