YMCA is one of the most recognisable and iconic of all global charity brands.  The YMCA movement started with us, Central YMCA.  Throughout our nearly 200-year history, we’ve worked towards a world where people are happier, healthier and more fulfilled.

We’re a team of dedicated professionals who strive to reach that goal through creative health, wellbeing and education programmes.  These range from fitness qualifications through to apprenticeships – everything from childcare to horticulture.  We award qualifications in fitness and leisure for educational institutions in the UK and abroad.  Then, of course, there’s our famous Club in central London, which is at the epicentre of contemporary wellbeing thinking and practice.

Our finance team are situated within our broader Central Services function, which provide support to the array of companies/operations within our wider, and rather complex, Group.  With a number of recent exciting changes the team have led on, including merging companies within the Group and changing year to better align with funding sources, we are now looking forward to some exciting new challenges, including selecting and implementing a financial management system that will serve our organisation through its next phase of growth.

Do you want to be part of this? We are recruiting for a Head of Finance to lead in the day to day management of the Finance function and on all financial and management accounting processes.

The role will require the successful candidate to drive the budgeting and reporting cycle to ensure the integrity and quality of financial performance information which will support robust management decision making.  

This role will deputise for the Group Finance Director where necessary.

You will be a highly proactive individual with the ability to lead on tasks and take ownership of projects. You will be enthusiastic and able to motivate others, have proven ability to lead a high performing finance team and be able to manage multiple and sometimes conflicting priorities to resolve complex issues.

You will also be able to;

• Assist the Group Finance Director to develop and financially model the short, medium and long term strategic plans for the charity by operation.
• Manage the coordination and output of the charity’s annual financial planning process.
• Conduct timely reviews of balance sheet reconciliations to ensure the integrity of the charity’s financial information.
• Lead the process of management accounting for the charity.
• Provide high level financial input into major initiatives.
• Ensure that the order to cash process is continually monitored and process compliance issues are promptly addressed.
• Ensure that medium term cash forecasts highlight the need to additional funds where applicable.
• Ensure the security of all cash takings.
• Maintain the finance department risk register.
• Ensure the charity is compliant with taxation requirements for VAT, PAYE and NI.

Are you up for the challenge? You will have excellent attention to detail and organisation skills along with the ability to work to tight deadlines. You will also have a highly developed commercial awareness, delivering results on time and to budget, in a supportive and client focused manner.

You will also need;

• CIMA/ACCA/ACA with significant post qualification experience.
• Strong experience of audit and preparation of annual financial accounts under UK GAAP or IFRS and an understanding of the obligations of charity SORP.
• Project management experience, specifically in the implementation of new finance software solutions and financial budgeting and reporting processes.
• Experience of managing ESFA contract obligations and understanding of government funding compliance.

This really is a fantastic opportunity to join our innovative team and do something great for yourself – and for others. If this sounds right for you click apply now, complete a short registration and tell us why you are perfect for the role.

Central YMCA is committed to championing equality, diversity and inclusion in all its forms. For those who would like to work with us, Central YMCA welcomes applications from all sections of society. We believe that our Charity is greatly enhanced by the varied backgrounds, experiences and views represented within our team; we aim to appoint individuals based solely on their applicable skills, experience and attitudes.

For any individual who will be working, volunteering or freelancing with us, all recruitment and engagement processes will include pre-employment checks (including referencing and an appropriate level of disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service).

We also ensure that all subcontractors and agencies are appropriately vetted.