Financial Controller

Company Overview

Montrose Community Trust is a dedicated charity that actively engages with over 10% of the population of Montrose each week, offering vital support across a wide range of community needs. Our programs focus on assisting individuals facing health challenges, disability, poverty, isolation, addiction, unemployment, and dementia, making a meaningful difference in people's lives every day.

The Role

The Financial Controller will take ownership of the day-to-day financial management of Montrose Community Trust while providing the CEO, Senior Leadership Team and Board of Trustees with the financial information and insight required to make confident, evidence-based decisions.

This is both a hands-on and strategic role.

You will ensure our financial records are accurate, timely and compliant while strengthening our processes, controls and reporting. Crucially, you will help MCT move beyond retrospective financial reporting towards a clear, current and forward-looking understanding of our financial position, cash flow, commitments and organisational sustainability.

Working closely with the CEO, Operations Lead, Operations Assistant, Treasurer, Trustees and external professional advisers, you will help embed strong financial management throughout the organisation.

Key ResponsibilitiesFinancial Management & Reporting

• Produce accurate and timely monthly management accounts for the CEO, Senior Leadership Team and Board.
• Maintain a clear, up-to-date understanding of MCT's overall financial position.
• Develop and maintain organisational, departmental, programme and project budgets.
• Produce regular cash-flow forecasts and identify emerging pressures, risks and opportunities.
• Monitor actual performance against budgets and forecasts, investigating and clearly explaining variances.
• Develop accessible dashboards and financial reporting that allow non-finance colleagues and Trustees to understand organisational performance.
• Support longer-term financial planning, scenario modelling and organisational sustainability.

Financial Operations

• Maintain oversight of MCT's day-to-day financial processes and ensure transactions are accurately recorded within Xero.
• Oversee accounts payable and receivable, invoicing, banking, reconciliations and financial records.
• Ensure income and expenditure is correctly allocated to programmes, projects, funders, accounting categories and nominal codes.
• Maintain effective debtor and creditor management and support timely collection of income.
• Oversee payroll processes alongside relevant colleagues and external providers.
• Ensure appropriate records and evidence are maintained for all transactions.
• Oversee Gift Aid administration and claims, ensuring appropriate records and controls are maintained.
• Ensure financial information from payment platforms, programme management systems and banking feeds is appropriately reconciled.

Funding, Restricted Funds & Projects

• Maintain clear oversight of restricted and unrestricted funds.
• Ensure grant income and expenditure is correctly recorded and used in accordance with funding agreements.
• Work with programme leads and the CEO to provide financial information for funding applications, claims and reports.
• Monitor project budgets and provide early warning where expenditure, income or delivery varies from plan.
• Support financial management and reporting associated with major capital projects and restricted capital funding.
• Help colleagues understand the true financial performance and cost of individual programmes and services.

Financial Controls & Governance

• Develop, implement and continually improve robust financial policies, processes and internal controls.
• Ensure appropriate segregation of duties, authorisation processes and financial accountability across MCT.
• Regularly review financial systems to identify inefficiencies, risks and opportunities for improvement or automation.
• Ensure compliance with relevant charity accounting requirements, Charity SORP, HMRC requirements and other statutory obligations.
• Support the CEO, Treasurer and Board in maintaining appropriate reserves and financial risk management.
• Maintain and develop appropriate finance policies, including expenses, procurement, cash handling, Gift Aid, invoicing and financial authorisation.

Annual Accounts, Audit & Compliance

• Coordinate the preparation of MCT's annual statutory accounts.
• Act as a principal contact for external accountants and auditors, ensuring information is provided accurately and efficiently.
• Support the successful completion of the annual audit and implementation of any recommendations.
• Ensure appropriate financial information is available for statutory and regulatory reporting.
• Maintain accurate records to support audit trails and funder scrutiny.

Strategic Financial Support

• Act as a trusted financial adviser to the CEO, Senior Leadership Team and Trustees.
• Translate complex financial information into clear, practical advice for colleagues without financial backgrounds.
• Provide financial appraisal and scenario modelling for new programmes, contracts, investments and strategic opportunities.
• Support decisions around income diversification, earned income, procurement and organisational investment.
• Contribute to the development of reserves, treasury and investment strategies as MCT's financial position evolves.
• Help build greater financial awareness and accountability across the whole organisation.

About You

We are looking for someone who combines strong technical financial capability with a practical understanding of a growing, purpose-driven organisations in a charity setting.

You will be comfortable getting into the detail when necessary, but equally able to step back and explain what the numbers mean for MCT's wider strategy.

Essential

• Strong experience of management accounting, budgeting, forecasting and cash-flow management.
• Experience producing accurate management accounts and financial information for senior decision-makers.
• Strong understanding of financial controls, reconciliations and accounting processes.
• Ability to analyse financial information, identify trends and risks and make clear recommendations.
• Excellent attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Strong Excel or equivalent spreadsheet skills.
• Confidence using modern accounting software.
• Ability to communicate financial information clearly to colleagues, senior leaders and Trustees.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines.
• A collaborative, pragmatic and solutions-focused approach.

Desirable

• Experience working within a charity, social enterprise or wider third sector organisation.
• Knowledge of charity accounting and the Charities SORP.
• Experience managing restricted funding and grant-funded programmes.
• Experience of Xero.
• Experience supporting statutory accounts and external audit.
• Knowledge of Gift Aid, VAT and relevant HMRC requirements.
• Experience of financial management for capital projects.
• Experience developing or improving financial systems and processes during a period of organisational growth.

What Success Looks Like

Within this role, success will mean that:

• MCT has an accurate and current understanding of its financial position at all times.
• The CEO and Trustees receive clear, timely and useful management information.
• Cash flow is actively forecast rather than retrospectively understood.
• Programme leads understand the financial performance and true cost of their activities.
• Restricted and unrestricted funding is clearly accounted for.
• Financial risks and variances are identified early.
• Month-end and year-end processes are efficient and reliable.
• MCT's financial controls and processes are proportionate, documented and consistently followed.
• Financial insight actively informs organisational strategy and decision-making.

Why Join MCT?

This is an opportunity to join Montrose Community Trust at a significant point in our development.

Our growth brings opportunity, but it also requires increasingly sophisticated systems and financial oversight. The Financial Controller will therefore have the opportunity not simply to inherit a finance function, but to help shape one that is fit for the organisation MCT is becoming.

You will work closely with our leadership and Trustees, influence major organisational decisions and help ensure that ambitious community impact is underpinned by equally strong financial sustainability and governance.

Ultimately, your work will help give MCT the financial confidence and clarity to continue growing its impact across Montrose and beyond.

Pay: £16,500.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension
• Employee discount
• Health & wellbeing programme
• Private dental insurance

Work Location: In person