Assistant Director of Finance, Estates & Commercial Services , Grade 6, Permanent, Liverpool or Newport)

Job summary

Job Purpose:

The Charity Commission is the independent regulator for charities in England and Wales. Our ambitious five-year strategy sets out a clear purpose: to ensure charity can thrive and inspire trust, so that people can improve lives and strengthen society. It is a bold and confident ambition, underpinned by our commitment to act in the public interest.

The Resources Directorate reports to the Commission’s Chief Operating Officer and is accountable for delivering enabling services and outcomes that ensure that the organisation functions and performs effectively and efficiently. The Directorate includes People and Development, Finance, Estates & Commercial, and Planning, Performance & Risk. Without the Resources Directorate, the Commission would not be able to function and deliver its statutory objectives. Resources manage the Commission’s internal resources and processes and holds other Directorates to account for delivering good performance outcomes.

Role Purpose

The Assistant Director of Finance, Estates & Commercial Services (FECS) provides strategic leadership for the Commission’s finance, estates, and commercial functions, ensuring that public money is managed with integrity, discipline, and a clear focus on public value. As the Commission’s Head of Profession for Finance, the post holder will provide expert advice, assurance and challenge to support effective decision making, strengthen organisational resilience and enable the Commission to deliver its statutory objectives within the financial controls, standards and expectations that apply across government.

The post holder will be accountable for delivering a robust financial management and procurement service. They will provide high quality, customer-focussed finance, accounting, procurement, and estates, thereby supporting the Chief Operating Officer in effective stewardship of Commission financial resources within the limits set by Treasury.

The post holder will lead continuous improvement to financial and commercial processes, systems, standards, and capabilities in order to improve operational outcomes.

Job description

Key Responsibilities:

• Enabling the organisation to achieve its strategic aims by being accountable for the provision of high quality, effective finance, procurement, and estates services across the Commission.
• Operational financial leadership to support effective and efficient decision making across the organisation and providing assurance on all financial and commercial matters to the Accounting Officer, Audit & Risk Assurance Committee, and directors.
• Responsible for delivering effective financial planning over the short and medium term whilst leading the annual budget process, ensuring effective liaison with HM Treasury as a critical stakeholder.
• Acting as the financial lead and co-ordinator of the Spending Review process, including regular liaison with the HMT Spending Team.
• Ensuring that the system of financial control at the Commission reflects appropriate best practice.
• Responsible for producing high quality interim and annual Resource Accounts, and timely, high-quality financial management information to all stakeholders.
• Operational responsibility and delegated authority to make business critical finance and procurement delivery decisions within governance frameworks and appropriate risk controls.
• Ensuring effective budget & financial controls are in place, understood and adhered to.

To substitute for and make decisions on behalf of the Chief Operating Officer when required and as necessary.

This role will manage a team of professionals and be responsible for the delivery of professional capability within the team. They will be focused on maintaining professional compliance and assurance in all Commission activities.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Ability:

• Ability to research, investigate and analyse facts and numerical data to inform and support effective decision making.
• Ability to plan and prioritise competing demands to ensure performance targets and deadlines are met.
• Ability to manage performance.
• Excellent communication skills, including verbal and written.
• Ability to work collaboratively and apply feedback.
• Able to influence others, including those outside of your direct working relationships.
• Strong motivational skills.
• Good planning and organisational skills.
• Good critical thinking skills.
• The ability to meet targets and deadlines.
• The ability to build, sustain and manage relationships with people at all levels, including senior managers and stakeholders.
• Demonstrable high levels of efficiency and flexibility.
• Ability to use own initiative and working under pressure.
• A proven ability in performance management and coaching.
• Confident working with ambiguity and making assumptions based on known information.

Experience

• An awareness of public administration (central government in particular)
• Strong knowledge of financial management within a public sector organisation, including management accounting and financial accounting.
• Experience of analysing complex written material and identifying and summarising key issues.
• Experience of working in a customer focused environment.
• Experience of using Unit4 or similar enterprise systems.
• Experience of supporting the organisation by management accounting and/or financial services to internal customers in the public sector.
• Experience of public sector financial management and accounting requirements
• Experience of the preparation of annual accounts within the public sector.
• Experience of cash flow management.
• Experience of assessing the financial implications of business decisions and providing advice to all levels of the organisation.

Technical

• Qualified member of a CCAB or equivalent recognised accountancy body with a substantial post qualifying experience.
• Application of risk management principles during the management of work and when making decisions.
• Handling data and information sensitively in accordance with the business procedures and/or law.
• Good IT skills, including Outlook, Word, and Excel.

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £68,935, Charity Commission contributes £19,970 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides (opens in a new window).

This is your chance to make a contribution that really matters and to make an impact in an organisation where your voice will be heard and your hard work noticed.

Watch this short video to find out more about us. short video

We operate a flexible hybrid working policy where office attendance is combined with homeworking days dependent on role and corporate requirements.

We recognise everyone as an individual, accepting people for who they are and treating everyone fairly. We welcome the unique contribution diverse applicants bring from all backgrounds and we aim to have a workforce that represents the wider society that we serve. We champion inclusion and wellbeing, aiming to create a workplace where everyone feels valued and has a sense of belonging.

