JOB INFORMATION PACK

Transcription

1 JOB INFORMATION PACK Director of Finance Yorkshire Air Ambulance Charity Cayley House 10 South Lane Elland West Yorkshire HX5 0HQ Page1

2 YORKSHIRE AIR AMBULANCE Not everyone realises that the Yorkshire Air Ambulance (YAA) relies solely on the generosity of individuals and organisations to help save lives across your region. In fact, as an independent Charity we only receive help through secondment of the paramedics from the Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust. We need to raise 12,000 per day to keep both of Yorkshire s air ambulances and highly-trained crew in the air. This is the equivalent of 4.4m every single year. As a rapid response emergency service, our air ambulances serve a population of five million people across four million acres. Our two air ambulances operate from Nostell Priory near Wakefield in West Yorkshire and RAF Topcliffe near Thirsk in North Yorkshire, covering the whole of Yorkshire seven days a week, 365 days per year. We attend around 1300 incidents per annum and we are able to land in town centres, on motorways and most importantly, in remote locations inaccessible by road. Over 7,500 patients have been carried by the Yorkshire Air Ambulance since the Charity began in October 2000 Our current Director of Finance is moving on, and we are now seeking to recruit her successor to continue to develop and deliver the financial strategy and lead our finance team. This is a rare and excellent opportunity to join a high profile regional Charity that is helping to save lives across Yorkshire. If you believe your skills and experience fit the bill for this exciting role, we look forward to hearing from you. BACKGROUND OF THE CHARITY Charity Structure: The structure of the YAA is unusual in so far as we do not have a Chief Executive. The Trustee Board consists of 11 Trustees with different skill sets and expertise that they bring to the Charity. The Chairman is Peter Sunderland MBE, DL and the Vice Chair is Brian Chapman. The Board is very commercially focussed and has a broad spectrum of skills. The day to day running of the Charity falls under the control of our departmental Directors who form our Senior Management Team (SMT). The five SMT members are responsible for the business activity departments of Fundraising, Finance, Marketing and Communications, Operations and Aviation. This position works very closely with the others members of the SMT. Each SMT member has a Trustee who oversees their area of responsibility in a non-executive manner. In this instance, the Director of Finance reports to the Trustee responsible for Financial matters and also has a strong working relationship with our Chairman. The YAA is very successful in its own rights, and has increased its income year on year over the last 10 years. In our last financial year (ending the 31 st March 2017) we raised over 8,200,000. At the same time, the cost of generating this income was very low. We only spent 1,282,000 generating this income. Page2

3 The net assets of the Charity stand at over 25m and the charity is currently debt free. The YAA is proud that it has one of the lowest administrative costs to income ratios in the air ambulance sector, and the management and control of costs is a key priority for the Board of Trustees. The successful candidate will be expected to manage the challenging income targets and at the same time coordinate and control costs effectively. Unlike most other air ambulances in the UK we also employ our own Pilots to fly our two helicopters. Investments The Trustees are very conscious of their responsibilities as custodians of the monies generously contributed to the Charity by the people of Yorkshire, and consequently have always adopted a very conservative approach to investment. Surplus cash funds are held in a number of bank or building society accounts, whilst seeking the best interest rates available within this low risk approach. The Trustees acknowledge that this policy may mean a loss of value compared to inflation, but have not been prepared to accept a higher level of possible capital loss. In 2014, the Trustees reviewed this policy and decided to invest 2m with Brewin Dolphin Asset Management. The Trustees aim was to improve the investment return from the charity s available funds whilst maintaining a low risk approach. This investment forms part of the balanced approach that the Trustees take towards ensuring that the charity has adequate reserves along with access to shorter term liquid assets. Management and Staff YAA employs 36 staff, including 15 in the fundraising team and 5 in the Finance function. As well as the Director of Finance, the Finance department includes a Finance Manager who has been with the business for many years and has a deep understanding of the Charity and its development. She reports to the Director of Finance. Two Finance Officers and a Finance Clerk make up the rest of the team. The team is currently in the process of implementing a slight change to its structure, so the successful candidate will be responsible for implementing and carrying forward these changes. Candidate Requirements The YAA is seeking to appoint an experienced and practical Director of Finance with strong analytical skills, capable of presenting information in a succinct and straightforward manner. An excellent interpersonal and communication ability is essential. The appointed individual will be expected to liaise effectively and in a collegiate manner with other SMT members, and also to be an ambassador for the Charity, developing and strengthening relationships with banks, insurers, investment managers, auditors and other professionals. The role will be expected to challenge and support to his /her SMT colleagues and gain buy in from others. The successful candidate is likely to be operating in a similar role in industry, or a Charity and looking for a new challenge. This is a key role for the Yorkshire Air Ambulance and we are looking for the right person to lead our Finance function and be an integral part of our Senior Management Team. Although not full time, the position is for 25 hours per week, however these hours are expected to be worked over 5 days. Page3

4 JOB ROLE & DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE LOCATION REPORTING TO HOURS ADDITIONAL INFO JOB PURPOSE Director of Finance Charity HQ in Elland Finance Trustee 25 hours per week expected to attend the office Monday to Friday The required hours can be flexed on a day to day basis so long as some office attendance is achieved every working day. Executive responsibility for the Finance function and the maintenance of the financial control of the business. Key Responsibilities: To provide financial advice, support and recommendations to help senior management and the Trustee Board to make key financial decisions Responsibility for analysing and reporting the financial performance and position of the Charity to the Trustees. The development and review of financial and other management reporting systems. Analysis and assessment of major investment decisions necessary to support the Charity s operational efficiency and fundraising capability. Analytical financial support to the Charity s other functions including operations, marketing and fundraising. Currency and cash management together with other aspects of the Treasury function to deliver strong financial returns within a low risk environment. To ensure that the Charity processes seek to maximise VAT recovery and Gift Aid in line with relevant legislation Ensure that all Companies House and Charity Commission filings are up to date and filed in a timely manner. Page4

