Assistant Director of Finance, Estates & Commercial Services , Grade 6, Permanent, Liverpool or Newport)

Job Purpose:

The Charity Commission is the independent regulator for charities in England and Wales. Our ambitious five-year strategy sets out a clear purpose: to ensure charity can thrive and inspire trust, so that people can improve lives and strengthen society. It is a bold and confident ambition, underpinned by our commitment to act in the public interest.

The Resources Directorate reports to the Commissions Chief Operating Officer and is accountable for delivering enabling services and outcomes that ensure that the organisation functions and performs effectively and efficiently. The Directorate includes People and Development, Finance, Estates & Commercial, and Planning, Performance & Risk. Without the Resources Directorate, the Commission would not be able to function and deliver its statutory objectives. Resources manage the Commissions internal resources and processes and holds other Directorates to account for delivering good performance outcomes.

Role Purpose

The Assistant Director of Finance, Estates & Commercial Services (FECS) provides strategic leadership for the Commissions finance, estates, and commercial functions, ensuring that public money is managed with integrity, discipline, and a clear focus on public value. As the Commissions Head of Profession for Finance, the post holder will provide expert advice, assurance and challenge to support effective decision making, strengthen organisational resilience and enable the Commission to deliver its statutory objectives within the financial controls, standards and expectations that apply across government.

The post holder will be accountable for delivering a robust financial management and procurement service. They will provide high quality, customer-focussed finance, accounting, procurement, and estates, thereby supporting the Chief Operating Officer in effective stewardship of Commission financial resources within the limits set by Treasury.

The post holder will lead continuous improvement to financial and commercial processes, systems, standards, and capabilities in order to improve operational outcomes.

Key Responsibilities:

• Enabling the organisation to achieve its strategic aims by being accountable for the provision of high quality, effective finance, procurement, and estates services across the Commission.
• Operational financial leadership to support effective and efficient decision making across the organisation and providing assurance on all financial and commercial matters to the Accounting Officer, Audit & Risk Assurance Committee, and directors.
• Responsible for delivering effective financial planning over the short and medium term whilst leading the annual budget process, ensuring effective liaison with HM Treasury as a critical stakeholder.
• Acting as the financial lead and co-ordinator of the Spending Review process, including regular liaison with the HMT Spending Team.
• Ensuring that the system of financial control at the Commission reflects appropriate best practice.
• Responsible for producing high quality interim and annual Resource Accounts, and timely, high-quality financial management information to all stakeholders.
• Operational responsibility and delegated authority to make business critical finance and procurement delivery decisions within governance frameworks and appropriate risk controls.
• Ensuring effective budget & financial controls are in place, understood and adhered to.

To substitute for and make decisions on behalf of the Chief Operating Officer when required and as necessary.

This role will manage a team of professionals and be responsible for the delivery of professional capability within the team. They will be focused on maintaining professional compliance and assurance in all Commission activities.

Essential Criteria

Ability:

• Ability to research, investigate and analyse facts and numerical data to inform and support effective decision making.
• Ability to plan and prioritise competing demands to ensure performance targets and deadlines are met.
• Ability to manage performance.
• Excellent communication skills, including verbal and written.
• Ability to work collaboratively and apply feedback.
• Able to influence others, including those outside of your direct working relationships.
• Strong motivational skills.
• Good planning and organisational skills.
• Good critical thinking skills.
• The ability to meet targets and deadlines.
• The ability to build, sustain and manage relationships with people at all levels, including senior managers and stakeholders.
• Demonstrable high levels of efficiency and flexibility.
• Ability to use own initiative and working under pressure.
• A proven ability in performance management and coaching.
• Confident working with ambiguity and making assumptions based on known information.

Experience

• An awareness of public administration (central government in particular)
• Strong knowledge of financial management within a public sector organisation, including management accounting and financial accounting.
• Experience of analysing complex written material and identifying and summarising key issues.
• Experience of working in a customer focused environment.
• Experience of using Unit4 or similar enterprise systems.
• Experience of supporting the organisation by management accounting and/or financial services to internal customers in the public sector.
• Experience of public sector financial management and accounting requirements
• Experience of the preparation of annual accounts within the public sector.
• Experience of cash flow management.
• Experience of assessing the financial implications of business decisions and providing advice to all levels of the organisation.

Technical

• Qualified member of a CCAB or equivalent recognised accountancy body with a substantial post qualifying experience.
• Application of risk management principles during the management of work and when making decisions.
• Handling data and information sensitively in accordance with the business procedures and/or law.
• Good IT skills, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.