Terms: 22.5h/week (2-3 days), permanent contract with 6 month probation period;
Salary: £30,000 – £40,000 pro rata with room for further growth in hours and salary
Location: Remote working, with the opportunity to work from co-working space if desired and quarterly in-person team away days.
Closing Date: Wednesday 5th July 2023
Submit applications (CV and cover letter) via email to [email protected] with ‘Finance Manager 2023’ in the subject line. Please note that you must have the right to work in the UK.
About BASIC
BASIC is an independent think tank whose mission is to safeguard humanity and Earth’s ecosystem from nuclear weapons risks and interconnected security threats, for generations to come. Founded in 1987, we have 36 years’ experience of convening meaningful dialogues across complex political divides, and a reputation for generating innovative, high-quality research and policy advice.
BASIC is a fast-paced, inclusive, and rewarding environment in which to work. We have experienced 5x growth since 2017, and our intention is to continue this growth trajectory, and have an exceptionally positive team culture.
BASIC sees its role as one of drawing together different perspectives within the nuclear weapons / security debate and pushing the boundaries of policy discussions. We cherish our independence and freedom of speech. We are independent, receive no core funding from any state, and our project work is funded transparently.
Role Description
BASIC is a growing organisation seeking an experienced finance professional who thrives in a high-performance environment, with the ability to manage the day-to-day finance function while developing systems, processes, and controls as the organisation grows. The candidate must have strong competency and confidence with financial systems, and have a track record as an agile and highly-organised team player who can stay on top of evolving tasks.
The role will oversee the management of the finance function and will report directly to the Executive Director. The post holder will be experienced at reviewing existing systems in order to improve them and supporting BASIC’s performance and impact. There will be a requirement to attend and present at the BASIC Board’s quarterly Finance Development Committee and to prepare forecasting reporting to the wider Board. Managing the relationship and engaging directly with the external bookkeeper as well as advising on financial governance and best practice will also be key to the role.
The ideal candidate will be someone willing to grow the role, finance function and best practices to enable the organisation to develop further. You will need to be a multitasker and have the ability to work at pace.
Main Duties
Financial Management
- Manage and develop BASIC’s financial systems, working with BASIC’s Treasurer, Board members, Executive Director and Team;
- Running of the finance function: making payments, processing staff expenses, managing the allocation of costs including staff costs;
- Running monthly payroll (using Quickbooks) or liaising with a payroll company;
- Monthly management reporting including variance reporting and updating the rolling forecast;
- Grant management: assisting with budgets for bids, spend monitoring, reporting to donors, working towards full cost recovery;
- Treasury (bank and cash management);
- Annual budget setting process;
- Preparation of the annual statutory accounts and management of the annual independent examination/audit;
- Improving processes and controls;
- Advising on financial governance and best practice.
- Possibly line managing a Financial Assistant or consultant, in future;
| Essential | Desirable | |
| Finance-related degree or qualified/part-qualified with a recognised professional finance qualification (e.g. CAT, AAT, ACCA) | x | |
| 2+ years of work experience in an finance manager role or similar previous financial administration experience | x | |
| Strong organisational skills and an eye for precision and detail | x | |
| Passion and commitment to our organisational mission of promoting dialogue to advance global security | x | |
| Ability to multitask effectively | x | |
| Previous experience of working to tight deadlines and in a fast-paced environment | x | |
| Ability to communicate effectively with stakeholders from a variety of professional and cultural backgrounds and with broad variations in seniority and function | x | |
| Well-developed interpersonal skills, including evidence of working successfully as part of a team | x | |
| Comfortable working remotely | x | |
| Experience using standard Office suite software, particularly good knowledge of formatting documents and proficient using Google Sheets/Microsoft Excel |
x | |
| Experience with QuickBooks including monthly payroll processing |
x | |
| Previous fundraising experience | x | |
| Previous experience of working in the charity sector is strongly preferred | x |
What’s in it for you?
An excellent basic salary with 30 days holiday entitlement (pro rata if part time), in addition to bank holidays and closure days over the festive period.
A flexible work environment. We understand that a work/life balance is necessary and are happy to offer flexibility in how you deliver your hours, although we require all staff to work on Tuesdays to enable full team attendance at the weekly team meeting, and preferably Mondays as well.
Joining a fantastic team with an excellent culture and rapport. Enjoying the benefits of a flat structure where we operate equally and everybody’s voice matters.