Chief Finance Officer

There when it matters

Sue Ryder has an exciting opportunity as we seek to appoint a Chief Finance Officer to lead our dedicated Finance directorate as part of our Executive leadership team.
A homebased role with expected travel to our Colchester and London offices as well as other ad hoc locations as required.

The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) contributes to the leadership and strategic direction and management of Sue Ryder as part of the Executive Leadership Team.

This role requires a blend of financial expertise, strategic leadership, and a commitment to supporting the charity's mission, balancing diverse funding streams, including grants, and commercial income, whilst ensuring legal governance and audit and risk compliance.
The CFO will play a vital role in ensuring that the charity’s financial resources are used effectively to support its mission and goals.

About the role:

• Financial Compliance: Ensure adherence to charity laws and financial regulations.
• Financial Reporting: Deliver accurate reports ensuring transparency and effective communication.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate financial risks to safeguard the charity’s assets and ensure sustainable growth.
• Strategic Financial planning: Oversee financial strategy to support the harity’s long term objectives and align with the organisational mission.
• Strategic Financial Leadership: Develop and implement long-term financial strategies that align with both charitable missions and commercial growth targets.
• Governance & Compliance: Act as the primary advisor to the Board of Trustees on financial risks, ensuring adherence to UK Charity Commission regulations and SORP accounting standards.
• Operational Financial Management: Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and the delivery of accurate financial reports for stakeholders, donors, and regulatory bodies.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Build and maintain high-level relationships with External stakeholders, commercial partners, and major donors.


About you:
• Commercial Acumen: Ability to identify and capitalise on market opportunities while maintaining ethical standards.
• Mission-Led Mindset: Deep commitment to Sue Ryder values, ensuring financial decisions support positive strategy outcomes and social impact.
• Analytical Reasoning: Proficiency in interpreting complex data to forecast trends and mitigate multi-sector risks.
• Influencing & Communication: Skilled at explaining complex financial concepts to non-financial audiences.
• Resilience: Capacity to make difficult decisions in high-scrutiny environments with competing demands for limited resources.
• Experience of leading complex financial strategies in one or more of the following areas, commercial income generation, charity finance including fundraising and healthcare operations including the provision of income from statutory bodies.
• Experience of leading income growth through strategic approaches.
• Experience of managing an investment portfolio
• Experience of operating at an executive board level
• Experience of managing internal and external audit processes
• Experience of developing and maintaining strong systems of internal governance and control through effective risk management strategies


Minimum Essential criteria:
• Professional Qualification: Full membership of a recognised accountancy body such as ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, or CIPFA.
• Senior Leadership: Proven track record in a senior financial role within a complex, regulated environment (ideally healthcare, commercial and non-profit).
• Technical Expertise: Advanced knowledge of charity SORP, VAT, and grant reporting, alongside experience in large-scale commercial procurement.
• Experience in Commercial, Charity and Healthcare settings
• Experience of working at CFO level

Sue Ryder is here to make sure everyone approaching the end of their life or living with grief can access the support they need. There is no one size fits all when it comes to how we cope and the help we need, but with our support, no one has to face dying or grief alone.

We reserve the right to close this advert prior to the closing date should we feel we have a sufficient number of suitable applications.

Benefits
• Company pension scheme
• 27 days holiday - rising to 33 with length of service plus bank holidays
• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay
• Enhanced sick pay
• Employee Networks - LGBTQ+, Ethnic Diversity and Equality, People with Disabilities, and Women and Non Binary Individuals
• Staff discount of 10% on new goods online at shop.sueryder.org
• Structured induction programme and learning and development opportunities.

For more of our employee benefits please visit our website.

https://www.sueryder.org/jobs/why-work-for-sue-ryder

We actively encourage applications from people from all backgrounds to help us to provide the best possible experience for the people who use our services and continue to make Sue Ryder a great place to work, and attract and recruit the best, most diverse workforce possible.
We are particularly interested in increasing applications from the global majority, LGBTQIA+ and people with disabilities as they are currently underrepresented in our organisation.

Please let us know if you have any feedback to make our recruitment processes more accessible and inclusive or if you require any adjustments made to your application or interview process by emailing recruitment@sueryder.org

https://www.sueryder.org/jobs/equity-diversity-inclusion

If you want more than just a job, we want you.
Join the team and be there when it matters.