Head Of Finance

Alfanar
Opportunity to join a growing charity Ethical organisation working towards a great cause About Our Client Launched in 2004, Alfanar is the Arab region’s oldest venture philanthropy organisation. We are a UK-based charity with operations in Cairo, Beirut and Amman and affiliates in the US and the Netherlands. We aim to transform lives in disadvantaged communities across the Arab world by strengthening ambitious social enterprises responding to pressing needs, especially around children’s education, youth employment and women’s economic empowerment. Alfanar provides grants, repayable grants and impact investment (through a soon to be launched sister impact fund) and technical assistance to social enterprises, enabling them to scale their impact in disadvantaged communities, while increasing the sales of goods and services to achieve greater financial sustainability. Alfanar’s highly engaged venture philanthropy approach applies the principles of private sector investment to charitable giving, delivering social returns that are sustainable, scalable, and game changing. For more information about Alfanar’s venture philanthropy work, see our 2021 Annual Report and our website. Job Description Scope of the Role: Build up the Finance function to deliver exceptional finance services to Alfanar’s teams with a clear focus on continuous improvement, problem solving and development, ensuring a high level of performance with a customer focus. Act as a strategic financial adviser to the Leadership and Senior Management Team, providing sound advice, guidance and information on organisational performance, risks and opportunities. Take overall responsibility for preparation of management reporting, annual accounts and audit matters to ensure compliance with statutory requirements, donor reporting and governance structures. Work closely with and direct financial operations, including via outsourced third-party suppliers, across the Alfanar Group. Key Responsibilities: Operate key financial controls including balance sheet, inter company and income reconciliations. Liaise with the external accountants and payroll providers, ensuring everything is in line, and offering support where necessary. Liaise with payroll provider to ensure an accurate and up to date payroll. Prepare, review and analyse management accounts, seek variance explanations, prepare commentary and summaries, and ensure management agree any required actions. Develop the budgeting and re forecasting process, and support budget holders to develop their financial plans. Prepare monthly cash flow forecasts and requirements and ensure appropriate cash management and transfers across the group structure. Manage the month end close procedure, including preparing the required accruals and fund transfers and prepare annual accounts in line with financial reporting standards, including consolidation of future group entities. Review Alfanar’s finance policies, systems and processes across the group structure, and determine how best to meet future needs together with the operations director Interpret the organisation’s financial results and highlight key issues and risks on a timely basis, including updating the organisation’s working capital and other reserves requirements as it grows, managing its insurances. Review, manage and streamline the accounting systems and processes, including chart of accounts and analysis codes across Alfanar’s group structure and ensure accurate and complete accounting records are maintained on a timely basis and in each location. Support the set-up of appropriate accounting and financial management systems for new entities within the Alfanar group, should it be required, register Alfanar for VAT and prepare and file VAT returns. Develop and document a simple foreign exchange policy Prepare financial reports for grants and other restricted funds, for both internal use and reporting to donors Ensure that all staff members receive adequate guidance and training on Finance policies and systems. The Successful Applicant Essential Skills: Qualified accountant (UK ACA, CIMA, ACCA or equivalent). Experience managing accounting, payments, transaction processing, financial reporting, tax, and cash management in a growing group, ideally with international operations. Knowledge of data protection, confidentiality, additionally any international trading risk knowledge would be beneficial. Experience managing and developing a finance function in a fast-growing, ideally international and multi-currency environment. Experience of automating financial processes and developing functionality and reporting from accounting system Desirable Skills: – Knowledge of UK requirements for accounting for restricted funds. – Experience of working with high volume payment processing supplier systems and integrating the associated data flows into internal databases. Personal Qualities: – This role would be well suited to someone with an interest in social enterprise development and impact investment. – Ability to present information concisely and effectively, both verbally and in writing – Excellent interpersonal skills – Exemplary organisational and time management skills What’s on Offer – Salary: £58,000-£60,000 – Location: London (hybrid working) – Job Type: Full time – Package: Generous annual leave and benefits package Where specific UK qualifications are required we will take into account overseas equivalents. All third party applications will be forwarded to Michael Page. Ref Code: MPJN(phone number removed)Z