We do not discriminate on the basis of culture, ethnicity, race, nationality or national origin, age, sex, gender identity or expression, religion or belief, disability status, sexual orientation, educational or social background or any other factor.

We offer access to the highly competitive Civil Service Pension Scheme (employer contributions of 28.97%), far more than in the private sector, and a flexible, family-friendly environment. Additionally, you can look forward to other great benefits via our ‘Perkbox’ and ‘Edenred’ schemes. These include everything from an interest-free season ticket loan, tenancy deposit loan scheme and bicycle loan (after two months) to discounts on gym membership, cinema tickets and restaurants. Please see the attached Charity Commission benefits document.

A minimum of 25 days of paid annual leave, increasing by one day per year up to a maximum of 30 days per year. You have the opportunity to purchase up to an additional 5 days annual leave (pro rata) per year, requests must be submitted in the February of that year.

The Charity Commission’s operational ambition is to realise the Commission’s values of being an expert regulator that is fair, balanced, and independent, which works in a way that is supportive, collaborative, and innovative to achieve our ambitions. We want to develop our capability to regulate charities to realise this goal and meet our statutory and public duties to ensure that charity in England and Wales can deliver maximum benefit to society in a way that upholds its reputation in the eyes of the public.

Work at the Charity Commission and you’ll make a difference every day to:

• The 170,000 charities of all shapes and sizes that we regulate across England and Wales.
• The trustees we partner with and advise.
• The people and causes that benefit from the £10bn generously donated each year by the public.

Find out more about working for us here.

To note: Any move across the Civil Service on or after 4 October 2018 may have implications on an employee’s ability to carry on claiming childcare vouchers.

Things you need to know

Artificial intelligence

Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths and Experience.

As part of the application process as a minimum you are asked to complete a CV and statement of suitability.

• Comprehensive CV which lists qualifications and skills sets.
• Personal statement of up to 1000 words. Please describe how you match the essential abilities, experience and technical skills on the attached job description.

At interview we will assess against Experience, Behaviours and Strengths alongside a presentation/task.

Behaviours:

• Seeing the Big Picture
• Making Effective Decisions
• Leadership
• Communicating and Influencing

Interviews will be taking place Face to Face in our Liverpool and Newport Office

The sift is due to take place on 20/08/2026
Interviews will be held: Liverpool, 28/08/2026. Newport 07/09/2026

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates.

At the interview, the panel can then probe further and ask applicants to provide further specific examples that show how they best demonstrate their skills.
We reserve the right to raise the score required at any stage of the process to manage numbers.
The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment.

Behaviours

The distinguishing Behaviours (the required skills, knowledge, and behaviours) for this role are set out in the Success Profiles: Civil Service behaviours (Success Profiles - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)) and should be referred to when making this application.
You are required, under the Behaviours approach, to describe how you have dealt with a specific situation.
You must give evidence of your knowledge, skills, and behaviours and how you have applied this, such as what you did or said and how you interacted with other people.

When you are giving your examples, do not spend too many words on description and background information. Avoid using general or unspecific statements. Instead say what the situation was, what you did, what your thought process was and what was the result.

Reasonable Adjustment

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled persons, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.
If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should:

Contact Government Recruitment Service via Charitycommissionrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Reserve Lists

If we have more successful candidates than available vacancies, we will hold a 12-month reserve list as standard.
During that time, we may use the list to fill the same, or similar roles with closely matching essential criteria, without further testing of merit. Any appointments from the Reserve list will be made in strict merit order.

Applying

We recognise everyone as an individual, accepting people for who they are and treating everyone fairly
All applications for these vacancies must be made online. There are limited exceptions to this. Paper applications will only be considered if you have a disability that will prevent you from applying online. If this is the case, please email Charitycommissionrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk
Once you have submitted your application it cannot be amended; only submit your application when you have completely finished and answered all the relevant questions.

Please note that late applications will not be accepted.

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.
New entrants are expected to join on the minimum of the pay band.

Concerns/Complaints:

The Charity Commission’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition.

If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance hrselfservice@charitycommission.gov.uk.

If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web page https://civilservicecommission.independent.gov.uk/contact/.

Feedback

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window).The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.

Contact point for applicants

Job contact :

• Name : Nick Baker
• Email : Recruitment@charitycommission.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : charitycommissionrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Further information

The Charity Commission’s recruitment processes are underpinned by the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, which outlines that selection for appointment is made on merit based on fair and open competition.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with the values in the Civil Service Code and/or if you feel the recruitment has been conducted in such a way that conflicts with the Civil Service Commissioner’s Recruitment Principles, and wish to make a complaint, then you should contact in the first instance hrselfservice@charitycommission.gov.uk.
If you are not satisfied with the response that you receive, then you can contact the Civil Service Commission. For further information on bringing a complaint to the Civil Service Commission please visit their web page here

Attachments

Assistant Director of Finance, Estates & Commercial Services JD Opens in new window (pdf, 216kB)Benefits Opens in new window (pdf, 169kB)The Role of the Charity Commission Opens in new window (pdf, 110kB)Assistant Director of Finance, Estates & Commercial Services JD welsh Opens in new window (pdf, 221kB)