Sightsavers
Financial Controller
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Financial Controller
We’re recruiting a Financial Controller to lead Sightsavers’ global financial management and help shape a strong, modern and service-focused finance function.
Location
Remote/ Hybrid - Haywards Heath, West Sussex, UK.
Contract
Permanent, full time
Salary
c. £90,000
Reports to
Chief Operating Officer
Right to work
Candidates must already have the right to work in the UK, as Sightsavers is unable to provide employer sponsorship for this role. This role must be worked from the UK and occasional attendance in the office will be required.
This is a senior role reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, with responsibility for leading the Global Finance Team across business finance, subsidiaries finance, treasury, and finance systems and projects.
We’re looking for a professionally qualified accountant with strong financial control, statutory accounting, audit, systems and transformation experience. Just as importantly, we need someone with excellent people skills who can lead experienced teams, build trust, support change, challenge constructively and make sound decisions in a values-led way.
Key Responsibilities
- Leading and developing the Global Finance Team, creating a collaborative, accountable and high-performing culture.
- Overseeing financial control, treasury, payroll, tax, accounting, reconciliation and compliance processes.
- Managing the preparation of statutory accounts and the external audit process in line with charity reporting requirements.
- Strengthening finance systems, processes, reporting and controls to support an efficient and scalable global finance function.
- Providing trusted advice, insight and challenge to senior leaders, committees and colleagues across the organisation.
- Driving transformation, continuous improvement and better ways of working across finance operations.
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Please read the full job description for further requirements.
About You
The role will suit someone who enjoys working across a complex international organisation, influencing senior stakeholders and helping finance teams provide clear, practical and high-quality support to colleagues globally.
You will be a professionally qualified accountant (ideally ICAEW or equivalent) with senior financial management experience, including experience of statutory accounts, audit, internal controls, finance systems and leading customer-facing finance teams. You will bring strong communication and influencing skills, the ability to explain complex financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues, and the confidence to challenge constructively at senior level.
Experience of working in a complex international environment would be highly valuable, as would experience in the charity, INGO or donor-funded sector. Most importantly, you will bring a strong commitment to inclusive leadership, continuous improvement and Sightsavers’ mission to protect sight and promote the rights of people with disabilities.
Please read the full job description for further requirements.
Next Steps
To apply for this exciting opportunity, please complete an application via our recruitment portal by uploading an up to date CV and answering the job-specific questions. We are particularly interested in learning of your motivations for applying.
We anticipate that there will be a two-stage interview process starting in early September. This will include a role-specific presentation task and the final stage interview will be held in-person at our offices in Haywards Heath, West Sussex. Ideally we would like the successful candidate to be in post by Q4 of 2026 and attendance at the annual planning meeting in mid-November would be very helpful.
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As an equal opportunity employer, we actively encourage applications from all sections of the community. Sightsavers is a Disability Confident Leader and qualified people with a disability are particularly encouraged to apply. We are committed to an inclusive recruitment process and can provide reasonable adjustments where needed.
Sightsavers is an employer that does not tolerate any form of harassment and has zero tolerance for sexual exploitation and abuse. All potential candidates will be subjected to rigorous background checks and controls. Due to the seniority and nature of this role, the successful candidate will be expected to undertake the relevant background checks, which may include a DBS check, in line with organisational policy and the requirements of the role.
In line with its commitment to safe programming and recruitment, Sightsavers participates in the inter-agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme (MDS) administered by the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response. Through collaboration with other MDS members, Sightsavers aims to ensure that there are no sexual exploitation, abuse or harassment issues relating to potential new hires and that we can respond systematically to checks from fellow MDS members. This ensures our work is accountable, delivered to a high standard and supports safeguarding across the development and humanitarian fields. Due to the seniority and nature of the role, the successful candidate will be expected to undertake relevant background checks, which may include a DBS check, in line with organisational policy and role requirements.
Closing Date
2 August 2026
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