Finance Manager

Salary: £50,000 - £55,000 per annum pro rata

Permanent: Part-time 3 days a week

Hybrid working: ordinarily 2 days a week in the office

Office based on Pentonville Road

Closest stations Angel and Kings Cross St Pancras

The Crafts Council is the national charity championing craft in the UK, supporting makers, inspiring audiences, and shaping the future of the craft sector. Through exhibitions, educational programmes, and advocacy, we work to ensure that craft thrives as an essential part of our cultural and creative economy.

As part of our commitment to strong financial stewardship, we are seeking an experienced and proactive Finance Manager to oversee our financial operations. This role is crucial to ensuring the financial health of the Crafts Council, supporting our ambitious programmes, and providing strategic financial guidance to project leads and senior leadership.

Reporting to the Finance Director, who has been with the organisation since 2015 and took on the Director role in 2022, this position requires someone who can work independently, manage day-to-day finance operations, and lead on key financial projects. You will be responsible for preparing financial statements, managing audits, and ensuring compliance with financial regulations. Additionally, you will oversee budgeting, forecasting, and capital project financing, working closely with project leads to provide financial insights on funding applications and evolving bids.

With a longstanding and knowledgeable Finance Officer in place, the Finance Manager will ensure smooth daily operations while also being hands-on when needed, such as assisting with transactional work and VAT returns. You will also manage a casual support staff member, who works approximately two days per week. Given the dynamic nature of funding applications and project finances, the role requires flexibility, strong business partnering skills, and the ability to provide financial clarity to project teams.

This is a fantastic opportunity for a finance professional who thrives in a dynamic environment, enjoys working closely with creative teams, and is ready to take ownership of financial processes that directly impact the future of craft in the UK.

Responsibilities include:

• Oversee daily finance operations, lead and support the team, and coordinate with external support as needed.
• Collaborate with budget holders to monitor performance and ensure engagement with Power BI for budget reporting.
• Maintain approval workflows per the approval matrix.
• Create and manage a monthly task list, tracking completion.
• Ensure up-to-date processing and weekly review of outstanding queries.
• Arrange and deliver system/procedure training, including refreshers.
• Prepare monthly management accounts, quarterly forecasts, and manage cash flow.
• Assist in preparing Statutory Accounts with the Director of Finance & People.
• Complete VAT returns and other statutory filings.
• Support the Development team with funding bids and project reporting.
• Contribute to planning, delivery, and review of wider functions.

Who are we looking for?

We are looking for an experienced finance professional who combines strategic insight with operational expertise. You will have:

• A formally qualified accountant
• An excellent communicator who is able to influence at all levels within the organisation
• Ability to work on own initiative, assess priorities and be proactive.

• Relevant and appropriate experience in finance and management accounting obtained in a complex organisation

Next Steps?

Crafts Council are fully open to sector experience. As such we welcome candidates from industry, charity or practice backgrounds.

Crafts Council are happy to partner with Allen Lane and Iain Slinn in the recruitment for this role. For a further discussion, please reach out to Iain Slinn at Allen Lane