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Head of Finance

Recruitment Pack

August 2016

www.wagggs.org │ +44 (0) 20 7794 1181World Bureau, Olave Centre, 12c Lyndhurst Road, London NW3 5PQ

100 years of experience behind us, 100 year of ambition ahead

Things you might want to know

About WAGGGS

With 10 million Girl Guides and Girl Scouts from 146 countries, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts is the largest voluntary movement dedicated to girls and young women in the world.

The World Association supports girls and young women to develop confidence and life skills through self- development, challenge and adventure. Girl Guides and Girl Scouts are leaders who speak out on issues important to them, making a difference in their communities both locally and globally.

The World Association and our Member Organizations deliver innovative global education programmes, community action projects and advocacy campaigns. We deliver a well-established and unique values based approach to non-formal learning, which is international and intergenerational.

There are five WAGGGS regions – Africa, Arab, Asia Pacific, Europe and Western Hemisphere and four World Centres: Our Chalet in Switzerland, Sangam in India, Pax Lodge in the UK and Our Cabana in Mexico. The World Centres are residential training centres where girls and young women develop skills through international programmes and friendships.

International Girl Guiding and Girl Scouting has been making a difference to the lives of girls and young women for 100 years and in 2012 we celebrated our centenary with a campaign asking people to “imagine more” for girls around the world. .

Vision All girls and young women are valued and take action to change the world.

Mission To enable girls and young women to develop their fullest potential, as responsible citizens of the world.

Corporate Services Department

We are currently progressing a fundamental organisational change programme that is looking at our mission and purpose, corporate strategy, cultural values and organisational structure. As part of the latter we have created a new Corporate Services department whose purpose is to aid the efficient operation of the organization, to maximize the impact of its resources and ensure that WAGGGS is a well-run, high performing, agile organisation focused on delivering excellent results.

Under the leadership of the Director, all teams will work towards delivering the agreed WAGGGS strategy; engage collaboratively with other teams including leading or being part of cross-organizational projects; support and provide expertise to Member Organizations as needed; and enable the work of relevant volunteer-led committees including Finance, Audit & Risk, Human Resources (HR), Governance and Strategy and Planning.

The department will deliver professional leadership, expertise and support across a range of modern business functions to enable and support WAGGGS to deliver its vision and mission, through:

fostering a high performance culture ensuring sound corporate and constitutional governance optimizing the efficient and effective use of assets, resources and systems creating a

healthy, sustainable organization that is a great place for people to work developing cross cutting strategy, setting and monitoring corporate standards,

planning and measuring organizational performance providing a range of internal professional support services

The creation of the Corporate Services Department brings together six professional functions (Governance, Finance, Human Resources & Organisational Development, Technology, Corporate Planning and Assets) each led by a senior manager reporting to the Director.

These senior managers are expected to provide authoritative advice on their area of professional expertise and are expected to work collaboratively, not only with each other, but with senior managers across WAGGGs, including the leadership team.  The Corporate Services department will be responsible for providing support to managers and leading the modernisation of ways of working and adoption of WAGGGS cultural values and behaviours (attached for reference). The Heads will be responsible for providing leadership for their teams and embedding new ways of working

What we are looking for

The WAGGGS Finance Department is a dynamic environment with an evolving set of responsibilities. We are seeking a Head of Finance to lead the WAGGGS’ financial management functions, ensuring compliance with approved accounting standards, other legislation applicable to charities and best practice. The role operates at a senior managerial level within the context of a volunteer led, global charitable organisation.

We require an experienced Head of Finance to manage the technical financial requirements of WAGGGS and also to contribute to financial governance, compliance and scrutiny matters. Applicants will need to demonstrate their experience in leading the preparation of accounts for Boards and Committees. . The successful applicant will be a qualified accountant with a minimum of five years post-qualification experience.

You will be an innovative and forward thinking leader with a proven track record of managing, motivating and improving the performance of individuals and teams. In addition you will have the ability to establish priorities, maximise effective use of resources and organise your own workload effectively whilst being able to work at a strategic and operational level interchangeably. Language skills in particular French, Spanish or Arabic would be desirable.

Head of FinanceGrade L2

Responsible to:

Location:

Responsible for:

Key working relationships:

Director of Corporate Services

Based in London, NW3 with occasional international travel

Staffing: 2 Group Accountants, 1 Senior Accounts Assistant and 3 Accounts Assistants

Director of Corporate Services; Leadership Team members and other managers; World Board (Finance, Audit and Risk, Strategy and Planning committees); Corporate Planning, Performance & Risk Manager

Job Purpose

To lead the WAGGGS’ financial management functions, ensuring compliance with approved accounting standards, other legislation applicable to charities and best practice. The role operates at a senior managerial level within the context of a volunteer led, global charitable organisation.

Key Accountabilities

Ensure that all staff within the Finance Team are effectively managed, supported and developed, to maximize performance and productivity, in compliance with WAGGGS’ HR policies and procedures.

Ensure the effective and efficient annual closing of accounts, year-end audit process and preparation of the statutory financial statements for the group including managing the relationship with WAGGGS external auditors.

Assist the Director of Corporate Services in the preparation of the annual and triennial budgets for the group, including individual entities. And responsibility for quarterly reforecasting.

