Head of Finance

Organisation: Royal Air Force Central Fund
Salary: £60,000
Location: Hybrid - working from home with occasional travel to the Fund’s offices in Buckinghamshire and RAF stations
Contract type: Permanent (Full time)
Closing date: 13 June 2025
Job Description: Organisation: Royal Air Force Central Fund
Job title: Head of Finance
Location: Hybrid - working from home with occasional travel to the Fund’s offices in Buckinghamshire and RAF stations
Hours: Monday to Friday (37.5hrs)
Salary: £60,000 plus benefits (including 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays, private healthcare, death in service and wellbeing opportunities & discounts)

About the Royal Air Force Central Fund:
The Fund is a military charity providing support to the RAF through grants, services, partnerships and properties to ensure personnel can access sports and physical activities at all levels. We deliver integral support to military personnel, RAF Stations and RAF Sport Associations - ultimately, we think everyone regardless of their role, rank, physical ability or competing level should have access to sports facilities, opportunities, equipment and training.
About the role:
We are looking for a pro-active Head of Finance with a wealth of finance experience and excellent communication, organisation and problem-solving skills. The ideal candidate will be a team player and be content to work at all levels – from getting stuck in with administrative duties if the need arises, through to overseeing the finance support delivery to over 50 RAF Sport Associations and liaising with investment managers and Board level Trustees and Directors.
This position will report into the CEO and will manage the Finance Manager. You will lead the delivery of financial support to the Fund and RAF Sport including:
• the preparation of the year-end financial reporting, production of the consolidated Annual Reports and accounts and the related external audit process including reviewing the tax computation and filing the accounts with Charity Commission and Companies House;
• overseeing the day-to-day management of the finance function, overall financial governance including internal control, balance sheet reconciliations, legal and regulatory compliance and production of financial information;
• management of the Trading Subsidiary accounts;
• advisor of the Board, Finance & Risk and Investment Committees;
• monitoring the investments, fundraising, RAF Sports Lottery and sponsorship incomes;
• other duties including annual budgeting, payroll support, P11D and PSA preparation, preparing and filing quarterly VAT returns.

Essential Person Specification:
• CIMA qualified/qualified CCAB accountant (or DChA or part-qualified accountant with significant financial experience);
• experience of dealing with a Trading Subsidiary (including the related VAT knowledge);

• adept at building and maintaining effective relationships with the team, beneficiaries, Trustees and external stakeholders;
• advanced understanding of IT, accounting and procurement softwares (Sage Intacct experience would be preferential);

• the ability to prioritise, work pragmatically and independently and to gather information and produce high quality written evaluations to deadline, present to varying audiences, report meaningful outputs and input into strategic direction;

• experience of managing multiple clients or a federated structure is desirable;
• experience of supporting with the management of an investment portfolio is also desirable.

About you:
• You are forward-thinking, have strong analytic skills and you enjoy variety. You want to work in a job that helps beneficiaries reach their full potential through sports and physical activities. You are seeking a challenging, diverse role and are committed to the benefits of keeping active.
• You are also committed to equality, diversity and inclusion. You believe and act in a way that celebrates and encourages a range of experiences, backgrounds and values.

Additional information:
It is important to us that the people we hire do not discriminate. We believe in being inclusive and giving everyone an equal chance to succeed. Applications are welcome from all regardless of age, sex, gender identity, disability, marriage or civil partnership, religion or belief, race, sexual orientation, transgender status or social economic background.
How to apply: Applications Would you like to join our team? Please submit a covering letter and your CV to KHansford@rafcf.org.uk, we look forward to reviewing your application. To ensure that your application can be considered, please outline how your skills and experience meet the criteria of the role in your covering letter. We actively welcome applications that will help increase the diversity of our workforce. Please be aware this advert will remain open until the vacancy has been filled. Interviews will take place throughout this period, therefore we encourage you to apply early to avoid disappointment. Applicants shortlisted for interview will be contacted within 10 working days of their application. Due to the volume of applications, feedback will unfortunately not be provided to applicants that have not been shortlisted.