Job Title: Finance Manager
Reporting to: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Location: Halifax
Hours: 4 days a week (28 hours)
Salary: Starting salary £36,400 Pro rata
About Happy Days
We are a community-based charity supporting people experiencing homelessness and crisis. Our services include supported housing (68 bedsits), a winter shelter, a crisis drop-in service, food provision including a social supermarket and a Cycle Shop. We are committed to delivering high-quality, person-centred support that helps individuals rebuild their lives.
The community at Happy Days is at the very sharp end of deprivation and multiple disadvantage. We support people who are experiencing drug and alcohol addiction, mental health and health inequality, all which often a direct result of complex childhood trauma.
Purpose of the Role
The Finance Manager will lead the financial management of the organisation, ensuring strong financial control, compliance, and strategic insight across a diverse range of services.
This role is critical in supporting sustainable service delivery, managing multiple income streams (grants, contracts, rental income, and trading activity), and enabling informed decision-making at senior level.
Key Responsibilities
* Produce timely and accurate monthly management accounts with clear commentary
* Lead the annual budgeting and forecasting process
* Monitor organisational performance against budget and provide variance analysis
* Prepare financial reports for the Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees
* Manage restricted and unrestricted funds, ensuring compliance with funder requirements
* Oversee income streams including:
o Rental income from supported housing
o Grants and contracts
o Donations and fundraising income
o Social supermarket trading income
o Bike shop subsidiary accounting
* Ensure accurate income recognition and reporting
Housing & Service Finance Support
* Oversee financial processes related to housing stock (68 units) including rent accounting and arrears reporting
* Support operational managers with budget management and cost control
* Crisis/drop-in services
* Food and Bike Shop retail-style operations
Compliance, Audit & Controls
* Lead the preparation for annual audit/independent examination
* Ensure compliance with:
o Charity Commission requirements
o Relevant accounting standards (e.g. SORP)
* Maintain and improve financial controls and procedures
* Oversee VAT and other regulatory obligations (particularly for trading activity)
* Accountable for Finance Policy, process and SOP development and oversight
Strategic & Leadership Support
* Act as a key adviser to the CEO and Trustees
* Contribute to organisational strategy, financial planning, and sustainability
* Support business planning and funding bids
Team & Systems
* Line manages Finance Officer
* Payroll, HMRC, NEST
* Maintain and develop financial systems and reporting tools
Person Specification
* Experience in a finance role within charity, housing, or not-for-profit sector
* Strong knowledge of management accounting and budgeting
* Experience of multi-income stream organisations
* Understanding of restricted funding and fund accounting
* Ability to communicate financial information to non-financial stakeholders
* Strong Excel and financial systems skills
* Experience of SAGE accounting
* Professional qualification (ACCA, CIMA, ACA) or part-qualified
* Experience with housing finance / supported accommodation
* Knowledge of Charity SORP
* Experience managing VAT in mixed-income organisations
Key Attributes
* Commercially aware but values-driven
* Detail-oriented with strong analytical skills
* Able to operate both strategically and hands-on
* Collaborative and supportive of frontline services
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