Head of Charities

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.

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.

Key Responsibilities

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

Maintain oversight of departmental workflow, ensuring managers and their teams deliver assignments efficiently and to agreed deadlines.

Lead the weekly workflow meeting, ensuring progress is monitored, outstanding actions are followed up and appropriate resources are allocated.

Work alongside managers who are responsible for day to day job management, providing direction and intervening where necessary to keep delivery on track.

Maintain high standards of audit quality, file review and compliance with internal procedures.

Monitor turnaround times, manage delivery risks and ensure deadlines are consistently achieved across the portfolio.

Technical Leadership & Regulatory Compliance

Act as the senior technical authority for the charities department, providing guidance on complex technical and regulatory matters.

Maintain strong knowledge of charity accounting, audit requirements, relevant legislation and professional standards.

Ensure the team remains up to date with changes in charity regulation and applicable reporting requirements.

Oversee the quality of complex assignments and provide technical training and development for the wider team.

Develop and maintain technical resources, guidance and templates to promote consistency and best practice.

Liaise with regulators and other relevant bodies where required.

Maintain robust standards of independence, ethics, anti money laundering compliance, engagement risk management and professional conduct.

Support the management of regulatory inspections, complaints and other quality or compliance matters.

Business Development & Market Presence

Develop and deliver a clear growth strategy for the charities service line.

Identify opportunities to expand existing client relationships, introduce additional services and win new charity clients.

Build relationships with key professional contacts, including solicitors, banks, independent financial advisers and other referral partners.

Represent the firm at charity sector events, networking opportunities and relevant professional forums.

Contribute to the firm's market profile through thought leadership, technical articles, seminars and presentations.

Support tenders and proposals, with a particular focus on attracting larger and strategically important charity clients.

Wider Firm Contribution

Act as a key member of the firm's leadership team, contributing to strategic discussions and business planning.

Report to the Directors on departmental performance, opportunities, challenges and future priorities.

Collaborate with other service lines to identify cross referral opportunities and deliver a joined up service to clients.

Contribute to the development of firm wide policies, procedures and quality standards.

RequirementsYou may already be a Head of Charities, Charity Audit Director or Senior Manager looking for the opportunity to take the next step into a broader leadership position.

Alternatively, you could be an experienced charity audit professional with RI status who is ready to move beyond the day to day management of assignments and take greater responsibility for the strategic, commercial and operational success of a department.

Above all, you will be passionate about the charity sector, committed to developing people and motivated by the opportunity to build a successful, sustainable and well respected service line.

You will ideally bring:

A recognised accountancy qualification, such as ACA or ACCA.

Responsible Individual (RI) status, which is essential for this position.

A Charity Diploma or equivalent evidence of specialist knowledge and experience within the charity sector.

Extensive experience of charity audits, charity accounting and the relevant regulatory framework.

A strong track record of managing client relationships and delivering high quality professional services.

Experience leading, developing and motivating a team, including coaching and supporting managers.

Commercial acumen, with an understanding of departmental budgets, profitability, billing, recovery rates and fee growth.

The ability to balance technical excellence with strategic leadership and business development.

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the confidence to engage with trustees, senior stakeholders and fellow Directors.

A proactive, organised and solutions focused approach, with the ability to influence, make decisions and drive positive change.

BenefitsA senior leadership position with genuine responsibility and influence.

The opportunity to shape and deliver the department's long-term strategy.

An established client portfolio and the opportunity to drive further growth.

The ability to develop and mentor a talented team.

Direct involvement in wider firm strategy and decision making.

The opportunity to strengthen the firm's reputation within the charity sector.

A competitive salary and benefits package, reflective of the seniority and responsibilities of the role

Please contact Mark Sitton on (phone number removed),  , or via LinkedIn for a confidential conversation.

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