Finance Lead

Are you an experienced finance professional looking for a role where your skills can make a real difference?

We’re looking for someone who enjoys working with people, systems and numbers, and who wants to use their financial expertise to support a passionate network committed to creating positive change. You’ll be joining an ambitious, creative and collaborative team, working across a varied range of projects and helping us make sure our finances are well managed, transparent and fit for the future. If you’re confident working remotely, comfortable using a range of financial systems, and enjoy bringing clarity and organisation to a busy environment, we’d love to hear from you. We offer a flexible working pattern and are committed to People Care – creating a supportive, inclusive working environment where people can do their best work.

About the Role

The Finance Lead is responsible for keeping all aspects of the finances up-to-date and accurate, and reporting to the CEO, Trustees and budget holders on a regular basis.

This is a varied, challenging and rewarding post, and the postholder has a key role in the organisation and is part of the management team. They work closely with most members of the team, interacting with partners, funders and members. Because we are a small charity, the Finance Lead needs to be involved in a wide range of financial activities which in a larger charity would be done by a finance team. This ranges from bookkeeping to Company Secretarial administration, payments, grant and donor reporting and management accounts, resolving payment processor issues, budgeting and supporting the wider team. We are looking for someone who has broad financial experience, and is willing to take on a wide range of tasks.

About the Permaculture Association

Permaculture is a way of thinking, designing and living that helps us create healthier relationships between people and the living world. It brings together ethics, ecological thinking and practical design to help us meet our needs while caring for people, the earth and future generations. This makes permaculture a unique toolkit that is used to design regenerative systems at all scales - from homes and gardens to community projects, farms and bioregions - all around the world.

Responsibilities

Financial Management and Transactions

• Manage day-to-day financial transactions, including invoicing, payments, bank and petty cash reconciliations, expenses and international transfers.
• Process payroll, PAYE, National Insurance and pension administration, ensuring accurate and timely submissions.
• Manage membership-related payments and respond to financial queries.

Budgeting, Forecasting and Reporting

• Support the development and monitoring of the organisation-wide budget, project and funding budgets.
• Prepare cash-flow, solvency and budget-versus-actual reports, providing clear financial information to budget holders, the CEO, Treasurer and trustees.
• Provide financial information and advice to support organisational and project decision-making.

Funds and Grant Management

• Maintain accurate records of restricted, unrestricted and designated funds, ensuring income is used and reported in accordance with funding requirements.
• Manage grant-related financial processes, including cost recovery, funder reporting and fiscal hosting arrangements.

Compliance and Governance

• Coordinate the preparation of information for annual accounts and liaise with external accountants.
• Ensure financial and statutory requirements are met, including Gift Aid, charity returns, payroll and pension compliance, and anti-fraud and anti-money-laundering responsibilities.
• Support the Treasurer, Finance Sub-Committee and wider governance processes.

People, Systems and Processes

• Supervise and support the Finance Officer and contribute to the effective induction of staff to finance systems.
• Maintain appropriate financial records, asset registers and controls.
• Continually review and improve financial systems and processes to promote efficiency, transparency and accuracy.
• Support financial management of organisational events, including cash handling, payments and reconciliation.

Person Specification: (Please see the full application pack on our website for full person specification)

As an inclusive employer and membership organisation, we want our staff team to better reflect the communities in which we live and work. We are committed to making sure our organisation is inclusive, diverse and anti-racist, and one that recognises and truly values individual differences and identities. So if you are interested in the role, but are worried that you do not meet all the requirements in the person specification, we would still like to hear from you. People from communities that experience discrimination on the basis of race, ethnicity or immigration status; sexuality or gender; age; socio-economic status; or disability are actively and especially encouraged to apply. We are working towards the Age-Friendly Employer Pledge.

Qualifications

• Relevant accounting or finance qualification, or equivalent experience gained in a charity setting

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years experience in a broad finance/accounting role in a UK charity
• Experience with invoicing, payments, reconciliations and payroll.
• Experience of budgeting, forecasting and management reporting.
• Experience of managing restricted and unrestricted funds

Knowledge and Skills

• Good knowledge of accounting principles, financial controls and reporting.
• Knowledge of PAYE, National Insurance, pensions and HMRC requirements.
• Good IT and accounting systems skills, including Excel and accounting software.
• Understanding of different payment processors, eg. Stripe, Transferwise, GoCardless, Paypal
• Ability to work independently
• Excellent problem-solving skills
• Strong numerical and analytical skills with excellent attention to detail.
• Good organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to meet deadlines.
• Good communication skills and ability to explain financial information to non-finance colleagues
• Competent and comfortable working in an online environment (Google Drive, Slack, regular video-conferencing and more)
• High level of integrity, discretion and financial judgement.

You can find the full application pack on our website. There is an application form to complete. Only applications on the form will be considered. We look forward to hearing from you!