Head of Finance and Governance

Closing Date for Applications: 7th May 2024

Purpose

Established in 1986, City in the Community is Manchester City’s official charity. We support people across Manchester by empowering healthier lives through football. Our programmes place physical and mental wellbeing at their core, whilst also creating healthy futures and healthy communities. 

The Head of Finance & Governance role is a key strategic and operational one within the charity, leading on all aspects of reporting (statutory, regulatory, and management), taxation, treasury, and transactions. Leading a Business Support team of four, the role also includes project management and oversight of CITC’s technology, insurance, fleet and compliance functions. 

The purpose of the role is to provide effective stewardship, technical expertise and regular financial reporting to key stakeholders, coupled with a partnering approach that supports department managers and wider team engagement.

The role holds ownership of all aspects of governance and compliance for the charity including but not limited to, Charity Commission compliance, Companies House documentation; and, demonstrating the Premier League’s Capability Code of Practice requirements.

As part of the CITC’s Leadership team, responsibilities also extend to taking an active role in collaborating, planning and contributing to CITC’s vision, wider organisational strategy and key operational objectives.

Accountabilities

1. Leading and overseeing all management reporting on a monthly, half year and annual basis including the consolidation of financial statements that ensures CITC fulfils requirements and remains compliant. Provide reporting and analysis to the board of trustees that informs decision making and identifies opportunities.
2. Management and oversight of statutory and regulatory audits, liaising with internal and external auditors acting as CITC’s key driver of continuous improvement. Challenge and advise accountable stakeholders according to audit recommendations to develop CITC’s reputation as best in class.
3. Working with CEO of CITC to develop and drive financial strategy and the internal control environment, including risk minimisation plans and opportunity forecasting. Ownership of CITC’s budget process, assisting departments with, or fully creating, budgets that support organisational priorities and ensure long-term sustainability.
4. Ensuring compliance with UK law, tax provisions and relevant industry and financial regulations. Link with the club and wider team to ensure CITC fulfils associated responsibilities towards GDPR.
5. Ownership of accounting policies and internal controls that support CITC’s financial processes, safeguard company assets and mitigate risk. Develop and review CITC’s finance policy manual to ensure continuous improvement for processes, systems and reporting mechanisms.
6. Responsible for all technical accounting matters. Accountable for payroll processing, bank mandates, cash control and bank reconciliations to ensure all treasury controls are appropriately managed and reported.
7. Management of CITC’s insurance policies and key point of contact with the insurance brokers. Collaborating with the wider team to ensure all policy obligations are met, risk is identified and mitigated.
8. Overall accountability for the function of Business Support, overseeing projects and processes relating to IT and equipment, seasonal kit allocation, external premises and CITC’s fleet of vehicles.
9. Support CITC’s culture of development by sharing expertise, guidance and appropriate training to upskill line managers in effective budgeting and financial responsibility.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Relevant degree in accounting, economics, finance or a related field
• Qualified ACA, ACCA, or CIMA accountant with extensive post qualified experience
• Excellent financial modeller
• Experience of managing audits and action plans for recommendations 
• Experience of managing governance and compliance processes and policies
• Up to date knowledge of business and regulatory environment and relevant UK law
• Experience of people management; demonstrating leadership and effective team/ individual management approaches
• Positive, open mindset; driver and leader of change
• Excellent communicator, with the ability to influence and collaborate with a diverse range of stakeholders
• Ability to flex approach to working with stakeholders with different/competing objectives
• Significant experience providing summary impactful information of complex matters for non-financial board members and senior management
• Relatable and collaborative leader
• Solid IT skills, coupled with strong analytical ability
• Expert knowledge of budgeting and financial forecasting and the ability to develop others
• Experience of managing multiple BAU workloads, reactive issues and project work
• Resilient and calm under pressure

Desirable

• Post graduate degree in business administration or accounting
• Experience of accounting in the charitable sector
• High emotional intelligence 
• Good understanding of GDPR
• Experience of risk management
• Deep understanding of financial policies and procedures; design, delivery and review

City Football Group promotes equal opportunities in employment and we positively welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.

We will screen all applicants and select candidates whose skills and experience seem to meet our needs. We will carefully consider your application during the initial screening and will contact you only if you are selected for an interview. 

Employment is subject to the provision of proof of eligibility to work in the UK.

Due to our safeguarding promise, all UK based CFG roles will be subject to a DBS check upon commencing employment with us. This will be either a basic, standard or enhanced check depending on the job role and responsibilities.