Head of Finance & IT

Job Title: Head of Finance & IT
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer
Responsible For: Finance / IT Officer
Key Relationships: Senior Management Team, Bar & Catering, Front of House Manager.
Hours: 37.5 hours
Salary: c. £60,000

Job Purpose
To provide strategic and operational management of JOH’s finance and IT functions. This post is part of the senior management team (SMT).

Key Responsibilities

Planning and Decision Making 

To support the Chief Executive and SMT with accurate and thorough financial information and analysis to drive decision-making, and to identify and deliver initiatives to increase income and reduce expenditure.
To provide advice, information and training to SMT on financial requirements and processes specific to their teams and to provide financial evaluation of new projects and initiatives.
To work with the Chief Executive and other SMT members to establish a clear system for monitoring and evaluating JOH’s work and reporting this to the board of trustees.

Financial Management and Accounting 

To lead on the preparation of annual statutory accounts and the generation of periodic financial management and accounting information required by the board and key stakeholders.
To maintain a register of all fixed assets and ensuring proper control and usage of all the organisation’s assets and resources.
To prepare and plan for the annual audit and produce the annual statutory accounts including having significant input into the accompanying annual report and ensure through liaison with the Company’s auditors that the report is approved in a timely manner.
To ensure the timely, efficient and accurate processing of all financial transactions and monthly reconciliation of all balance sheet accounts, to include the capitalisation of capital expenditure, maintenance of the asset register and management of restricted reserves.
To oversee payroll and its management and budgeting, ensuring that all contractual and statutory duties in relation to the processing of payroll and pension contributions are carried out accurately and efficiently.

Budgeting, Forecasting and Reporting 

In conjunction with the CEO, to lead the financial planning process for the organisation, including annual budgeting and re-forecasting as necessary and to prepare regular financial reports including management accounts, cashflow, statutory accounts and other reports as required by the Board and SMT.
To assist the SMT in setting revenue budgets for their areas and consolidating those into the overall financial plan for the year.
To ensure that timely, accurate and relevant management accounts and reports are produced on a monthly basis for the SMT and Board, including regular financial and cash flow forecasts and important KPI data.
To review and interrogate the monthly management reports for income and expenditure, risks and opportunities, capital and cash flow, reporting any matters that require action to the CEO and agree any actions.
To reforecast the budget on a regular basis to ensure that changes in available resources are recognised so JOH is able to take advantage of opportunities and reduce financial risk.
To manage cashflow and create cashflow forecasts.
To analyse financial information and prepare financial scenarios as and when required.

Governance and Legal Compliance 

To maintain up to date knowledge of relevant legislation affecting all aspects of JOH’s financial and accounting processes and systems, including payroll and Gift Aid.
To ensure compliance with all financial, pension and HR legislation, including auto-enrolment.
To keep abreast of all statutory requirements in terms of company and charity law and to ensure that annual returns are made to Companies House and the Charity Commission.
To review and update key financial policies and to report on these to the CEO and Board of Trustees.
To ensure the Risk Register is regularly updated and shared with the Board, CEO and senior management team.

Insurance

To ensure that insurance is in place for all the company’s needs.
To seek best value for all insurance needs.
To be the main contact for all insurance claims.

To oversee the management of JOH’s external IT support and maintenance company, to ensure it meets the JOH’s needs and is best value.
To ensure the integration of finance systems across JOH.

Staff Management & Scheduling

Line manages the team of permanent and casual staff.
Through the appraisal process:
- agree objectives and performance measures for each staff member.
- review performance and give clear feedback.
- identify and agree training and development needs.
Keep abreast of, and work in accordance with, current industry agreements and to observe Employment Law.

General

Always act in the best interests of Jersey Opera House.
Take positive action to promote Equal Opportunities in all aspects of the work of Jersey Opera House.
Agree to abide by Jersey Opera House policies such as Health and Safety, Safeguarding etc.
Maintain confidentiality in all areas relating to Jersey Opera House.
Undertake any other reasonable duties as requested.

Person Specification

Essential Experience & Skills

Knowledge: qualified accountant.

Experience: Excellent management and financial reporting experience, including preparing statutory accounts, insightful management accounts and other financial reports preferably in a charity/not for profit environment.

IT skills: experience of accounting software e.g. Xero and Microsoft Excel; experience overseeing IT systems.

Leadership: experience of leading strategic and business planning processes with the ability to support and advise non-financial managers to successfully plan and manage their budgets.

Communications: excellent written and verbal communications skills.

Desirable Experience

Experience within a theatre, arts charity or cultural organisation.
Knowledge of charity accounting (SORP).
Experience with ticketing, fundraising, CRM, payroll and stocktaking software.
Experience leading digital transformation projects.

Key Competencies

Numeracy
Excellent organisational skills
Problem-solving and decision-making
Attention to detail
Time management
Working independently
Multi-tasking
Communication skills
IT skills
Teamwork and collaboration
Customer focus
Adaptability and flexibility

For a job pack or to apply, please email [email protected]

Applications close Monday 5 October 2026.