Overview
The Finance Manager is responsible for leading and owning transactional finance operations across the organisation, ensuring that core financial processes are accurate and delivered on time. The role provides oversight of banking, transactional functions, reconciliations and finance systems acting as the link between transactional processing and management reporting. It ensures consistent application of policies, effective issue resolution and the smooth running of finance operations. The Finance Manager will lead, develop and manage a small team of Finance Assistants and Administrators ensuring they are equipped with the right skills and expertise to deliver finance processes consistently and accurately.
Responsibilities
* Provide comprehensive oversight of banking, accounts receivable, accounts payable, expenses, floats and reconciliations, ensuring processes are accurate, timely and compliant with internal controls.
* Maintain well documented, up to date procedures across transactional activities, embedding best practice and ensuring consistent operational standards across the team.
* Manage finance systems used for transactional delivery, ensuring they support approvals, audit trails and compliance. Oversee statutory administrative obligations including accurate financial records and audit support.
* Lead cashflow management and reporting, ensuring appropriate controls, monitoring and forecasting to support organisational decision-making and liquidity planning.
* Own payroll and pensions processing, ensuring timely and accurate submissions, postings and reconciliations, and strong governance through close collaboration with HR and Finance leadership.
* Lead currency and foreign payment operations, including FX monitoring, exposure analysis and execution, maintaining robust controls and documentation across all related activity.
* Ensure month end readiness through disciplined reconciliations, checks and variance reviews, while acting as a key approver for high risk or high value transactions to safeguard financial governance.
* Lead, support and develop the transactional finance team, fostering expertise, accountability and service excellence. Drive ongoing improvements to systems, processes and controls, enhancing efficiency, automation and operational resilience.
Person specification
Essential
Professional Qualifications & Experience
* Fully qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
* Experience working in a busy finance environment with responsibility for operational or transactional finance activities.
* Strong understanding of end to end transactional processes, including payments, accounts receivable, accounts payable, reconciliations, income processing, and floats management.
* Experience managing finance operations within an accounting or ERP system.
Technical & Analytical Skills
* Strong experience using finance systems to support operational workflows, approvals and audit trails.
* Advanced Excel skills with confidence working with financial data, reconciliations and operational reporting.
* Demonstrable ability to identify inefficiencies and implement practical improvements to finance processes.
* Experience working with integrated systems and handling operational datasets.
Payroll, Pensions & Compliance
* Knowledge of payroll and pensions processing, including end to end administration, posting and reconciliation.
* Understanding of operational financial controls, statutory requirements and audit support processes.
Organisational & Operational Capability
* Excellent organisational and prioritisation skills with the ability to manage multiple operational deadlines in a fast paced environment.
* Strong problem solving ability, with confidence investigating and resolving operational issues and queries independently and collaboratively.
Communication & Stakeholder Management
* Strong communication skills, able to work effectively with colleagues across Finance, HR, and other departments.
* Ability to explain financial processes, requirements and issues clearly to non finance colleagues.
Personal Attributes
* Proactive, solutions focused approach with the ability to address operational challenges effectively.
* High attention to detail with strong commitment to accuracy and reliable delivery.
* Able to work calmly and maintain consistency during busy periods or under pressure.
* Positive, adaptable and collaborative, supporting team working and organisational change.
* Committed to the organisation’s values, including equality, representation and sustainability.
* Commitment to championing representation and inclusion at every level of the organisation with a proven ability to work with people from a wide range of backgrounds.
Desirable
* Interest in contemporary arts and culture
* Enthusiasm for training, mentoring and support of emerging talent
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