Job Description

You will lead, continually improve and be held accountable for company business operations and financial performance. You will be a pivotal member of the Leadership Team, providing strategic leadership in developing and managing Finance, HR, IT, Governance, Legal and Facilities. You will contribute to the development and implementation of a strategy to secure company long-term financial health and growth, so that we are able to deliver our vision and mission. You will create an environment, culture, policies, processes and practices which ensure company is an exemplary place to work. You will act as an ambassador for company in all that you do, and develop and harness a personal professional network to extend our reach and impact.

Working closely with the Managing Director, Leadership Team and Board, you will design, develop and drive the sustainable success of company. You will work across the organization as needed to address our current and long-term development, and will have specific responsibilities for developing our culture and leadership; capacity and capability.

Key responsibilities

You will have the following key areas of responsibility and be expected to undertake other responsibilities as requested, which are commensurate with the role:

• Line management of three main teams in the Finance and Operations Function that includes:
  • Finance and operations team
  • HR team
  • Outsourced providers
• Work collaboratively with others on the Leadership Team to provide leadership and development for the whole Challenge Partners’ team, building our capacity and capability for sustainable growth and impact, and ensuring company is an #excellent, #equitable and inclusive place to work.
• Have oversight of all aspects of finance and operations that enable the effective day-to-day running of Challenge Partners and a continuously improving employee experience, including HR, office management, internal communications, and finance.
• Conduct strategic financial planning to support the decision making of the Leadership Team and Board and report to the Board on all aspects of day-to-day operations.
• Data management and IT
• As directed by the CEO, work collaboratively with others on Leadership Team, the Board and Finance and Audit Committee to contribute to the strategic leadership to Challenge Partners, including shaping and ensuring delivery of our 5 year strategy and innovation initiatives
• As directed by the Managing Director, work collaboratively with others on the Leadership Team to provide leadership and development for the whole team, building our capacity and capability for sustainable growth and impact, and ensuring Challenge Partners is an #excellent, #equitable and inclusive place to work
• Act at all times as an ambassador for company and represent us at company and external events as requested
• Develop and maintain effective relationships with practitioners and stakeholders in your particular area of business, ensuring that you and your staff live being practitioner-led in all that you do
• Lead, manage and develop teams and staff you line manage directly or indirectly
• Identify and manage risks in your business area, escalating appropriately, and contribute to the identification and management of organizational risks
• Strategic lead on processes and systems development and internal control
• Lead on company audit process, with external auditors and ensure statutory reporting to external stakeholders.
• Lead on budgeting and reforecasting across the organization, supporting and challenge teams to predict income and expenditure and make sound financial decisions, presenting to Board and Finance and Audit Committee.
• Take responsibility for budgets and provide support and challenge to budget managers in the areas you lead, ensuring that funds are deployed efficiently and effectively so that we are able to secure maximum positive impact, and that any significant variance is identified quickly to enable timely action
• Support business planning by working with teams to model potential future work - e.g. costs of expansion of an existing programme; modelling potential new programmes and projects
• Oversee the production of management accounting information, including internal monthly management accounts, quarterly reports for the Board, and financial reports for investors
• Lead the strategic development and implementation of HR systems and process that support an excellent employee experience and ensure industry-leading practice in this area
• Create a culture, and oversee policies and processes to ensure company meets all its legal obligations as an employer and is an exemplary place to work
• Oversee the review of all HR policies against external legislation and internal strategies, ensuring policies are updated where necessary, or creating new ones to underpin exemplary practice
• Bring in external expertise when necessary
• Lead on IT that supports the employee experience ensuring all staff are appropriately equipped to work effectively
• Oversee outsourced IT support to ensure business continuity and ensuring all staff are appropriately equipped to work effectively
• Pending the recruitment of Head of Digital transformation, to have oversight of IT and data security strategy, including system resilience, cyber security, and tech related licences
• Work with the CEO to ensure that governance arrangements are fit-for-purpose, compliant and embody the spirit of partnership which defines Challenge Partners
• Support the Finance and Audit Committee, producing papers, coordinating formal and informal meetings and monitoring actions
• Work with the Board to continue the development of outstanding governance policies and practices
• Act in the capacity of Company Secretary to the Board
• Oversee office facilities ensuring our office environment supports and enables effective conduct of our business activities and staff well-being
• Support the office Coordinator to put in place processes (and delegate to staff where appropriate) to ensure company is always compliant with health & safety legislation, maintains appropriate insurance and meets the minimum requirements of that insurance
• Liaise and negotiate with customers and suppliers over the maintenance and development of service level agreements and contracts, overseeing any changes and consulting third party experts where required to and reporting these to the Managing Director and Board accordingly
• Have due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of adults, children and young people and to follow the safeguarding procedures

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Qualified Accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) or other relevant qualification
• Track record of achievement in a senior strategic-level financial management role
• Demonstrable financial leadership and a thorough understanding of best practices in setting and managing budgets and oversight of day-to-day financial management, including auditing
• Experience of leading a central resource function (IT, data, HR,)
• Proven track record of building, developing a team, and managing high-performing teams.