Director of Finance

Director of Finance
Salary: £99,128 – £108,770
Location: Glasgow or Dalkeith (near Edinburgh)

Reporting directly to the Chief Executive and as a member of the Executive Management Team, you will provide financial and strategic leadership to the organisation. This includes giving assurance to the Accountable Officer and the Board of Management on the stewardship of public funds and procurement activity. You will play a key role in the strategic development and direction of the organisation.

SQA has two offices which are based in either Glasgow City Centre or Dalkeith, near Edinburgh.  However, SQA offers hybrid working.  With Hybrid working at SQA we aim, where possible, to give our people some individual choice and control over where they work.  This means, dependant on the needs of the business, that each employee can have a positive work/life balance whilst also optimising the use of workplaces and technology.

Key responsibilities will include:

• Overall responsibility for leading a well organised, skilled and motivated Finance directorate (approximately 39 staff supported by 3 direct reports).
• Provide effective leadership to Finance and Procurement teams and ensure that people, resources and expertise are developed appropriately to support SQA’s strategic goals.
• Provide strategic oversight in the procurement and sourcing function to ensure compliance with all relevant legislation and implement best business practices to maximise value to SQA.
• Lead both short-term and long-term budgeting, forecasting and financial planning processes in line with the business plan.
• Ensure that SQA delivers its annual budget in line with Scottish Government’s expectations and funding allocation.
• Work with all areas of the business to identify commercially astute opportunities for SQA that will contribute towards a sustainable financial model for the organisation.
• Design, implement and maintain robust financial systems and controls ensuring integrity of all systems.
• Provide assurance to the Chief Executive and Board on SQA’s compliance with all relevant legal, audit and regulatory requirements.
• Work with Scottish Government to ensure an understanding of the requirements for the development of a sustainable financial model for the organisation.

What you’ll need to succeed:

As a member of the Executive Management team you will be both a role model of the organisation’s values – Trusted, Enabling and Progressive – and a leader in our values-led programme.

The ideal candidate will, as a minimum, be educated Degree level (SCQF level 9) and be a fully qualified accountant (CCAB) with experience of operating at Executive level, ideally within the public sector.

You will ideally have previous experience of successfully managing relationships within the public sector, including Government, and be able to demonstrate an understanding of both the Public Sector Procurement process and of public sector financial management controls.

The ideal candidate will also:

• Possess experience of leading and delivering organisational change.
• Demonstrate commercial acumen and possess outstanding communication skills with people at all levels, and articulate the bigger picture in ways that are meaningful and engaging for all stakeholders.
• Actively demonstrate values-led leadership behaviours, and maintain a level of comfort and confidence in leadership in conflict situations and challenging circumstances.
• Possess experience of working with and over-coming business challenges and financial constraints.
• Highly developed persuading and influencing skills.
• Be decisive, adaptable and able to manage business pressures.
• Have the ability to maintain a strategic focus whilst managing business as usual operations.

What you’ll get in return:

• The opportunity to be part of the Executive Management Team, led by the Chief Executive, contributing to the strategic development and direction of this internationally recognised, high profile organisation.
• The opportunity to support the implementation of the corporate plan that will take SQA into a new organisation.
• An excellent salary and benefits package including a generous pension and holiday entitlement.
• The role can be based in either SQA offices in Glasgow city centre or Dalkeith near Edinburgh with regular travel to the other.