Chief Operating Officer

Job Description

The role
We are seeking a Chief Operating Officer (COO) to join the leadership team at Social Finance to help drive the implementation of our ambitious strategy to achieve sustainable, scalable change in some of the most entrenched problems society faces. We have identified 15 projects, each with potential to have significant impact by 2020. The COO plays a crucial role in ensuring that our plans are grounded in practical reality. Specifically, the COO will play a central role in ensuring that we build and mobilise our resources to enable us to deliver on our strategy, manage risk and report effectively to our Board. The COO is responsible for monitoring and upholding the health of the organisation and bringing a cross-organisation perspective to decision making across our five business lines.

The current COO has played a key role in developing systems and tools to enable the organisation to manage and measure the sustainability of our activities in a way which supports Social Finance’s mission. She has been instrumental in ensuring consistency of forecasting across each of the business areas which has been important as the size and complexity of the organisation has grown. This – together with the support of an experienced Financial Controller -provides a strong foundation for a new entrant to the role.

People are at the heart of our work and central to fulfilling our mission. We are committed to offering a talented team the chance to develop fulfilling careers as leaders of social change. Working closely with another senior colleague with direct responsibility for HR, the COO will ensure that we are able to deliver on this commitment to our team. Specifically, the COO will ensure that hiring, training and resourcing plans are aligned with business need. The COO is central to internal communications and team building. They play an important part in ensuring the whole team is aware of progress and feel part of shaping our working environment.

The COO will be required to represent Social Finance externally. To be effective, the COO needs to have an understanding of, and empathy for, the wide variety of partners we work with – many of whom pay for and fund our work – and a strong interest in the social problems we are trying to tackle.

The candidate will benefit from a supportive team which includes an experienced Financial Controller, two financial accountants and an HR professional.

The role involves direct responsibility for: ‎

Operational Implications of Strategic Plans

• Input on strategic planning from an operational standpoint
• Work with our five business units to support delivery and execution against our strategic goals.
• Chairing our operating committee – a‎ weekly meeting of six senior directors to assess that the resources, infrastructure and operation of the group are supporting the delivery of our strategy as well as possible.
• Support the expansion of the Social Finance Global Network which links similar intermediaries in 5 countries.
• Financial and Risk Management
• Provide support to ensure that commercial disciplines are properly embedded in contracting and delivery and that the organisation’s exposures are managed.
• Supporting individual teams to anticipate and respond to financial and resource implications of their emerging strategies.
• Support teams to provide a smooth and regular flow of financial information to the central finance team and to take responsibility for the consistency, accuracy and completeness of this information.
• Oversight of an experienced finance team including review of management accounts, cash monitoring, year-end process and internal risk controls.
• Liaising with external auditors as necessary during the year end audit process.
• Managing relationships with external finance providers‎.
• Lead the annual budgeting and regular reforecasting processes – and monitor performance against costs.
• Fulfil the role of Compliance Officer, taking responsibility for FCA compliance with support from external specialist advisors.
• Responsibility for infrastructure, office administration and, with support of CTO, the IT and issues including GDPR compliance.

Strategic Oversight of HR

• Ensure that our approach to HR is aligned with our mission, resources and wider strategy
• Work closely with senior colleagues to ensure effective deployment of staff to meet the SF mission and individual development objectives
• Wor‎k closely with HR to implement an effective performance appraisal system
• Working in partnership with HR to liaise with staff peer groups to ensure engagement at all levels in shaping the working environment ‎

Responsibility for Board Reporting

• Conduct a reforecasting exercise 5 to 6 times a year.‎
• Responsibility for assembling the standing items (activity review and financial update) for each Board and co-ordination of papers.
• Present financial outlook to the Board.
• Manage day to day relationship on practical matters with the Chair and other Board members.
• Manage the on-boarding of new Board members.‎

Internal Communications and Team Building

• Ensure that there is a feeling across the business areas of corporate citizenship, supporting a wider Social Finance strategy and mission. This can include but is not limited to:
• Regular team communications
• Team away days and social events

Our commitment to you
Social Finance is a collaborative and mission driven organization with personal development at the heart of our offer.

As well as a competitive salary, Social Finance offers a contributory stakeholder pension scheme, plus an uplift in salary allowance to spend on other benefits.

To help you fund your pension, further professional education or childcare vouchers we can offer a salary sacrifice scheme. Social Finance offers season ticket loans, bike to work schemes, and Give as you Earn.

Social Finance is a sociable organisation – we regularly schedule office drinks and sporting events. We organise events to raise money for different charities, and many staff members volunteer on a regular basis. We offer plenty of opportunities to get out, meet each other and make a difference by doing something, big or small, for others.

Compensation
Competitive salary, commensurate with experience and sector.

Application
Interested candidates should send a CV and covering letter detailing their interest in working at Social Finance highlighting relevant experience to:recruitment@socialfinance.org.uk

All candidates should state in their application whether they have the right to work in the UK or require a visa. If you do not explicitly state this your application will not be considered.

Closing date for applications 22nd June 2018