Post Title: Finance Director

Responsible to: Chief Executive Officer

About The Tutor Trust

The Tutor Trust is a registered charity which aims to tackle educational inequality in a unique way. Our mission is to 'transform lives through tuition' by making sure every child who needs some additional academic support can access a great tutor. We recruit and train bright university students as tutors in the core subjects of Maths, English and Science and place them in state schools.

We have won multiple awards and are now recognized as one of the most innovative and impactful education charities in the UK. A proudly Northern born-and-bred charity, we serve Greater Manchester, Leeds and Merseyside.

Tutor Trust is at a crucial point in its journey and growth, having just embarked on an ambitious Three Year Plan in partnership with Impetus and the Education Endowment Foundation. No longer a start-up, we are rapidly professionalizing and streamlining every aspect of our work, including our financial management.

About the Role

This is a new role at The Tutor Trust and is a Senior Management Team (SMT) position. The Finance Director will play a crucial role in helping to drive and shape the future success of the charity.

The Finance Director will work closely with the Chief Executive Officer, COO, Trustees and SMT in determining long-term financial goals and developing strategies to achieve the financial objectives of The Tutor Trust. This is a tremendous opportunity for a finance leader to maximise and strengthen the internal capacity of a well-respected organisation.

The Finance Director will manage the organisation’s financial operations, including oversight of accounts payable and receivable, budgeting, Reserves, production of financial statements and reports, and advising the senior management team on financial decisions. The Finance Director is responsible for monitoring and maintaining internal controls, while overseeing financial systems and related compliance requirements. The successful candidate will be expected to present financial information at regular trustee board meetings. 

Main Functions

Strategic

• Contribute fully to the development of charity strategy across all areas of the business, challenging assumptions and decision-making as appropriate and providing financial analysis and guidance on all activities, plans, targets and business drivers
• To develop and maintain Tutor Trust’s financial management and accounting systems in accordance with the changing needs of the organisation
• To oversee the smooth running of daily financial processing, including invoicing, cash flow, banking reconciliation and purchase ledger
• To prepare annual accounts and the associated documentation according to Charity and Company law for Tutor Trust, and liaise with external auditors
• To ensure the CEO and Board of Trustees are aware of current legislation and best practice, particularly relating to Charity and SORP regulations
• Oversee compliance with the charity’s Reserves Policy, plus an annual review of the policy, in conjunction with the SMT and Trustees

Leadership

• To manage the activities and ongoing development of the Finance Assistant
• To work closely with other members of the Senior Management Team to ensure all activities are aligned with Tutor Trust’s organisational goals and mission
• Ensure that the regulatory requirements of all statutory bodies are met
• Lead the annual budgeting and planning process in conjunction with Trustees and the CEO; administer and review all financial plans and budgets; monitor progress and changes and produce monthly budget versus actual reports (these to include balance sheet and cash flow forecasts)
• Ensure that charity financial systems are robust, compliant and support current activities and future growth
• Attend all SMT meetings, Finance and Risk Committee meetings, staff meetings and other meetings as appropriately required
• Remain up-to-date on best practices in non-profit finance, business systems and internal control measures

Functional

• To produce regular reports in an accurate and timely manner; clearly communicate monthly and annual financial statements to the CEO and Board of Trustees; attend the Finance section of all Trustees meetings
• To complete and submit all appropriate financial returns (e.g. HMRC, Charities Commission, Companies House etc.) as and when required
• Produce financial reports for foundation and other funder grants; maintain shared grant reporting calendar due dates and submissions, including all required financial deliverables as stated per grant awards and contracts (including grant agreements with Impetus and Education Endowment Foundation)
• Produce financial data, analysis and written reports for both current and prospective grant funders, to support the fundraising work of the Co-Founders; maintain shared grant application and reporting calendar (for due dates and submission deadlines), including all required financial deliverables as stated per grant awards, MOUs and contracts
• Adhere to protocols for safe working, data protection and confidentiality requirements
• Carry out any other reasonable duties within the function commensurate with the level of responsibilities of the post

Person Specification

Good candidates for this role will be dynamic high achievers with excellent IT and English skills. They will be diplomatic and a strategic thinker, with well developed inter-personal skills.

Qualifications and Experience

• Qualified professionally for the role (CIMA, ACCA, ACA)
• The ability to work accurately and effectively under pressure, prioritising workload to achieve deadlines
• Knowledge of financial processes and procedures, including budgeting, cash flows, Reserves and production of management accounts
• Knowledge of Charity financial reporting requirements and legislation, including SORP requirements
• Experience of producing Annual Accounts and returns for Companies House and the Charity Commission
• Senior management and leadership experience, ideally a minimum of three years (and ideally, experience of reporting and presenting to Boards)
• Excellent verbal, written communication and presentation skills
• Understanding and management of risks and issues
• Experience of developing robust strategic plans
• Empathy with the needs of young people, in particular disadvantaged young people
• Ideally, experience of working in or with the charity sector
• Experience of promoting equality of opportunity in the workplace
  

Skills

• Strong financial planning, forecasting and modelling skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a broad range of stakeholders including auditors, SMT and Board members
• Being able to envision a strategic overview beyond financial considerations
• Ability to determine priorities and targets and how to achieve them
• Resilience, tenacity and strong influencing skills
• Excellent collaborative worker
• Self-starter, able to work alone
• Confident user of Excel, Word and accounting and banking software (ideally SAGE50)
• Understanding of the needs and working practices of differing organisations
• A flexible approach to work including willingness to take on tasks outside the normal remit
• A positive ‘can do’ attitude

General

Salary £45,000-£55,000 per annum (this is the FTE rate – salary will be paid pro rata)

The job is part-time, 3 days per week, on a permanent contract (after a successful 3-month probation period). Your regular place of work will be the Tutor Trust Head Office in Manchester; however, the position may also involve some travel to our Leeds and Liverpool offices and Schools.

The hours of work are 24 hours per week over 52 weeks. Holiday entitlement will be 33 days per annum (pro-rata) inclusive of Bank Holidays with 3 days of your allocation to be taken over the Christmas period. The role will also involve working occasional unsocial hours in evenings and at weekends.

In accordance with our Child Protection and Safeguarding procedures, this position requires an enhanced DBS check.

Candidates are required to complete an Application form and an Equal Opportunities Monitoring form; these can be found here.

To apply for this position please send your completed application form to [email protected]

Closing date for applications: 3rd September at 12 Noon

Interviews to be held: Mid-September (TBC)

Start date: ASAP                                      

Our Privacy notice can be found here.

The Tutor Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of all children and expects our staff, tutors and volunteers to share this commitment.

The Tutor Trust is an equal opportunities employer and follows strict guideline on Safeguarding in Recruitment.

Registered Charity number: 1144043