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Finance Manager – Smart Works Charity

Location: Unit 1, Canonbury Yard, 202-208 New North Road, London, , N1 7BJ
Hours: 32 hours per week
Salary: £30,000 – £35,000 (pro rata) depending on experience and location
Planned start date: 01/06/2024

About Smart Works 

Smart Works is a dynamic, high profile and fast-growing UK charity that dresses and coaches unemployed women for success at their job interview. We empower each woman by giving her the clothes and the confidence she needs to succeed. After visiting Smart Works, 69% of clients secure a job within a month, gaining financial independence and transforming their lives.

More information about who we are can be found on our website.

About the role 

Smart Works are looking to appoint an exceptional Finance Manager to join our finance team at a time of significant growth for the organisation. Working closely with the existing finance team of four, the Finance Manager will play a crucial role in safeguarding the financial health of Smart Works Charity and its network of eleven centres across the UK.

The Finance Manager will ensure financial systems and processes are followed, financial tasks are completed before deadlines and key stakeholders receive the financial information they need to make sound decisions.

An important part of the role is to build excellent working relationships with non-financial employees working across Smart Works, so that information needed by the finance team is obtained in a timely fashion. The successful candidate will also identify opportunities for process improvements and automation.

Smart Works is growing rapidly and this is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious candidate to learn and grow their career alongside the charity. Where relevant, the charity will support the successful candidate in their continued study, CPD and qualification – and the Director of Finance will mentor the Finance Manager in their role.

The role would be based in the one of the following centres: London or Reading.

Smart Works is a national charity, with Smart Works centres across the UK. There will therefore be occasional travel and liaison with local centres across the UK and HQ in London, to support induction and training, as well as the day-to-day role.

Duties and responsibilities

  • Comply with all financial systems and control processes for Smart Works.
  • Support the Director in completing submissions, filings and returns completed in a timely manner. This includes supporting the successful completion of the annual audit and production of statutory accounts.
  • Produce monthly income and expenditure reports, balance sheets, management accounts and the production of financial board papers for Smart Works Charity and each local centre.
  • Supporting the Director in ensuring all members of staff are paid correctly and on-time.
  • Deliver improvements to financial systems to drive efficiencies across the finance function.
  • Establish and maintain a strong and productive relationship with local treasurers and other relevant stakeholders, acting as the ‘go to’ for day-to-day financial queries.
  • Oversee the timely and accurate transaction processing and reconciliation for income and expenditure for allocated centres, providing hands on and technical support to the Finance Assistant when needed.
  • Responsible for ensuring all payments are made and invoices are raised in an accurate and timely manner.
  • Investing time in upskilling and developing junior members of the team.

Personal Specification 

Essential Criteria

  • ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA part qualified (or equivalent, e.g. AAT qualified).
  • A strong accounting background, with significant experience working within a finance function.
  • Good written and oral communication skills.
  • Proven ability to produce quality accounts and accurate financial work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
  • Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office applications, particularly Excel.
  • Good analytical skills and professional sceptical mindset.
  • A strong desire to learn, a willingness to share knowledge and a strong team ethic.
  • Enthusiastic, diligent and energetic with a flexible approach in a rapidly changing environment.
  • A proven track record of providing exceptional service and establishing and maintaining strong relationships.
  • High level of attention to detail; ability to produce reliable, accurate work.

Desirable Criteria

  • Experience working in the Not For Profit or Charity Sector.
  • Experience using accounting package Xero.
  • Knowledge of Partial Exemption VAT.

How to apply

Apply for this opportunity using the web link below and to find out more information – we can’t wait to hear from you

Application deadline: 23/04/2024

Web link: https://smartworks.livevacancies.co.uk/#/job/details/55

More about Smart Works

Smart Works is a UK charity that provides high quality interview clothes and interview training to unemployed women in need. We harness the power of clothes and confidence to allow a woman to be her best at a crucial moment in her life, giving her the confidence, the self-belief and the practical tools required to succeed at interview and transform her life.

Visit website