Board Director - finance

Organisation: British Handball Association
Salary: voluntary
Location: Online
Contract type
Closing date: 9 May 2026
Interview date: 18 May 2026
Job Description: Type of role: Independent Director, Finance
Responsible to: Chair and Board of Directors of the company
Location: UK (meetings typically held in online)
Remuneration: Voluntary (reasonable expenses covered)
Time Commitment: Approximately 3-4 days per month
Initial Term: 4 years
As an independent Director, the applicant should not hold any role, paid or unpaid, in the England Handball Association or Scottish Handball Association.

About the British Handball Association
The British Handball Association (‘BHA’) is the governing body for high performance international handball in the UK. It is responsible for the Great Britain national teams at all age groups, as well as elite coaching. The BHA receives National Squads Support Funding from UK Sport, as well as funding from the International and European Handball Federations.
The England Handball Association and Scottish Handball Association are the BHA’s sole members, and are responsible for the grassroots development of the sport, as well as national and regional league and cup competitions, in their respective countries.
The BHA embraces equality, diversity and inclusion both on and off the field of play where everyone can participate. We encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates irrespective of their gender, ethnicity, religion, belief, or sexual orientation.
The Role
We are seeking an experienced finance individual to join our Board, providing a combination of strategic oversight with practical fiscal management delivery responsibilities.
Given the make-up of the organisation, the successful candidate will not only provide Board-level guidance but will also take an active role in supporting and, where required, deliver core financial operations working alongside part-time accounting support.
This includes collaborating closely with the squads to ensure accurate financial reporting, maintaining effective financial controls, and supporting/supervising day-to-day financial processes.
Key Responsibilities & Functions
• Provide strategic financial leadership and guidance to the Chair and the Board
• Take an active role in delivering financial management, including:
o Supporting preparation of management accounts and financial reports
o Lead on Banking matters
o Lead with budgeting, forecasting, and cashflow management
o Overseeing and, where necessary, contributing to transactional processes
• Ensure robust financial controls, governance, and compliance frameworks are in place
• Enable the preparation of annual accounts and liaison with auditors
• Monitor financial performance and provide constructive challenge and insight
• Support funding applications and financial planning for growth initiatives
• Contribute to overall organisational governance and Board effectiveness

Person Specification

Applicants for the role of Independent Director, Finance on the Board of the BHA should meet the following personal specifications:

Required key skills, experience and qualifications:

• Qualified accountant (e.g. ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent)
• Willingness and ability to operate in a hands-on capacity, including undertaking tasks typically associated with a Finance Manager
• Strong experience in financial management, reporting, and controls
• Experience operating at Board or senior leadership level
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with operational delivery
• High standards of integrity and commitment to good governance

Desirable skills, experience and qualifications:

• Experience in the sports sector, not-for-profit, or membership organisations
• Previous Non-Executive Director or Trustee experience
• Familiarity with UK sports governance frameworks (e.g. Sport England / UK Sport Code for Sports Governance)
• Experience working in small or resource-constrained organisations

Required behavioural competencies and qualities:

• Strategic perspective, vision and ability to work positively within a team
• Drive and commitment and the ability to demonstrate this to others
• Strong interpersonal, communication and negotiation skills and the ability to develop effective, sustainable partnerships
• Selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership
• Commitment to the sport and the organisation
• Strong intellect and analytical ability
• Innovative thinker and ability to focus on the issues to be dealt with
• Dynamism, enthusiasm and energy
• Resilience and ability to make things happen
• Willingness to devote the necessary time and effort
• Willingness to be an ambassador for the organisation and the sport
• Willingness to adhere to the BHA Board Code of Conduct

Fiduciary Duties
• To act as a Director of the BHA in the best interests of the company, with honesty and in good faith towards its members, employees, principal funding partners, sponsors and of the communities within which the BHA operates
• To use such personal and professional skills together with such contacts, experience and judgement as they may possess with integrity and independence to optimise both the short term and the long-term performance of the BHA
• To play a full part in enabling the Board to arrive at balanced and objective decisions in the performance of its agreed role and functions, in line with the BHA Articles of Association
• To ensure that the objectives of the BHA, as agreed by the Board, are fully, promptly and properly carried out
• To act in the way they consider, in good faith, would be most likely to promote the success of the company for the benefit of its members as a whole
How to apply: Please submit all applications in writing, including a CV, to the Chair stephen.neilson@britishhandball.com