Head of Finance

We’re the Football Foundation – the Premier League, The FA and Government's charity that helps communities improve their local football facilities through football grants. This means better games and more players - helping transform communities where demand is greatest, and impact will be strongest. We have ambitious plans and with the support from our funding partners, the Football Foundation is well-supported to continue to invest in community pitches and facilities across the nation.

To help us with this important mission, we currently have a vacancy for a Head of Finance, who will lead the finance team, ensuring robust financial management and sustainability to support our charitable objectives. With responsibility for a team of five you will lead and provide statutory, financial and management accounting, including all financial planning and analysis, for the Football Foundation and the Premier League Stadium Fund. 

Over the last 22 years, the Foundation has awarded more than 23,000 grants to deliver outstanding grassroots facilities across England worth more than £877 million. This year, the Foundation will be investing more money than ever into facilities across England and is committed to improving the experience of playing football for everyone. The Foundation’s goal is to unlock the power of pitches ensuring everyone has a great place to play regardless of gender, race, disability or place.

As our Head of Finance, reporting into the CFO, you’ll lead the finance team, ensuring robust financial management and sustainability to support our charitable objectives. You will direct the day-to-day operations of the finance team, actively manage financial planning and forecasting, and develop high level models to support strategic and operational decision making. You will also input into strategy on a functional and organisational level.

You don’t need to follow football or understand about football and sports facilities to apply, but it is expected that you appreciate the power of sport to change lives and have a genuine interest in using your skills and experience to help the Foundation achieve our charitable and strategic objectives.

Here’s some of the experience and expertise you’ll need for the role:

• A professional accountancy qualification (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA) with significant post-qualified financial and operational management experience.
• Prior experience in a senior level finance role with responsibility across the entire finance function, including hands on experience in delivering business partnering.
• Significant experience of financial planning and analysis. 
• Commercial or charity accounting experience, including the preparation of statutory accounts and preferably SORP compliance.
• Experience leading an end-to-end external audit process.
• Familiarity developing, improving and implementing financial procedures and controls.

You’ll also have good knowledge of the legislative, tax and regulatory framework of companies, ideally in the not-for-profit sector. Most of all we want someone who reflects who we are as an organisation.

We refer to our company values as our Four Corners:

• Fair Players – open and inclusive in our approach
• Star Performers – trusted to deliver
• United Team Player – collaborative and easy to work with
• Passionate Supporters – flexible and willing

If you share these values and have the necessary skills and experience for the role, then we look forward to hearing from you.

For full details of the role and requirements, please download our recruitment pack below.
 

The salary band for this role is £75,000 – £80,000 per annum, dependent on relevant skills and experience.

You will start on 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (which increases after 2 years), plus additional time off to volunteer. We also offer a generous pension scheme (8% employer contribution), free health care provision, a monthly gym subsidy, death in service benefit and access to selected match tickets.

We are committed to helping our team members maintain a healthy work-life balance, so offer flexible working around core hours to help achieve that.

The Football Foundation is committed to, and values the principles of diversity, equality, equity, and inclusion. We strive to provide an inclusive and supportive working environment where all our team feel respected and supported in fulfilling their potential. We encourage and welcome applications from all, regardless of background and are particularly interested to hear from individuals belonging to under-represented groups including diverse ethnic communities, individuals with a disability, and those from the LGBTQI+ community.

Should you need any adjustments to the recruitment process at either application or interview stage, please contact us at jobs@footballfoundation.org.uk

The Football Foundation are partnering exclusively with Robertson Bell in their search for a permanent Head of Finance. To apply, please follow the steps outlined below:

1.    Please send the following to katiemoore@robertsonbell.co.uk 

• CV
• Cover letter - please highlight briefly and clearly how your skills, abilities and experience equip you for the role, together with your reasons for applying (no more than one side of A4).

The closing date for applications is midnight on 8 September 2024. 
Interviews are scheduled for 19 September 2024.

All applications received will be short listed against the role requirements and person specification. Those most closely matching our requirements will be invited to take part in an online interview. Applications are being constantly reviewed so please submit your application before the closing date

Due to the volume of applications received for most roles, the Foundation only contacts candidates if they are shortlisted for interview. If you do not hear from us within two weeks of the closing date, you should assume your application has not been successful.

Please note that you must be eligible to work in the UK to apply.