Chief Financial Officer

ABRSM is a global music education charity. Working in partnership with four Royal Schools of Music we carry on a long legacy of musical excellence. As a charity we use all the surpluses we generate to make significant donations towards music education initiatives.

The organisation’s turnover is in the region of £47m and is derived from its operations in the UK and over 90 countries, offering face-to-face and digital exams, sheet music, recordings, apps and courses for students and teachers around the world.

Reporting to the Chief Executive, the newly created role of Chief Financial Officer will provide inspirational leadership and day to day management to the finance team. You will have 2 key reports managing financial control and financial management. You will work with them to shape the structure of the department to best support the organisation as it continues to embrace digital opportunities and develops its overall operating model in line with its growth strategy and charitable purposes. You will have proven experience of  

• Providing leadership and managing transformation; an immediate challenge will be to drive the digital transformation of the finance function as systems migrate to the Unit 4 platform. You will also work with the SLT to research and develop new business opportunities.
• Business partnering; ensuing that keybusiness areas are supported and commercially enabled.
• Team management; Lead, manage and develop staff in the finance function.
• Maintaining controls; ensuring that all statutory requirements are met in relation to the work of the finance department, including HMRC, Companies House, Charity Commission, Pensions Regulator. Providing an effective framework for good governance and risk management. 

 We would like to hear from candidates who can demonstrate the following:

• Proven experience as a high-performing finance director or CFO at board level, you will be a fully qualified accountant and are likely to have worked in a comparable sized international business. 
• An ability to balance organisational and strategic requirements with commercial drivers and financial priorities.
• Strong business acumen and commercial awareness to challenge assumptions and deliver on business objectives.
• Proven experience of active change management and continuous improvement, and of coordinating projects in the finance sphere.
• Able to offer visible leadership within the business, fostering trusting and empowered teams.

Closing date: 6^th March, applications will be reviewed as they arrive. Please do not wait until the deadline.

If you would like to have and informal conversation, please contact our recruitment partner Jan McQuaker at Hays Senior Finance. She is available on 0207 259 8745.

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.