Head of Charities
About the company
We are working with an established and growing accountancy practice in Sussex to recruit a Head of Charities to lead and develop its specialist charities department.
Your tasks
This is a senior leadership opportunity for an experienced charity audit professional who is ready to take ownership of a department, shape its future direction and play a key role in the wider success of the firm.
The successful candidate will take responsibility for the department's strategic development, technical quality, financial performance, client relationships and team culture. With dedicated management support overseeing the day to day workflow, the focus of this position is on leading the department, developing its people, strengthening client relationships and driving sustainable growth.
This is an opportunity to make a genuine impact, building on an established client portfolio and developing the firm's reputation within the charity sector.
Department Leadership & Strategy
- Develop and implement the department's strategic plan, setting clear objectives, annual targets and measurable KPIs.
- Take ownership of the department's overall performance, identifying opportunities for growth, improvement and innovation.
- Build a high performing culture, encouraging collaboration, accountability and continuous professional development.
- Oversee capacity planning, resource allocation and succession planning to support the department's long term success.
- Work closely with the wider leadership team to contribute to firm wide strategy and business development.
Team Development & Leadership
- Lead, motivate and develop a team of charity audit and accounts professionals, supporting them to achieve their full potential.
- Coach and mentor managers, helping them strengthen their leadership, technical and client management capabilities.
- Oversee recruitment, performance management, staff engagement and retention.
- Identify future leaders within the department and support their progression.
- Promote a positive working environment, ensuring workloads are managed effectively and staff wellbeing remains a priority.
Client Relationships & Portfolio Management
- Take overall responsibility for the charities client portfolio, maintaining strong relationships with key clients and stakeholders.
- Lead senior client meetings, ensuring consistently high standards of service and client satisfaction.
- Oversee client retention, fee reviews and the effective management of engagement scope.
- Handle complex client conversations and resolve issues professionally, protecting long term relationships.
- Ensure the department delivers a proactive, commercially aware and relationship focused service.
Financial & Commercial Performance
- Take responsibility for departmental budgets, profitability and financial performance.
- Monitor billing, work in progress, debtor levels, recovery rates and fee realisation.
- Identify opportunities to improve margins, increase fee income and strengthen commercial performance.
- Monitor departmental KPIs and report performance, progress and risks to the Directors.
- Ensure appropriate pricing and fee management, addressing scope creep and maximising the value delivered to clients.
Operational Oversight & Quality Assurance