Finance & Operations Manager

Job Description – Finance Operations Manager

Reporting to: Head of Finance 

Location: Hybrid: office/home: min 2 days in London office

Contract: Permanent

Hours:  Full time (35 hours)

Starting salary: £37,763 - £39,750

We welcome applications from all backgrounds. We are a Disability Confident Employer that welcome disabled applicants and provide reasonable adjustments.

About FareShare

FareShare is the UK’s national network of charitable food redistributors, made up of 18 independent organisations. Together, we take good quality surplus food from right across the food industry and get it to almost 10,000 frontline charities and community groups. During 2021, we redistributed 127 million meals, the equivalent of 4 meals every second through our FareShare Regional Centres and our retail surplus model FareShare Go, reaching over 1 million people. FareShare exists because of two hugely important and highly topical issues. As a consequence of supply and demand, huge volumes of food are grown or made in the UK and a small percentage ends up as unwanted surplus with little commercial value. At the same time, there are many thousands of frontline community groups and charities that are providing a vital safety net for the most vulnerable in our society. We seek to squeeze as much social good out of that uneconomic surplus by getting it to almost 10,000 such groups across the UK whilst they provide essential wraparound support services for their beneficiaries.

The Cost of Living Crisis and before it, the COVID-19, have shone a spotlight on the issue of food insecurity in the UK and with it, FareShare’s ability to get food to vulnerable communities nationwide. It is estimated that over 4.7m UK households are now experiencing food insecurity and whilst the equivalent of 1.3bn meals of good surplus food occurs each year, FareShare believes that it is wrong for these two situations to co-exist.

To combat this, FareShare is moving into an ambitious 4 year programme to achieve unparalleled growth in both our food volumes as well as our fundraised income. We are driven by the opportunity to secure even more of the food available at farm gate, manufacturing and retail levels and to do this, we need to maximise our new groundswell of public support to generate the funds needed to operate at this greater scale.

There has never been a more exciting time to join a relevant organisation which delivers both social and environmental impact, at such a crucial time.

FareShare’s Strategy & Vision

Vision: We have the vision of a UK where “No good food goes to waste”.

Mission: To use surplus, fit for consumption, food to feed those who are vulnerable in the UK by supporting front line charitable organisations that tackle the cause and not just the symptoms of food poverty.

Our Purpose:We are doers. We are a community. We change lives.

Our Values: 

Passion – for our cause and the challenge that lies ahead

Ambition – to go the extra mile and drive the change that must happen

Respect – for ourselves, each other, our volunteers, our partners and our beneficiaries  

Collaboration – it’s only by working with others that we can be stronger

Focus – on providing the best service possible so that we deliver and achieve the most for our clients and customers

The Role

This is a vital role leading the transactional team of three with the responsibility for the day-to-day operation of accounts payable and receivable and ensuring overall integrity of the general ledger. The Finance Operations Manager will work closely with the Head of Finance and Finance Business Partners, supporting with the month end processes and a broad range of process and system improvement projects.

The successful candidate will bring strong communication skills, a proactive and flexible approach, excellent attention to detail with good time management.

Main areas of responsibility

Key Focus

This role has a remit across operational finance managing the day-to-day accounts payable and accounts receivable activities, month end process, cash flow monitoring, bank reconciliations and ensuring the accounting records are accurate and up to date. The role leads on various finance process and system improvements projects.

Responsibilities and Duties

·    Responsible for the day-to-day financial operations within the charity covering accounts receivable, accounts payable, employee expenses and banking administration.

·    Line management of a team of three including supporting their professional development.

·    Monthly preparation of bank reconciliations, review of AR and AP ledgers, control accounts and other financial control activities.

·   Managing outstanding debt in line with agreed targets.

·    Ensuring all suppliers are paid with agreed payment terms and following the appropriate approval process for invoices and suppliers. 

·   Cash flow monitoring and reporting including the preparation of the fortnightly cash situation report and implementation of the agreed treasury policy.

·  Ensuring processes within the transactional team are documented and up to date, suggesting and implementing improvements where appropriate.

·  Working closely with other departments in FareShare to ensure that all transactional processes are running smoothly.

·  Supporting the Head of Finance and the Finance Business Partner team with month end processes and producing management information required by the organisation.

·  Working closely with the HR & Payroll team to update and post payroll journals and reconcile the balance sheet accounts.

·  Supporting with preparation of the VAT return.

·  Managing FareShare fixed assets register to ensure it is up to date and monthly journals are posted and reconciled.

·  Managing some aspects of office administration such as ensuring post is dealt with.

·  Support with the annual external audit and year-end accounts preparation.

The Finance Operations Manager, from time to time, be required to undertake other duties of a similar nature as may reasonably be required by the Head of Finance.  Flexibility will be essential due to the changes the organisation is undergoing.

Person Specification

Skills, experience and abilities

· Accounting qualification such as AAT, partly qualified CIMA/ACCA or equivalent experience

·  Experience of managing and developing junior staff.

·  Excellent communication skills.

·  Broad experience of working across a finance function including preparing bank and other reconciliations, sales invoicing and credit control, payment runs and managing suppliers. Direct experience in every area is not necessary but the candidate would need to be able to demonstrate ability to learn and general understanding of the important factors in each.

· Experience of working in a Charity/Not-for-Profit financial environment is desirable but not essential.

·  Able to provide clear, practical and accurate advice to a variety of people at different levels within an organisation. 

·  Experience using finance systems and intermediate Excel skills are essential

·  Proven ability to develop and maintain good working relations, both within an organisation and with external stakeholders. 

·  Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

·   Able to design, analyse and revise processes to deliver services in the most efficient way to meet changing requirements.

·   Ability to lead, motivate and develop individuals and a team through change

Values and behaviours

• Enthusiastic, ‘can do’ approach
• Desire for change and ability to adapt
• Flexibility and ability to work well as part of a team and alone
• A commitment to Equality Diversity and Inclusion
• Curiosity and empathy with FareShare’s mission and strategy

Benefits

• Hybrid / Flexible working, with regular UK travel
• 28 days’ annual leave + 8 bank holidays
• Employers pension contribution
• Employee Assistance Program
• Interest free bicycl

Please submit your CV and covering letter, outlining how you meet the Person Specification criteria, by following the below link. Please note we will not consider the applications without the covering letter. 

We will be reviewing the applications on a rolling basis, so if you believe this role fits your experience and interest, please apply now.

Two rounds of interviews first round online and second round in our London office.