RSPCA - Director of Finance & Business Services

Cadence Partners

Location Homeworking and visits to London and Horsham offices
Salary Competitive
  • Closing: 10:20am, 18th May 2021 BST

Job Description

JOB PROFILE

Director of Finance & Business Services

Reporting to:          Chief Executive Officer                                              

Base and travel:     Flexible‌. Combination of ‌homeworking and regular attendance to London ‌and ‌Horsham‌

offices. Occasional travel nationally.

Role Purpose

  • As a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the postholder will be responsible for providing financial leadership and strategic advice to the CEO, the Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and the RSPCA Board of Trustees, and be the lead director at key finance and investment committees.

  • Reporting to the CEO, the post holder will have overall responsibility for developing, implementing and overseeing the Society’s financial strategy and risk framework, for ensuring effective financial management and control throughout the Society, and for ensuring the effective use of charitable funds and aligning these with the priorities and activities of the RSPCA.  

  • To ensure that the RSPCA is accurately and appropriately portrayed in all of its financial activities, whilst protecting the Society’s reputation.

  • To ensure the Finance, IT, Risk and Compliance, Procurement and Property teams deliver a high-quality service to all stakeholders and are seen as adding value in enabling the RSPCA to achieve its vision and strategic priorities through its workforce.

  • To develop and support the delivery of robust strategic plans and be able to work across the organisation to leverage the overall performance of the charity.

 PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

  • Provide inspirational leadership, vision, motivation and support to the senior leaders and heads of department within the Finance, Risk and Compliance, IT, Procurement and Property teams.

  • Ensure policies meet changes in the law and regulations.

  • Work closely with the Director of Strategy and Transformation to track costs and benefits in relation to the large-scale transformation within the RSPCA. 

  • Act as Sponsor in relation to the Real Estate transformation project to modernise the function. 

  • Lead operational efficiency improvements within Finance.  

  • Oversee and support the development and implementation of effective, efficient, flexible and customer focused approaches to business support.

  • Advise and lead on the development of, and gain widespread commitment to ensure, the effective management of efficiency improvements in the provision of finance, IT, procurement and property.

  • Lead the Risk and Assurance function with responsibility for risk management strategies and internal control procedures to minimise the risk of loss, or damage to, the Society’s assets.

  • Work with the Internal Auditors. 

  • Hold overall responsibility for Information Security Governance and Data Protection, lead the development of data protection compliance frameworks and ensure all legal and best practice requirements are met.

  • Act on behalf of the Society as sponsor to RSPCA Defined Benefit Pension Scheme Limited, to assess and monitor the employer covenant and to ensure the effective administration of the Scheme.

  • To take the lead within the ELT and provide a long-term view, relating to all areas of finance including, financial planning, analysis and projections, procurement, data protection and risk management, whilst ensuring key stakeholders/Board members are kept informed of key trends.

  • Translate overall objectives of the RSPCA into effective and achievable operational plans and monitor their progress and outcomes

  • Evaluate and ensure the efficient and cost-effective delivery of activities within the Directorate, taking action to ensure appropriate due diligence, service delivery models and sensitivity analysis.

  • Oversee the development and enhancement of systems and ensure the ongoing development and operation of the IT infrastructure and services.

  • Attend staff/union meetings as required (JNC and H&S) and present financial information and other data as required. 

  • Oversee a new procurement strategy to achieve significant savings.

  • Own and complete sensitivities to understand the cash flow to provide clear understanding of reliance on investments and to inform the Board on a recommended reserves policy. 

  • Liaise with the Treasurer/Deputy Treasurer on the Society’s financial strategy and act as Executive lead on the Investment Committee and Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.

  • Ensure the financial operations of the RSPCA comply with the requirements of the financial regulatory and tax authorities.

  • Act as Secretary to the Boards of the RSPCA subsidiary/associated companies as required.

  • Review information security investment proposals for information security development and response for alignment with the organisation’s strategy and risk profile.

  • Provide strategic oversight of the Estates/Property function, particularly in light of changing working practices and surplus space.

Key Interfaces 

Internal: Trustees, Executive Leadership Team, Senior Leadership Group, direct reports, Branches.

External: HMRC, Pension Trustees, Auditors, Banks, Solicitors, represent the RSPCA at events and in the media.

Key Competencies

Specialist

  • Extensive experience across a range of disciplines in addition to finance and business planning would be advantageous. These include IT, risk management, property, data protection.

  • Experience and understanding of the Charity Sector and the challenges and opportunities within the context of this role.