5 Overseeing the preparation of monthly management accounts for Trustees and budget holders. Overseeing the preparation of annual budgets including profit and cash flow forecasts. Responsibility for the preparation of the annual statutory accounts, including liaison with the external auditors. Development of KPIs and performance management tools, plus supporting information which will both measure effectiveness and lead to improvement in the Charity s performance. This will include benchmarking the Charity against other Air Ambulance charities to ensure that Yorkshire Air Ambulance is preeminent amongst its peers in respect of financial performance. Development of a robust system of internal financial controls and governance procedures appropriate to the Charity including acting as the Custodian of the Risk Register. Overall management of the Charity s insurance programme. To recruit, train and lead the Finance team and ensure all staff know what is expected of them, and have the tools to deliver their objectives. To develop the staff through the staff appraisal scheme and develop KPI s for those who directly report to her/him. To ensure staff are managed effectively and are trained and developed for the future. To work collaboratively with the other Members of the SMT and Trustees to ensure information is shared and new opportunities identified. To contribute to the Charity s Strategic Plan. To be aware of developments in the finance sector and charitable sectors which may impact upon the Charity s financial reporting. To oversee the recording of all sickness, holiday and other staff information. To ensure that all finance policies are kept up to date and are applied consistently across the organisation. To ensure that HR policies comply with all relevant HMRC legislation so that all PAYE and other employment related returns are completed accurately and in a timely manner. To ensure that the purchasing procedures provide good value for the charity Page5

6 Knowledge and Experience required: Essential: Qualified chartered accountant Previous experience in a similar role within a private, public or charity sector An excellent track record of successfully impacting on the operational performance of a business. Experience of challenging income and expenditure targets on an ongoing basis Experience of leading and motivating a team and developing staff for the future Strong team player with a collaborative style Ability to quickly build internal and external relationships with all individuals at all levels Excellent written and verbal communication skills Experience of project management and process and systems design Good IT skills with an awareness of how technology can be used to drive financial systems and reporting Excellent knowledge of appropriate finance and payroll systems Clean driving licence Desirable: Lives in or prepared to relocate to Yorkshire Previous experience of Charity Sector Page6

7 Skills and Abilities: Planning for the future Plans to achieve their objectives within timescale, balancing short and long term requirements. Identifies opportunities and barriers and considers the implications of their actions. Communicating with others Pitches communication at the right level both verbally and in writing and checks for understanding. Good listening skills. Uses information to influence others. Able to give tough messages when required. Leading a Team- Explains strategic decisions meaningfully for others. Agrees business objectives and accountabilities with others. Involves others in business planning to gain commitment. Delegates appropriate workloads in line with individual accountabilities. Quality Focus Ensures that outputs are accurate and meet the standards and requirements. Recommends and supports initiatives to continually improve the quality of service, processes and systems. Generating Ideas Continually seeking to improve the service offered by the team by coming up with improved systems and processes and added value activities. Considers pros and cons and impact on team and resources. Building Relationships Works well with others. Co- operates willingly with others. Able to quickly build effective relationships with all levels both internally and externally and meet the needs of the individual. Treats others with dignity and respect and able to gain the trust of others and build strong relationships with others. Flexibility and Adaptability - Adopts a flexible and adaptable approach, taking on board the opinions of colleagues. Recovers well from setbacks and resistance from others and remains calm under pressure and focused on the task. Encourages others to do the same. Making Decisions - Anticipates issues and takes action to address underlying cause. Reaches effective decisions by gathering and analysing relevant information balancing cost, benefit and risk implications. Considers options, weighs up pros and cons before deciding on action. Delivering Results - Accepts accountability and ownership. Ensures that they and the team deliver on time and to required standard. Has high standards and leads by examples. A good role model. Creates enthusiasm in others. Self-Motivated - Works well on their own or as part of a team. Demonstrates a positive attitude and the willingness to use initiative. Energetic and enthusiastic. Page7

8 Additional Information: Pro rata salary circa 50,000 p.a. dependent on skills and experience. Discretionary annual staff bonus scheme based on the Charity s financial performance and personal KPIs after satisfactory completion of the six month probationary period. Pro rata 25 days paid holiday per annum plus statutory Bank Holidays. Contributory pension scheme. Private Medical Insurance Life Assurance Confirmation in post subject to completion of a successful 6-month probationary period. The successful applicant may be subject to a full Disclosure and Barring (DBS) check. First interviews will take place at Cayley House, Elland on Monday 21 st May 2018 Please ensure you enclose your CV and a covering letter when returning your application. If you wish to discuss the job role in more detail, please contact Jill Pukacz on Closing date for applications 12noon, Wednesday 9 th May To apply for this position, please fully complete the Application Form (downloadable from our website or available upon request by calling ). Where possible, we would prefer completed applications to be ed back to us. Instructions of where to send applications are included on the Application Form. Please also ensure you send your completed application back with a cover letter and a copy of your CV. Page8