The Access Project
Financial Controller
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Financial Controller
Salary: £47,000 to £52,000 depending on experience, plus £3,000 London Weighting (where applicable).
Recruitment window: 3 August – 2 September 2026 (could be closed sooner).
Reporting to: Chief Operating Officer.
Line management: Finance Team.
Contract: Permanent - full-time (37.5 hours, Monday to Friday). The Access Project welcomes reasonable requests for flexible working arrangements.
Job location: Hybrid/London office (those posted within commutable distance of London can be considered for the role and are welcome to apply).
Interview date: 11 & 14 September 2026 (potential for changes).
Start date: 1 October 2026.
Application process:
The Access Project is partnering exclusively with Giving Back Recruitment agency for this vacancy. Please submit your CV and covering letter in application for this role to be considered, or call Alex Williams at Giving Back Recruitment agency on 07304294589. There will be a test (via e-mail) to complete prior to the interview if your application is shortlisted for the interview stage (to be completed within approx. 1-1.5 hr).
Selection process:
Interview questions will focus on your experience that will be relevant to this job description as well as HOW you work. We want to understand technical expertise as well as how you work with people.
Summary of the interview process:
In person: Interview with Chief Operating Officer and an Executive and/or Trustee. Focus areas will include strategic financial management experience, developing fit for purpose stakeholder reporting solutions including statutory reporting, experience of developing and maintaining a sound financial control framework, clear evidence of a cross-functional business partnering approach when delivering solutions.
MS Teams: Staff Panel interview, facilitated by Chief Operating Officer. Focus areas will include evidence of a business partnering approach, demonstrable alignment with The Access Project mission and values.
About the role
This is an exciting role for a motivated self-starter, who is keen to make a key contribution to delivering financial strategy and has a well-rounded business partnering approach to delivering Finance solutions. The Access Project has ambitious plans to grow and is looking for a Financial Controller to build strong foundations in relation to financial literacy and commercial awareness across the organisation whilst working closely with the Executive. This role will be crucial in supporting the Chief Operating Officer to deliver strategic plans over the next five years.
This role will give you the opportunity to build strong relationships across the organisation and provide outstanding customer service to various stakeholders. Given the relative size of the organisation, this is a broad role, encompassing many different aspects of Finance and therefore will provide an amazing opportunity for the right candidate to develop a broad Finance skillset.
Role responsibilities
Key elements of the role are as follows (not an exhaustive list):
Financial Management and Finance Business Partnering
The Financial Controller will play a key role in managing strategic financial plans including supporting budget holders across the organisation.
- Leading budget preparation, implementation, variance analysis as well as forecasting cycles, including multi-year forecasts and financial models in line with the organisation’s strategic goals.
- Enabling budget holders, through business partnering and training, to manage their own budgets effectively and make commercial decisions based on sound understanding of strategic financial drivers of the organisation and effective use of finance systems such as XLedger.
- Developing financial strategy and associated KPIs through bespoke financial models tracking effective use of funds.
- Working closely with the Sales and Partnerships team to ensure the accuracy of the in-year fundraising pipeline and future income projections.
- Supporting the Sales and Partnerships team with financial information for funding applications and producing financial reports to funders.
- Excellent understanding restricted funding, its implications and ensuring that spend is in line with requirements of funders and Charities SORP.
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Financial Control and Reporting
Be responsible for achieving and maintaining information of utmost integrity and completeness, enabling relevant and timely reporting addressing statutory and stakeholder requirements. Owner of financial control framework, including but not limited to:
- Overseeing a successful month-end process including reviewing the work of the finance team and meeting reporting deadlines. This will include overseeing month-end journals and preparation of balance sheet reconciliations.
- Producing high-quality monthly management accounts with insightful variance analysis and commentary aimed at the Executive, FinCo and Trustees, including reporting on finance and fundraising KPIs.
- Managing the monthly payroll process and related financial controls in conjunction with outsourced payroll providers and the HR department to ensure staff are paid correctly and on time.
- Scrutinising all aspects of sound financial controls in the context of the operating model and regulatory requirements driving through use of technology to automate checks and balances.