  • Change leadership skills with an ability to support the vision of the CEO, ELT Team in their vision to turn around the finances of the RSPCA and deliver financial sustainability

Commercial & strategic thinking 

  • Ability to horizon scan to identify new opportunities, whilst responding to a changing landscape

  • Has a talent for crystallising key strategic options for discussion and decision and the ability to communicate complex information in a compelling manner

 Quality orientation

  • Demonstrates and encourages exceptionally high standards in all areas of performance in complex and diverse situations; consistently monitors output standards.

Influencing & engagement

  • A collaborative leader with high emotional intelligence and the ability to form partnerships, motivate, enthuse and support individuals at both operational and strategic levels.  

  • The ability to lead change and organisational development in a diverse environment without having direct oversight or control.

  • Demonstrated leadership ability, including the ability to build a team of highly motivated and well qualified staff.

  • Diplomacy and the ability to resolve conflicting opinions and interests are also needed.

Oral and written communication

  • Excellent oral and written communication skills, including presentation skills

  • The ability to work and communicate effectively with a broad spectrum of individuals (donors, corporate partners, charity partners, RSPCA staff, trustees, volunteers and branches)

  • Influencing skills.

Flexibility and resilience  

  • Comfortable with working with ambiguity, and working in a complex governance environment

  • Ability to operate and move between strategic and operational level thinking.

  • Successfully adapts to changing demands and conditions. Maintains effective work behaviour in the face of setbacks or pressure. Comfortable with change and leading change within an organisational framework.

Personal motivation

  • ·Shows enthusiasm and career commitment with personal energy, enthusiasm and willingness to learn

KEY SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Essential:

  • Fellowship/membership of Professional Accounting Body (ICAEW, ICAS, ICAI, ACCA, CIPFA, CIMA)

  • Extensive experience across a range of disciplines in addition to finance, in a large complex environment such as business planning, IT, risk management, property, data protection.

  • Experience of IT, governance, finance and risk management within a corporate environment, including experience in the analysis of situations, making judgements on the information available and balancing risk against desired outcomes.

  • Capacity to assimilate, prioritise, analyse and interpret large volumes of data.

  • Finance transformation with demonstrable experience of progressing key work streams and re-shaping finance to be more timely, efficient and commercially effective.

  • Setting relevant policy, processes and controls and providing professional expertise, advice and guidance at the highest level.

  • Proven ability to form partnerships, motivate, enthuse and drive individuals and the ability to apply them to operational and strategic levels. 

  • Clear thinking with sound judgement – able to manage competing demands, make effective decisions under pressure and think creatively to come up with solutions to problems

  • High level of commercial awareness and intellectual rigour

  • A demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion. 

  • A commitment to the aims and values of the RSPCA

Desirable:

  • Knowledge of the charity sector, Charities SORP and other regulatory requirements for the operation of charities would be helpful

  • Experience of negotiating with Trade Unions

Framework, Boundaries, Decision Making Authority and Responsibility:

Role Dimensions  

Number of direct reports:                               5 

Manager/Individual Contributor:                   Manager   

Total no. of Reporting Staff                            125
(include all direct and indirect reports)  

  • Adhere to the Society’s charitable objectives, which are to promote kindness and prevent or suppress cruelty to animals.

  • Take care of their own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts and omissions.

  • Uphold the RSPCA’s core values  

  • Cooperate with Society policies and procedures

  • Understand and comply with any Society Code of Conduct.

Our Values

Our values for our employees, volunteers, trustees, branches and future members of our Community Engagement Programme guide everything that we do. They also guide how we work to rescue and care for animals and how we work with individuals, families, communities and other organisations.

  • We are compassionate: we care deeply about the lives of animals, we have empathy for people, we act with kindness and consideration at all times

  • We are inspirational: we are life changing, we inspire by taking the lead, we speak up when others don’t, we take brave decisions, we change animals’ lives for the better.

  • We are committed: we never give up, we have energy and determination, we rescue animals from cruelty and neglect, giving them new opportunities and supporting others in doing so, and advocate for all animals at risk of harm.

  • We are expert: we have expert knowledge which we willingly share, we act on the basis of evidence, we underpin our decisions and actions with science, data and experience.

  • We act with integrity: we are honest and trustworthy, we act with integrity, we do what’s right.

 

Statements in this Role Profile are intended to reflect, in general, the duties and responsibilities of the position, but are not to be interpreted as totally inclusive.

Removing bias from the hiring process

Applications closed Tue 18th May 2021

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Removing bias from the hiring process

  • Your application will be anonymously reviewed by our hiring team to ensure fairness
  • You’ll need a CV/résumé, but it’ll only be considered if you score well on the anonymous review

Applications closed Tue 18th May 2021