Location: Based in our Dalston office with flexibility to WFH

Reporting to: CFO

Contract: Permanent, full time (37.5 hours p/w)

About Fair Finance

Fair Finance is a social business with a mission to revolutionise finance and make it more inclusive, starting with the people others have left behind.

For nearly 20 years we have worked with hundreds of thousands of customers to help them access affordable credit, manage their finances, avoid eviction or start businesses. Our work has influenced Government policy, credit legislation and shown how Purpose and Profit can work together to change the financial system for the better.

About the role

Reporting to the CFO, the Head of Finance will lead the finance team and work closely with colleagues across the business to oversee Fair Finance’s strategic and operational finance activities. They will provide strategic input and sound decision making in relation to shaping the financial planning and management of the business. As a member of the Senior Leadership Team the postholder will also contribute to broader business strategy and decision making to ensure Fair Finance achieves its targets and objectives.

You will be expected to provide challenge, insight and leadership across the business to help drive innovation within the finance function.

About you

You are keen to make a difference and want to work in a changemaking organisation. You want to work in a values-driven organisation and be surrounded by people who want you to be successful, support you to make the right decisions for our clients and help us revolutionise financial services to make it more inclusive.

This role would suit a professional who is looking to truly own, direct and deliver the Finance Function’s work and strategy for an impactful and fast-moving social business that is preparing to grow rapidly.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Finance & Business Partnering

• Together with the CFO, set financial targets across the business in line with the overall strategic plan
• Develop plans and budgets that meet the requirements of the business strategy; develop and lead financial and data models to support forecasting, planning and investment decisions, especially during fundraising cycles. Act as a key business partner across the business, to establish departmental performance vs budget; deliver high impact finance support. Focussing on the quality and clarity of the information rather than the complexity.
• Take a lead role in shaping how data is used across the growing business, owning financial data models and contributing to the design and implementation of a new data warehouse.
• Support the Executive Committee and wider management team with commercial decisions using clear, well-structured models and data insights; design and preparation of MI including Board Pack and investor reporting.
• Ad hoc support to the c-suite in areas such as risk management, fundraising, R&D claims, investor packs, review of business cases and investments.

Financial Management & Reporting

• Manage all aspects of the company’s Financial Reporting requirements; you will supply accurate and timely management and statutory accounts and ensure that all aspects of requirements under UKGAAP (FRS 102) are met.
• Oversee a smooth annual audit and account preparation process.
• Develop and produce timely and insightful management information and KPIs to facilitate delivery of these objectives, delivering them regularly to the executive team and the board.
• Together with the finance team of 2-3, manage all aspects of the Finance Function ensuring that a robust controls environment is designed, maintained and documented. Oversee financial operations and control (e.g. transactions, payments processing, and reconciliations) across the business and implement operational best practice. Management of a capable Finance Team, means that day to day finance tasks can be largely delegated and the focus will be on improving quality and efficiency of work, and coaching the team. For example, identify new technologies which can be employed to improve the quality and timeliness of financial reporting and data, and support roll-out of such technologies.
• Cash management and monitoring.
• Manage banking covenant and compliance requirements and ensure that tax and relevant regulatory reporting requirements are met.

Leadership & Team Development

• Manage and develop a high-performing finance team, ensuring they are engaged, empowered and evolving with the business.
• Champion a data-informed culture and build financial capability across departments.
• Continuously improve the quality and efficiency of the Finance Team’s work; we expect the scope and scale of the function to grow with the business and for the Head of Finance to oversee this change.
• Manage relationship with external auditors, tax advisors and other services to ensure compliance with all regulations.

• Work with the CFO on developing and delivering financial strategy.

Skills and Experience:

• Qualified finance professional (ACA, ACA or CIMA).
• Understanding of UK Accounting Standards and Financial Reporting Standards.
• Solid understanding of financial management and accounting.
• Strong experience of financial planning and forecasting.
• Strong commercial experience, ideally gained in a Financial Services or Technology background. Experience working in a not-for-profit business is not required, but a demonstratable desire to work for a social purpose business is.

• Advanced Excel and strong data manipulation skills.

• Strong analytical and decision-making abilities.
• Proven ability to multi-task and prioritise in a busy environment.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience of managing high performance teams and leading change.
• Experience in leading and developing relationships with auditors and other external stakeholders.

• Ability to translate financial concepts and reporting into accessible and straightforward language for non-financial colleagues.
• Solutions-orientated and curious, with an appetite to continually review and improve processes.

• Strong influencing and negotiating skills.
• Experience of maintaining and utilising accounting software, eg Sage or Xero, would be helpful.

Why work for Fair Finance?

• Fair Finance is a social business with ambitious plans.
• Over the last eighteen years Fair Finance has helped over a hundred thousand people escape the clutches of high-cost money lenders, start businesses or avoid eviction.
• Our work has helped influence Government policy and legislation.
• We have demonstrated how purpose and profit can work together to change the financial system for the better.
• We believe in employing, growing and building around exceptional people who share our values.
• We have created an environment where you can genuinely put clients before profits and make a difference to our clients’ lives.
• We will provide you with a supportive workplace surrounded by peers who want you to do well, with responsibility to make a real difference in the organisation and the opportunity to thrive and make the role your own.
• We are a diverse organisation full of people who understand the balance between achieving business objectives and our social mission.
• Our Head Office is in a shared workspace in Dalston, housing more than 300 creative businesses, social enterprises and charities.
• Hybrid working and work practice flexibility is offered.

Employee Benefits

• Annual holiday entitlement of 25 days in addition to UK public holidays (pro-rated for part-time working hours).
• An additional paid day off for your birthday.
• Staff receive an additional 'WFH budget' to allow even greater location flexibility.
• Private Health Insurance.
• Perkbox access for a wide range of discounts.
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• Staff Loan Scheme (currently interest free).
• 3% matching contribution towards a stakeholder pension.

The closing date for applications is Monday 27^th October (11:59pm)