Director of Finance And Operations

The Director of Finance is a senior strategic leadership role responsible for leading the financial strategy, financial governance, commercial insight, risk management, budgeting, reporting, compliance and financial sustainability. The role operates as the organisation's senior finance leader, providing strategic financial advice to the President & CEO’s Office, Directors and key stakeholders. While not titled Chief Financial Officer, the role is expected to operate with a CFO-style mindset, ensuring that financial planning, controls, investment decisions, reporting, systems and governance support long-term strategy and operational delivery. The role provides leadership to the Finance Manager and IT Manager, ensuring Finance and IT are aligned, well-governed, secure, efficient, and able to support organisational growth. The role also provides strategic oversight of the Operations & Culture department, ensuring alignment, governance and financial accountability across Finance, IT and Operations & Culture.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Lead the financial strategy in alignment with the organisation's mission, objectives, and growth plans.

• Act as the principal finance advisor to the President & CEO’s Office, Directors and senior stakeholders.

• Provide strategic financial insights to support decision-making, business planning, investment decisions, funding considerations, and organisational priorities.

• Translate organisational strategy into clear financial plans, budgets, forecasts, controls and reporting frameworks.

• Provide financial modelling, scenario planning, and commercial analysis to support strategic decisions.

• Identify financial risks, opportunities, efficiencies, and areas for improvement.

• Support long-term financial sustainability, value creation, and responsible resource allocation.

• Advise pricing, cost structures, revenue opportunities, funding models, investment activities, and financial performance.

Finance Management & Governance

• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of the finance and accounting function.

• Lead the Finance Manager, ensuring effective delivery of day-to-day finance operations, accounting, payroll-related financial processes, VAT, reporting, reconciliations and compliance.

• Establish clear goals, objectives, responsibilities, and performance expectations for the finance function.

• Develop, implement and continuously improve finance policies, procedures, internal controls and financial governance frameworks.

• Ensure accurate fiscal records, financial files, documentation, approvals, and audit trails are maintained.

• Oversee the organisation's financial position, performance, cash flow, and financial commitments.

• Ensure appropriate internal controls are in place to safeguard organisational assets and reduce financial risk.

• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, regulations, tax requirements, financial reporting standards and internal policies.

• Provide regular updates to the President & CEO’s Office and Directors on financial performance, risks, forecasts and recommendations.

Budgeting, Forecasting & Financial Planning

• Lead the annual budgeting process.

• Partner with Directors and department heads to develop realistic, strategic and accountable departmental budgets.

• Provide regular budget reporting, forecasting, variance analysis and financial commentary.

• Review organisational performance against budget, prior year, forecast and strategic targets.

• Identify cost pressures, funding gaps, efficiencies, and opportunities for improved financial performance.

• Provide recommendations for cost optimisation, investment prioritisation and resource allocation.

• Develop financial models and forecasts to support strategic planning and business cases.

• Support the President & CEO’s Office with financial planning for new initiatives, projects, partnerships and revenue-generating activities.

Accounting, Reporting, Audit & Compliance

• Oversee the preparation of accurate monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports.

• Ensure timely completion of month-end and year-end close processes.

• Oversee accounts payable, accounts receivable, general ledger, reconciliations, payroll-related financial records, cash receipts, and accounting processes.

• Ensure accurate preparation and review of management accounts and financial statements.

• Oversee VAT, tax, statutory submissions, and other regulatory compliance requirements.

• Lead the external audit process and liaise with auditors, tax agents, consultants, and relevant external parties.

• Ensure all financial reporting is accurate, transparent, timely, and suitable for executive decision-making.

• Review balance sheet reconciliations, KPIs, inter-company accounts, recharges and loan account balances where applicable.

• Maintain high standards of financial integrity, confidentiality, and professional ethics.

IT Oversight, Systems & Digital Governance

• Provide strategic oversight of the IT function through the IT Manager.

• Ensure IT systems, infrastructure, tools, platforms, security and digital processes support organisational needs and business continuity.

• Partner with the IT Manager to identify technology risks, system improvements, security requirements, and investment priorities.

• Ensure appropriate IT governance, data protection, cybersecurity, access controls and business continuity measures are in place.

• Oversee technology budgeting, IT procurement, software licensing, and system-related financial planning.

• Ensure IT policies, processes and controls are aligned with organisational standards and regulatory requirements.

• Support the integration of finance, IT, and operational systems to improve efficiency, reporting, automation, and decision-making.

• Ensure that technology decisions are financially sound, operationally effective, and strategically aligned.

Operations & Culture Oversight

• Provide strategic oversight of the Operations & Culture department, ensuring its objectives and initiatives are aligned with organisational strategy and financial sustainability.

• Partner with Operations & Culture leadership to ensure people, operational and cultural initiatives are appropriately budgeted, resourced and financially sound.

• Ensure Operations & Culture policies, programmes and organisational change initiatives are delivered within approved budgets and financial controls.

• Support the integration of Finance, IT and Operations & Culture systems, processes and reporting to improve organisational efficiency, governance and decision-making.

• Provide financial and governance input on Operations & Culture strategy, workforce planning and major people-related investments.

• Ensure that Operations & Culture decisions are financially sound, operationally effective, and strategically aligned with the organisation’s goals.

Commercial Insight & Strategic Advisory

• Provide commercial and financial insights to support strategy, programmes, operations, partnerships, and revenue-related activities.

• Advise the President & CEO’s Office and Directors on financial implications of strategic decisions.

• Support business cases, investment proposals, funding decisions, and project feasibility reviews.

• Analyse costs, pricing, revenue, margins, risks and financial returns.

• Recommend financial strategies that improve sustainability, efficiency, and value.

• Support negotiations, vendor reviews, contract financial assessments and procurement decisions where required.

• Provide constructive financial challenges to ensure decisions are evidence-based and commercially responsible.

Leadership & Stakeholder Management

• Lead, coach, and develop the Finance Manager and Head of IT.

• Build strong working relationships with the President & CEO’s Office, Directors, department heads, external advisors, auditors, banks, vendors and other key stakeholders.

• Promote a culture of accountability, integrity, accuracy, efficiency and service excellence across Finance and IT.

• Ensure Finance and IT are positioned as enabling functions that support the organisation's goals and employees.

• Provide clear direction, prioritisation and performance expectations for direct reports.

• Represent Finance and IT in leadership meetings and cross-functional forums.

• Ensure both functions work collaboratively with other departments and contribute to organisational success.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Bachelor's degree in finance, Accounting, Business Administration, Economics or related fields. Professional finance qualifications such as CPA, ACCA, ACA, CIMA or equivalent are strongly preferred.

• Significant senior finance experience, ideally within strategic finance leadership, Finance Director or CFO-style role.

• Strong understanding of financial strategy, accounting principles, budgeting, forecasting, reporting, internal controls, audit, tax, VAT and financial compliance.

• Demonstrated ability to advise CEOs, Boards, Directors or senior leadership teams on strategic financial matters.

• Strong commercial judgement and ability to translate financial information into clear business insights.

• Experience leading finance teams and managing cross-functional relationships.

• Experience overseeing IT, systems, digital governance, cybersecurity, or technology-related budgets is desirable.

• Strong knowledge of financial systems and cloud-based accounting platforms; experience with Xero is desirable.

• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

• High level of integrity, confidentiality, discretion, and professional judgement.

• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to explain complex financial matters clearly.

• Ability to operate strategically while maintaining strong attention to detail.

• Highly organised, proactive, and able to manage competing priorities under tight timelines.