Head of Financial Planning & Reporting

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Job description

The job of a Save the Children UK's Head of Financial Planning & Reporting is complex and rewarding.

Are you a strong leader with a strong track record of performance in a delivery focused environment?
Do you have proven experience of leading financial planning and analysis in a large complex organisation?

Are you motivated by our vision of creating a world where every child doesn't just survive, but thrives, and can go on to change the world?

If the answers to these questions are yes, we would love to hear from you!

About Us

Save the Children UK believes every child deserves a future. In the UK and around the world, we work every day to give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. When crisis strikes, and children are most vulnerable, we are always among the first to respond and the last to leave. We ensure children's unique needs are met and their voices are heard. We deliver lasting results for millions of children, including those hardest to reach.

Job Purpose

Reporting directly to the Chief Financial Officer, the Head of Financial Planning & Reporting, will be responsible for all organisational-level financial reporting activities.

Sitting in the Finance Leadership Team, the Head of Financial Planning & Reporting and their team will lead on the financial planning and forecasting process, strategic planning and the delivery of insight through management reporting and analysis.

As a rights-based organisation, we are committed to anti-racism and actively opposed systemic oppression of any form. The role holder will also support our commitment to celebrate diversity, challenge inequality, and build an inclusive environment for every one of our employees so we can better represent the children we protect.

Note:

This is a fixed-term contract role for 14 months.

Main Accountabilities

The Head of Financial Planning & Reporting's key duties will be to:

Financial Planning and Analysis

Design, develop, and manage the production of consolidated monthly management performance reporting and analysis for SCUK

Lead monthly performance review meetings within Finance and act as the liaison between Central Finance and the Heads of Finance Business Partners

Lead the preparation of senior leadership and Board of Trustee papers

Present monthly financial performance and quarterly forecasts to the ELT and Finance Committee

Manage the production of consolidated financial management data and insight provision to Save the Children International

Support the organisational annual budget and quarterly forecast process, including communication planning, defining and consolidating required analysis and outputs

Financial Accounting and Reporting

Co-lead with the Head of Financial Operations the internal year-end processes

Manage the preparation of statutory financial statements. Presenting these to the Audit & Risk Committee and satisfactorily answering questions raised

Manage the production of all subsidiary and platform entity reporting attendance as required at entity Board and Audit Committee meetings

Act as the key point of liaison with the statutory auditors and liaise with the Finance Business Partnering and Finance Operations teams as required

Responding to technical accounting queries and writing technical accounting papers as required

Play a lead role in the design and delivery of our finance improvement projects

Keep abreast of developments in accounting standards and managing any changes that impact SCUK through to Audit Committee and Board approval as required

Person Profile

Experience

Previous experience of managing and developing a high performing team in a delivery focused environment

Proven ability to lead financial planning and analysis in a large complex organisation and contribute at a strategic level (Organisations with income of more than £100s of millions)

Demonstrated ability to understand and explain commercial issues facing the organisation to senior leaders and propose mitigation strategies if required (Executive director and board level)

Experience of having produced complex group consolidated statutory accounts, managed external auditors and presenting financial statements to Audit Committees

Experience of and ability to understand interrelationships between different IT systems and to manage large sets of complex data from multiple sources

Strong Microsoft Office skills and must be an advanced Excel user able to develop effective tools for financial planning and analysis purposes

Proven ability to design, develop and implement new financial processes

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to identify financial issues through analysis, assess impact and devise appropriate organisational responses

Abilities

Ability to plan, manage and prioritise a varied workload and to take responsibility for issues through to resolution

Ability to explain complex issues clearly and succinctly to senior leaders with finance and non-finance backgrounds

Ability to build relationships and influence at senior and Trustee level

Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships as a critical member of the Finance team

Ability to request, listen to and act on feedback but can also challenge and influence assertively

Ability to use own initiative to help identify improvements to systems and processes and to take a role in resolving

Ability to understand and deliver stakeholder requirements whilst focusing on delivering quality

Ability to remain solution-focused within a fast-paced culture of change and continuous improvement

Aptitude

A demonstrable commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusion and their practical application and integration in the work environment

A commitment to Save the Children UK's aims and core values of accountability, ambition, collaboration, creativity, and integrity

Save the Children UK is committed to diversity and equality of opportunity in all aspects of our work both external and internal. We strive to be an inclusive employer and particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups such as returning parents or carers who are re-entering work after a career break, people who are LGBT+, from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, with a disability, impairment, learning difference or long-term condition, with caring responsibilities, from different nations and regions, and from less advantaged socioeconomic backgrounds.