Finance Manager (part time)

Job Title: Finance Manager (part time)
Salary: The actual salary for the role is £28,000-£32,000 0.8FTE depending on experience (plus £2,400 London Weighting if home-based in London). The full-time salary is £35,000 to £40,000 p.a. plus £3,000 p.a. London Weighting.
Closing Date: 9am 27th November
Contract: Permanent, 30 hours per week
Job Location: Hybrid with occasional travel to London office (candidates should be based within a commutable distance of London).
Interviews: 4 & 7 December 2026 (potential for changes)
Start date: January 2027

About the organisation
Our mission is to support students from under-resourced backgrounds to access top universities through a unique programme of mentoring, skills coaching, and tuition. Students enrolled on our programme receive expert support from mentors embedded in schools to guide pupils through their education options, university applications and student life topics.

Safeguarding statement
The Access Project is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Our safeguarding system is underpinned by a range of policies and procedures which encourage and promote safe working practice across the organisation.
Our values are: Empowerment, Courage, Impact, Inclusion, Ownership

About the role
This is an exciting role for a motivated self-starter, who is keen to make a key contribution to delivering a robust financial control framework, excellent reporting solutions and has a well-rounded business partnering approach to delivering Finance solutions. We have ambitious plans to grow and need a Finance Manager to build strong foundations in relation to financial control and commercial awareness across the organisation, working closely with the Financial Controller and Senior Finance and Operations Co-Ordinator. The Finance Manager reports into the Financial Controller. This role will be crucial in supporting delivery of the financial strategy, giving you the opportunity to build strong relationships across the organisation and provide outstanding customer service to various stakeholders. A broad role, encompassing many different aspects of Finance and an amazing opportunity for you to develop a broad Finance skillset. The role would suit those who are willing to be in conversation with stakeholders outside of finance.

Role responsibilities - Financial Control and Reporting
Be responsible for achieving and maintaining information of utmost integrity and completeness, enabling relevant and timely reporting addressing statutory and stakeholder requirements. Manager of financial control framework, including but not limited to:

• Leading a successful month-end process including reviewing the work of the finance team and meeting reporting deadlines, including overseeing month-end journals and preparation of balance sheet reconciliations.
• Producing high-quality monthly management accounts with insightful variance analysis and commentary aimed at the Executive.
• Able to cover the monthly payroll process and related financial controls in conjunction with outsourced payroll provider and the HR department to ensure staff are paid correctly and on time.
• Scrutinising all aspects of sound financial controls in the context of the operating model and regulatory requirements driving through use of technology to automate checks and balances.
• Optimising use of the accounting software (Xledger), through pro-active maintenance, development and integration with relevant applications.
• Managing the annual audit successfully through pro-active planning and preparation of substantive information and annual statutory accounts, resolving audit queries, playing a key role in collation of information for the annual report with relevant stakeholders.
• Maintaining, regularly reviewing and updating organisational policies relating to finance.
  Ensuring The Access Project fulfils its obligations in relation to tax and other regulatory requirements.
• Play a key role in managing financial strategy including supporting budget holders across the organisation.
• Key role in budget preparation, implementation, variance analysis as well as forecasting cycles, including multi-year forecasts and financial models in line with the organisation’s strategic goals.
• Enabling budget holders, through business partnering and training, to manage their own budgets effectively and make commercial decisions based on sound understanding of strategic financial drivers of the organisation and effective use of finance systems such as XLedger.
• Understanding of financial strategy and associated KPIs to play a role in financial risk management.
  Supporting the Fundraising and Communications team with financial information for funding applications and producing financial reports to funders.
• Providing cover for finance team colleagues and undertake other tasks and ad-hoc projects as requested by the Financial Controller.

Person specification - Essential

• Newly qualified accountant (e.g. ACA/ACCA/CIMA) with at least five years relevant experience. Finance professionals with sufficient relevant experience, close to becoming fully qualified may also be considered.
• Outstanding attention to detail whilst being able to think strategically at the same time.
• Substantial and relevant experience within the not-for-profit sector.
• Excellent understanding restricted funding, its implications and ensuring that spend is in line with requirements of funders and Charities SORP. Understanding the practical application of FRS102 requirements.
• Able to build effective relationships across the organisation, ensuring budget holders are fully supported in relation to finance to enable them to effectively carry out financial aspects of their roles.
• Able to effectively communicate complex financial matters to non-finance colleagues and adapt style to various stakeholders.
• Committed to driving and seeing through improvements within the finance team.
• Flexible approach to work and able to work well as part of a team and alone.
• Committed to upholding a professional code of ethics.

Skills and experience

• Strong financial control, management accounting, reporting and annual audits.
• Business partnering experience, in a similar size organisation and business model.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, ability to adapt and influence change.
• Advanced Excel skills, experience using a range of financial reporting tools, experience of using a range of accounting software (Xledger desirable).
• MS Office programmes, keen to learn about AI and its application to finance activities.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus Bank Holidays and 3-5 Winter closure days.
• PerkBox and Employee Assistance Programme, a 24-hour helpline for staff
• Online Medical assistance – access 24-7 to a qualified GP within minutes
• Interest-free travelcard loans, Cyclescheme loans
• 2 paid Volunteering Days, 1 paid Wellbeing Day
• Employer’s pensions contributions (3%)
• Learning and Development opportunities and Staff Mentoring scheme
• The Access Project welcomes requests for flexible working arrangements

Equal Opportunities Statement
The Access Project is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to creating a culture where the experiences and voices of people from marginalised backgrounds are listened to and valued; where their skills are appreciated; and where their talents are nurtured and encouraged. If you believe you have most of the skills to fulfil the role we encourage you to apply. Amongst staff at our organization, there is under-representation of people who are Black, Asian or people from ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled, care-experienced, from low socio-economic backgrounds, and who are LGBTQIA. We particularly welcome applications from people with lived experience in reference to our mission. We are proud to be a Level 1 Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments please contact us.

Disclosure of a Criminal Record
The Rehabilitation of Offenders 1974 (Exceptions) (Amendment) Order 1986 applies to posts where there is access to children. This means that applicants for employment that involves working with children and young people must disclose anything listed in their criminal record, with the exception of protected cautions and convictions. All Disclosures are carried out in the strictest confidence and are made only in connection with your application for employment and for no other purpose. The application for a DBS check at a level appropriate to the job role will be activated before your first day of work. Staff who are not eligible for a standard or enhanced DBS check are required to undertake a basic DBS check only in line with legal requirements. If you are selected for appointment to the role, you will be subject to this procedure.