• Duration: Permanent

• Salary: Circa £70,000 per annum

• Job Level: 2

• Hours: 35 hours per week. Other flexible arrangements will be considered

• Disclosure Level: Basic. This role involves no direct or indirect work with children

• Reports to: Director of Finance

• Location: Hybrid working. Office location 1 Westfield Avenue, London E20 1HZ

At the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK), we pull together to achieve the best possible results for children in danger around the world.  We believe in an inclusive workplace and in the power of fulfilled colleagues who share the same values and goals, enjoy their work and are motivated to do their utmost for children. 

Our work is guided by the UN Convention of the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which recognise the universality of children’s rights.

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Finance Team incorporates a range of functions including Financial Control, Donations Processing, Finance Business Partnering, and Procurement. The Team is part of a wider Directorate, which includes the Legal and Information Teams.

The Finance Team contributes to UNICEF UK’s positive impact for children by working with the wider organisation to maximise the value of our supporters’ donations and to safeguard our funds and assets.

We are currently working on an exciting transformation project (Finance Transformation Project) which involves implementing a new finance platform, redesign of processes and controls and improved, more insightful reporting. The new system will go-live in January 2024 and will enable more efficient business processes and improved financial reporting for data driven decision making.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Head of Financial Control is responsible for overseeing the Financial Control team within the wider Finance function. This role ensures the accuracy and integrity of financial reporting and transaction processing, compliance with regulatory requirements, and the implementation of effective financial controls. Reporting to the Director of Finance, the post holder will work closely with senior management and our Finance Business Partner Team to support strategic financial planning and decision-making.

What we will expect you to achieve

• Manage and mentor the financial control team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and high performance.

• Ensure timely and accurate preparation of monthly and annual financial statements and management information, working with the Finance Business Partners to provide related reports for distribution to senior management and Board of Trustees to support decision making.

• Coordinate year-end close and external audit arrangements, being key point of contact for the auditors.

• Work with the Finance Business Partners to support the budget and forecasting process.

• Develop, implement, and monitor robust internal control systems and processes to safeguard the organisation’s assets.

• Work with the wider team and system specialists to identify opportunities to enhance functionality and efficiency of our new finance platform and related processes, to ensure maximum value is derived from our investment.

• Ensure compliance with all legal and regulatory requirements, e.g., VAT compliance, and support teams with advice on such matters, as required.

• Demonstrate and model a commitment to our shared values, behaviours and inclusive practices (known as Our Shared Commitment) in all aspects of your work.

BEHAVIOURS, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

This section contains the essential behaviours, experience, knowledge and skills needed in order to be effective and successful in this role. All criteria in this section are essential.

Effective Behaviours

Supporter driven and mission aligned

• Is committed to children and their rights and motivated to work towards achieving a world that is fit for every child. 

Analytical

• Analyses available information to make logical and sound judgments.

• Questions assumptions and seeks further insight to inform decision making.

Efficiency and effectiveness

• Manage conflicting priorities to ensure that objectives are achieved, and deadlines met.

• Anticipates risks and puts plans in place to minimise their impact.

• Suggests simplifications to overly complex ways of working to improve results.

Good Management

• Encourages a supportive and positive working environment where questions/opinions can be expressed appropriately.

• Monitors developing conflicts such as excessive demands on people and resources and proactively addresses them.

• Delegates work appropriately, encouraging, and empowering people to act on their initiative and make decisions within agreed parameters.

Communication

• Anticipates and responds to the needs of an audience, adapting content, style, language and use of channel to deliver maximum clarity.

• Conveys complex ideas using a variety of methods to engage an audience and win understanding and support.

Collaboration

• Values diversity, respecting and drawing on colleagues’ different perspectives, skills, experience and knowledge.

Relevant experience

• Experience of working in a Financial Control role, including leading on preparation of management and statutory financial statements, preparing reports for senior management/directors/trustees, completion of HMRC returns and audit coordination.

• Evidence of managing and developing a team.

• Experience with change programmes, including systems and process change desirable.

Specific knowledge and skills

• ACCA, ACA or CIMA qualified (or international equivalent).

• Accounting standards and their application to charities (e.g., FRS 102/Charities SORP).

• Strong Excel and data manipulation skills.