Initially 3 months
Potential for extension
A blend of hands on support and restructuring
Project Accountant | Interim, 3–4 months (likely to extend) | £ | Mostly on-site
Let's be honest from the start: this isn't a tidy job.
The finance function you'd be joining runs on systems that should have been retired a long time ago. Management accounts, payroll and board reporting are held together by workarounds, duplicated effort and a lot of goodwill. Nobody can clearly see which contracts make money and which don't. The Director of Finance knows all of this, and that's exactly why they want you.
The organisation is a not for profit with a decent turnover, big enough to be able to make a difference, but too small to not dig into the detail of what needs changing.
You don't necessarily need not for profit experience, although it can help if you have some insights of these dynamics, but what you do need is to have taken a finance function apart before and put it back together better.
What you'll actually be doing
- Moving management accounts, payroll and board reporting off legacy systems and onto a modern, integrated platform
- Automating the work that's currently done by hand, and often done twice
- Building proper visibility of contract profitability, so the board makes decisions on real numbers
- Working alongside the Director of Finance to reshape the team and bring in new financial controls
Who'll do well here
You've led a systems migration or a finance rebuild before, and you've learned the hard lessons that come with one. You're hands-on with Sage and the ledger (trial balance, I&E, board packs), and you know payroll well enough to untangle the numbers and the IT problems behind them. You're comfortable challenging a budget, and you'd rather fix a process than put up with it.
Just as important, you're good with people. Part of this role is steadying a team that's been through a lot of change, so you'll need patience, integrity and the ability to have difficult conversations kindly.
Being qualified (ACA, ACCA, CIMA) is essential, but strong practical experience of systems and change counts just as much. Backgrounds in not-for-profit, social enterprise or commercial finance are all welcome.
Who probably won't enjoy it
If you're hoping for a long handover, a detailed process manual and a quiet first month, this isn't the one. You'll need to be making a difference within days, not weeks.
The practical bits
- c£ per annum, pro rata. Full-time or 3–4 days a week considered
- c3 months to start, with potential for extending
- On-site at least 3 days a week, reporting to the Director of Finance
- West Yorkshire based