- Optimising use of the accounting software (Xledger), through pro-active maintenance, development and integration with relevant applications.
- Leading the annual audit successfully through pro-active planning and preparation of substantive information and annual statutory accounts, resolve audit queries, play a key role in collation of information of the annual report with relevant stakeholders.
- Maintaining, regularly reviewing and updating organisational policies relating to finance.
- Ensuring The Access Project fulfils its obligations in relation to tax and other regulatory requirements.
Treasury management
- Manage the investment strategy to optimise use of surplus cash resources and interest income, in line with policies and related risk management.
- Managing rolling 12-month cash flow successfully and reducing reliance on a small number of financial institutions and inherent counterparty risk. Managing the organisation’s portfolio in line with its investment policy and risk management procedures.
- Analysing monthly movements on short-term deposits and producing associated reporting to Executives and Trustees.
- Managing the organisation’s portfolio in line with its investment policy and risk management procedures.
Other responsibilities
- Providing cover for finance team colleagues, as and when required.
- Undertaking other tasks and ad-hoc projects as requested by the Chief Operating Officer.
Person specification
- Holds a professional accounting qualification (e.g. ACA/ACCA/CIMA), including newly qualified accountants with sufficient experience. Finance professionals that have sufficient relevant experience and are close to becoming fully qualified may also be considered.
- Outstanding attention to detail whilst being able to think strategically at the same time.
- Has substantial and relevant experience within the not-for-profit sector.
- Strong understanding of and practical application of Charities SORP and FRS102 requirements.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to adapt style to various stakeholders.
- Able to build effective relationships across the organisation, ensuring that budget holders are fully supported in relation to finance to enable them to effectively carry out the financial aspects of their roles.
- Able to effectively communicate complex financial matters to non-finance colleagues.
- Committed to driving and seeing through improvements within the finance team.
- Flexible approach to work and able to work well as part of a team and alone.
- Passionate about educational disadvantage and The Access Project’s mission.
- Committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
- A commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
- Committed to upholding a professional code of ethics.
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Skills and experience
- Demonstrable business partnering experience, preferably in a similar size organisation and business model.
- Strong financial control, management accounting and reporting experience.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- Ability to adapt and influence change.
- Advanced Excel skills and experience using a range of financial reporting tools.
- Experience of using a range of accounting software (Xledger desirable).
- Good working knowledge of MS Office programmes.
- Desire to pro-actively learn about AI and its application to finance activities.
About the organisation
We believe that every young person should have the opportunity to fulfil their potential and make the most of their education. We’re passionate about reducing the educational barriers our students face, helping them to pursue a career in their chosen field and follow their dreams.
Our mission is to support students from disadvantaged backgrounds to access top universities, through a unique combination of tuition and in-school mentoring. We work with them to make good applications, get the grades and transition to university.
The programme combats educational inequality and improves social mobility by raising students’ grades and supporting them to understand the pathway to a top university. Students who receive support from our programme are more than twice as likely to attend top universities as statistically similar students, according to UCAS.
For more information including our values, why work for us and our team, please follow: https://www.theaccessproject.org.uk/about-us/join-our-team
Benefits:
- 25 days annual leave p.a. (pro rata), Bank Holidays and Winter closure (5 days).
- PerkBox – offering nationwide shopping discounts, gym memberships, holidays, learning and much more.
- Employee Assistance Programme, a 24-hour helpline for staff.
- Paid wellbeing day.
- Online Medical assistance – access 24/7 to a qualified GP within minutes, with referrals and prescriptions available same-day.
- Interest-free travelcard loans.
- Cycles scheme loans.
- Two paid Volunteering Days.
- Employer’s pensions contributions (3%).
- CPD options with a business case aligned with strategic objectives.
Safeguarding Statement
The Access Project is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Our safeguarding system is underpinned by a range of policies and procedures which encourage and promote safe working practice across the organisation.
Equal Opportunities Statement
The Access Project aspires to represent the diversity of communities across the UK at all levels of the organisation and proactively takes steps to
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