Recruit 121 (Finance, Technology, and Executive) is excited to be partnering with the Centre for Finance, Innovation and Technology (CFIT) in recruiting the unique opportunity of a Head of Finance & Operations
The successful individual will become a key member of the CFIT management team and your responsibility will be to ensure the organisation is structured and built for success to adhere to all financial, operations, governance and reporting obligations.
Reporting into the COO, you will lead strategy and service delivery for finance and operations. Ensuring the accurate production of business plans, statutory and monthly management accounts. Managing controls, compliance, governance and reporting for the organisation, aligned to performance metrics and team objectives. As a result, you will naturally be the COO’s primary delegate.
Ideally you will have a background in start ups, scale ups, industry bodies or government funded body, this will be an advantage but not essential.
Key Responsibilities:
- Provide support to COO in all finance, operations, governance and reporting matters
- Developing, managing, and leading CFIT’s operational and financial responsibilities
- Handling key issues in a timely manner, ensuring processes have appropriate governance
- Oversee the entire finance function including planning, reporting, risk, and accounting
- Build a long-term finance function to meet the demands of the business as it grows
- Monitor and adhere to statutory regulations, industry legislation and accounting standards
- Responsibility for reviewing payment runs, bank reconciliations and escalating risks
- Accurate bookkeeping, bank deposits, and timely payments for payroll and suppliers
- Lead budget development, monitor expenditure, update projections and manage cashflow
- Liaise with grant funders to ensure claims are submitted correctly in due time
- Influence company strategy through financial and data led decision making
- Drive a culture of operational excellence, continuous improvement, controls and efficiency
- Partnering closely with leadership to deliver positive financial and operational outcomes
- Provide oversight on risk and controls for initiatives impacting operations and finance
- Prepare monthly and ad hoc financial reports for the COO, committees and the Board
- Complete delegated tasks for the COO and support process reviews leading to audits
- Support management of appropriate policies to govern finance and operations actions
- Support the COO with all human resources (HR) activities, ensuring compliance with laws
- Oversee management and data integrity of operations and finance systems and controls
- Develop health and safety best practise, business continuity planning and security processes
Key Capabilities:
You will enjoy environments where processes, procedures, controls and compliance are paramount to overall delivery and success. Developing governance models that facilitate clean execution rather than impede it. Understanding the key mechanics of HR responsibilities at an organisational level will be advantageous to collaborate on people initiatives as part of the COO’s business strategy.
· Leadership: A proven finance and operations industry leader, managing and building teams
- Communication: Relationship builder who can navigate various seniority stakeholder levels
- Prioritisation: Ability to determine strategic and tactical importance of timely activities
- Finance: Budgeting, forecasting, reconciliation, cashflow management, accounting standards
- Operations: Deep process knowledge of building operating models that deliver objectives
- Governance: Risk management expertise to develop control models that ensure compliance
- Knowledge: Established skills as a Head of Operations, Head of Finance or a similar role
- Mindset: Analytical, proactive, action-oriented, data-driven, self-starter, problem-solver
- Motivation: Passion to lead and succeed in a fast-moving, challenging environment
CFIT is a safe, inclusive workplace with a strong focus on creating a supportive environment where everyone can bring their whole selves to their roles.
You are strongly encouraged to apply if you are from an underrepresented background, as CFIT believes that only through diversity of thought, background and experience can it truly be an innovative organisation.
Finally, CFIT is a virtual organisation with a strong regional focus across the UK. It is important that the team has representation from across the country.
So do not get hung up on location; there is an opportunity for you, so apply!