Ensure that all income and expenditure is properly recorded and accounted for, in compliance with WAGGGS’ accounting policies, the Charity SORP and other regulations and statutory requirements

Ensure the provision of high quality, customer-focused advice and support to budget managers and other employees with financial responsibilities within WAGGGS

Be responsible for WAGGGS’ day-to-day banking arrangements. This includes ensuring the effective management of WAGGGS’ cash flows ensuring all entities have sufficient cash on hand to meet their requirements at all times.

Ensure that all financial regulatory returns and submissions are delivered within deadlines and manage all aspects of tax compliance for the group.

Manage the computerised accounting systems controlled from the World Bureau. Provide advice and support as required for other entities within the group in respect of the operation of their financial accounting systems as required.

Manage the relationship with WAGGGS’ investment managers and other advisors. Ensure that all transactions relating to the investment portfolio are monitored and correctly posted onto the financial accounting system.

Ensure that membership fee invoices are dispatched promptly, accompanied by clear advice on how fees may be paid, and that relevant staff are provided with information to support their efforts to collect unpaid or overdue fees.

To ensure the provision of high quality financial information to the World Board, Finance Committee, Audit & Risk Committee, other Committees, Chief Executive, Leadership Team, budget holders and others with a legitimate interest in WAGGGS’ finances.

Attend and support meetings of the WAGGGS Finance Committee, Audit Committee and World Board as required. Attend the World Conference and other forums as required.

Keep abreast of potential changes and issues in respect of accounting and other legal requirements affecting charities.

Maintain an effective overview of WAGGGS’ systems of financial control, making recommendations on improvements to policies, procedures and processes as necessary, leading on their implementation and monitoring and reporting on compliance with them

Other appropriate tasks, including ad hoc projects, as assigned.

Head of Finance

Person Specification

Essential Desirable

Qualifications/ experience

Qualified accountant and member of an Accountancy institute/body that is recognised in the UK

Minimum of five (5) years post-qualification experience. Experience of preparing complex financial information for and

presenting it to Boards or Committees Track record of success at a senior level within an organisation of

comparable size and complexity Experience of managing, motivating and improving the performance of

individuals and teams Experience of using MS Office, Excel, Word, Outlook and Internet

applications. Experience of using computerised financial accounting systems and

spread sheets. Experience of effective communication of complex financial information

to non-accountants, through written reports and presentations.

Experience of managing group accounts

Experience of consolidating financial accounts of entities based outside of the UK.

Experience of working with foreign currencies.

Experience of procuring and implementing financial management systems.

Skills/ knowledge

Expert knowledge of current legislation relating to the financial reporting of charities, such as SORP.

Fluent in English, both written and verbal. Ability to establish priorities, maximise effective use of resources and

organise own work effectively; ability to work at a strategic and operational level, interchangeably

Ability to develop, implement and monitor robust financial and administrative procedures.

Ability to develop effective working relationships at all levels of the organisation; ability to influence and manage a variety of stakeholders;

Ability to work with staff and volunteers from different cultural and professional backgrounds; ability to understand diverse ‘international’ issues and be able to work with diverse cultures.

Ability to work as a member of a team, to use initiative and work under pressure to meet deadlines.

Personal qualities

Strong performance focus and commitment to high professional standards

Flexible and adaptable; able to shift between programme and project issues and more routine matters

Entrepreneurial; able to generate creative solutions and approaches Demonstrable commitment to working in partnership with volunteer

leaders and able to cultivate effective relationships with a wide range of people, based on trust and mutual respect

Able to demonstrate a commitment to and be a role model for WAGGGS’ organisational values of: Member Driven; Brave; Inclusive; Empowering; Transparent; Professional

Other requirements

Occasional work outside regular office hours Must have the right to work in the UK

Language skills, in particular French, Spanish or Arabic

What we offer you

Salary £50,000 to £55,000 per annum depending on experience

Location World Bureau, 12c Lyndhurst Road, London, NW3 5PQ

Contract Term Permanent contract

Working Hours 35 hours per week.

Probationary Period 6 months.

Annual Leave 26 days per annum, plus statutory bank holidays.

Group Life Scheme Immediate membership of scheme which provides insurance cover of four times annual salary in the event of death in service.

Pension Group Stakeholder Pension Plan: Employer’s contribution of 8%, employee’s contribution of 5%. Employees will be eligible for employer’s contribution on successful completion of probation period

Season Ticket Loan Available at end of probation period.

Childcare Vouchers Scheme available from beginning of contract

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How to ApplyEnsure your application fully addresses the criteria in the Job Description and Person Specification.

You should give the names, positions, organisations and telephone numbers of two referees, one of whom should be your current/most recent employer. References will only be taken up once your express permission has been given.

You should also complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring form. The information in this form will be treated as confidential, and used for statistical purposes only. The form will not be treated as part of your application. We would also be grateful if you could let us know if you will require any special provision as a result of any disability should you be called for interview.

Finally, please ensure you have included mobile, work and home telephone numbers, as well as any dates when you will not be available.

If you would like to apply for this post please send your completed application form as well as the equal opportunities form to recruitment@wagggs.org

If you would like to know more about this job you can contact the Human Resources Department by email at recruitment@wagggs.org or by calling 0207 794 1181.

Closing Date Friday 2 September 2016 at 5.00pm BST

Interviews Monday 12 September 2016

Please note: to apply for this position, you must already have right to live and work in the UK.