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Head of Finance
| Posting date: | 16 June 2025 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £57,841 to £68,048 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 29 June 2025 |
| Location: | UK |
| Remote working: | Fully remote |
| Company: | The Duke of Edinburgh's Award |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: |
Summary
We’re looking for a Head of Finance to join our senior leadership team and help shape the future of our charity. As a key member of our leadership, the Head of Finance plays a critical role in ensuring our financial operations are robust, strategic, and supportive of our mission.
You'll lead a talented finance team (including our trading subsidiary), delivering strong financial control and insightful reporting that drives effective decision making at every level.
This role demands more than technical finance expertise – we’re seeking someone who can also operate as a business partner across the organisation, ensuring the Finance function is proactive, trusted, and aligned with our strategic priorities.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead and inspire the Finance team, including the team supporting our trading subsidiary, to be an effective and trusted business partner to the charity.
Oversee financial and management accounting functions, ensuring high-quality reporting, compliance, and value-add insight.
Manage and develop the Transactional Finance team to improve efficiency and impact.
Support short- and long-term financial planning aligned to strategic objectives.
Oversee key financial review and sign-off processes, including payroll, payment runs, and recruitment approvals.
Lead on financial efficiency and investment (Return on Investment) reviews across the organisation.
Champion Finance Business Partnering, identifying information gaps and providing clear, pragmatic solutions.
Contribute to finance projects with senior-level input and oversight.
Play an active role in the Senior Leadership Group (SLG), working closely with the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and Trustees.
Support the CFO and wider leadership with high-quality financial insight for key decisions and governance.
What we are looking for:
Experience and knowledge:
Essential
Fully qualified accountant (ACA or ACCA, other suitable qualification) with strong experience in Financial Control / Accounting / Reporting
Strong management skills – of key stakeholders, peers and junior staff
Strong people, persuasion and business partnering skills
Not-for-profit sector experience
Strong analysis, presentation (including report writing) and communication skills
Strong MS skills
Attention to detail
Organised and able to prioritise work demands
Experience of working with accounting packages (ideally MS Business Central)
Desirable
Management Accounting, including planning, forecasting and budgeting, experience
Investment Management experience
Detailed charity tax experience (VAT, Gift Aid, corporation and employment taxes)
Project Management experience and skills.
How to apply and interview dates
If you feel excited by this role and believe you have the necessary skills and experience to become a valued team member, please go to our website and apply.
The deadline for applying for this role is: Sunday 29th June - Midnight.
1st interviews will take place on: 9th & 16th July - Via Teams
2nd interviews will take place on: 23rd July - Venue to be confirmed
If you would like to access the application form in a different format or if you would like any assistance that might help improve your experience while completing the application, please contact us by email recruitment@dofe.org
Benefits
We offer excellent staff benefits including a generous pension contribution, an employee assistance programme, healthcare cash plan and volunteer leave. Also, 25 days holiday, plus Bank Holidays and an additional 3 days paid leave between Christmas and the New Year. Buy additional annual leave, benefits discount website, death in service benefit 4 x salary, incapacity benefit, generous family leave and sick leave.
The DofE are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. All successful applicants will be required to undergo a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service check. (e.g. DBS/PVG or similar), including references covering any gaps of employment/education, confirm eligibility to work in the UK and complete a health check.
**The geographical allowance is based on a member of staff having a home or office-based postcode within 30 miles (as the crow flies) from Charing Cross, WC2N 5HS. The allowance is 7% capped at £4,000 per annum.
You'll lead a talented finance team (including our trading subsidiary), delivering strong financial control and insightful reporting that drives effective decision making at every level.
This role demands more than technical finance expertise – we’re seeking someone who can also operate as a business partner across the organisation, ensuring the Finance function is proactive, trusted, and aligned with our strategic priorities.
Key Responsibilities:
Lead and inspire the Finance team, including the team supporting our trading subsidiary, to be an effective and trusted business partner to the charity.
Oversee financial and management accounting functions, ensuring high-quality reporting, compliance, and value-add insight.
Manage and develop the Transactional Finance team to improve efficiency and impact.
Support short- and long-term financial planning aligned to strategic objectives.
Oversee key financial review and sign-off processes, including payroll, payment runs, and recruitment approvals.
Lead on financial efficiency and investment (Return on Investment) reviews across the organisation.
Champion Finance Business Partnering, identifying information gaps and providing clear, pragmatic solutions.
Contribute to finance projects with senior-level input and oversight.
Play an active role in the Senior Leadership Group (SLG), working closely with the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and Trustees.
Support the CFO and wider leadership with high-quality financial insight for key decisions and governance.
What we are looking for:
Experience and knowledge:
Essential
Fully qualified accountant (ACA or ACCA, other suitable qualification) with strong experience in Financial Control / Accounting / Reporting
Strong management skills – of key stakeholders, peers and junior staff
Strong people, persuasion and business partnering skills
Not-for-profit sector experience
Strong analysis, presentation (including report writing) and communication skills
Strong MS skills
Attention to detail
Organised and able to prioritise work demands
Experience of working with accounting packages (ideally MS Business Central)
Desirable
Management Accounting, including planning, forecasting and budgeting, experience
Investment Management experience
Detailed charity tax experience (VAT, Gift Aid, corporation and employment taxes)
Project Management experience and skills.
How to apply and interview dates
If you feel excited by this role and believe you have the necessary skills and experience to become a valued team member, please go to our website and apply.
The deadline for applying for this role is: Sunday 29th June - Midnight.
1st interviews will take place on: 9th & 16th July - Via Teams
2nd interviews will take place on: 23rd July - Venue to be confirmed
If you would like to access the application form in a different format or if you would like any assistance that might help improve your experience while completing the application, please contact us by email recruitment@dofe.org
Benefits
We offer excellent staff benefits including a generous pension contribution, an employee assistance programme, healthcare cash plan and volunteer leave. Also, 25 days holiday, plus Bank Holidays and an additional 3 days paid leave between Christmas and the New Year. Buy additional annual leave, benefits discount website, death in service benefit 4 x salary, incapacity benefit, generous family leave and sick leave.
The DofE are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people. All successful applicants will be required to undergo a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service check. (e.g. DBS/PVG or similar), including references covering any gaps of employment/education, confirm eligibility to work in the UK and complete a health check.
**The geographical allowance is based on a member of staff having a home or office-based postcode within 30 miles (as the crow flies) from Charing Cross, WC2N 5HS. The allowance is 7% capped at £4,000 per annum.
Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme
Disability Confident
About Disability Confident
A Disability Confident employer will generally offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by the employer. It is important to note that in certain recruitment situations such as high-volume, seasonal and high-peak times, the employer may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled people and non-disabled people. For more details please go to Disability Confident.