Associate Director of Strategic Finance

• Ensure Together Trust has the financial strength, insight and resilience needed to deliver the strategic aims of the Trust.
• Provide strategic leadership that turns financial, operational and market intelligence into meaningful insight, helping the Trust make informed decisions that maximise impact for children, young people, adults and families.
• Lead long-term financial planning and sustainability so the Trust can continue to invest in high-quality services, skilled colleagues, effective systems, accessible buildings and innovation aligned to the Trust’s strategic aims.
• Enable sustainable growth and innovation by providing robust forecasting, investment appraisal and evidence-based analysis that supports the Trust to respond to changing needs and opportunities. 
• Champion financial insight and business intelligence, helping the Trust understand performance, make informed choices and direct resources towards the services, investments, and opportunities, that deliver the greatest impact.
• Ensure the Trust's resources, assets and investments are aligned to strategic priorities, delivering the greatest possible value, social impact and long-term sustainability. 
• Work collaboratively across the Trust to translate strategic ambition into realistic, affordable and deliverable plans, ensuring priorities are financially viable, sustainable and focused on meaningful impact.
• Lead by example in living the Trust's values, building strong relationships, promoting collective responsibility, and ensuring that every decision supports our purpose, strategic priorities and ambition.

• Lead teams, providing empowering management - guidance, coaching, and mentorship - to ensure high performance, professional development, and effective collaboration within the team and across the charity.  
• Lead by example, with integrity and instilling a clear sense of purpose, priority and direction.
• Lead the development, review and delivery of policies strategies and services that meets the needs of those we support.
• Ensure that appropriate plans are in place to deliver the Trusts strategic aims and performance targets prioritising resources to need and ensuring that change is managed effectively.
• Ensure adherence to the Trust’s policies and procedures in respect of all activities in the service area. 
• Lead on the management of resources ensuring that financial human and physical resources are effectively planned commissioned deployed and supported by appropriate processes to achieve the Trust’s strategic aims.
• Assess and manage all risks within the remit of the post.
• Build, develop and sustain effective relationships and partnerships that support the delivery of the Trust’s strategic aims.

Team leadership and development

• Implement a team structure that will deliver the most viable and sustainable model to meet the current and future needs of the Trust.
• Demonstrate compassionate leadership by prioritising wellbeing, inclusion and professional development, ensuring colleagues receive the support, feedback and opportunities they need to succeed and grow.
• Promote collaborative working across Finance and the wider Trust, building strong relationships that break down barriers, strengthen understanding and enable collective problem-solving and decision-making.
• Encourage courageous thinking and continuous improvement by creating a safe environment where colleagues feel empowered to challenge constructively, share ideas, learn from experience and drive positive change.
• Foster a culture of innovation, insight, and evidence-based decision-making, enabling colleagues to use data, technology and new approaches to improve performance and outcomes.
• Deputise for the Commercial Director when required, providing visible and values-led leadership across the Trust and ensuring Finance contributes effectively to strategic decision-making and organisational priorities.

Strategic finance and sustainability

• Lead long-term financial planning so the Trust can remain sustainable, ensuring the organisation remains financially resilient and able to invest in the services, people, systems and innovation needed to deliver the Trust’s strategic aims.
• Coordinate specialist advice on borrowing, banking, investments, reserves, and significant funding decisions, translating complex advice into clear recommendations for TLT and Trustees.
• Model different financial options for major projects, including loan terms, interest costs, covenant requirements, liquidity and risk. 
• Support the Combined Leadership Team and Trustees to understand the financial implications of major investment decisions. 
• Lead work on complex tax matters, including VAT recovery for capital projects, and seek specialist advice when needed.
• Ensure financial oversight of major projects to ensure they are financially viable, well-governed, and financially sustainable.

• Lead the modernisation of the Trust’s procurement framework, supporting the Commercial Director to strengthen purchasing controls and establish robust procedures for approved suppliers; ensuring compliance and value for money across the organisation.
  

Forecasting, Predictive Modelling & Business Intelligence

• Lead the development of clear financial forecasts, scenarios and models that support decision-making. 
• Own the Trust's finance business intelligence framework, integrated data models and dashboards, collaborating with the Digital team to provide insight that supports decision-making.
• Establish strategic financial assumptions, priorities and planning parameters, challenging organisational plans to ensure they are realistic, affordable and aligned with strategic priorities.
• Challenge plans where the financial assumptions are unclear, unrealistic or not aligned with strategic priorities. 
• Use business intelligence to identify emerging trends, risks, and opportunities, that support earlier and better-informed decision-making.
• Develops the financial reporting approach and ensures information supports strategic decision-making.
• Produces strategic analysis, recommendations, scenarios and forward-looking commentary through collaboration with Heads of Services and Departments.
  

Strategic Planning, Performance & Decision Support

• Provide senior financial support to the Commercial Director and Service Director on major programmes, service reviews and areas requiring intervention. 
• Build clear financial models for services that need improvement, including income, occupancy, workforce costs and fees. 
• Help the Combined Leadership Team to understand the causes of financial pressure and the actions needed to improve financial sustainability. 
• Lead financial diagnostics, recovery modelling, options appraisal and improvement planning. 
• Provide clear advice on the financial impact of delayed or changed projects, service redesign, investment decisions and operational pressures. 
• Review significant financial judgements, risks and disclosures, including capitalisation, depreciation, impairment, loan covenant disclosures and project-related risks. 
• Lead work that improves value for money, including spend analysis, automation, procurement insight and better use of supplier and contract data.

Business Development, Fees & Investment Appraisal

• Own the Trust’s approach to financial modelling, business cases, investment appraisal and return-on-investment analysis. 
• Prepare financial appraisals for new services, service changes, reopening plans, major projects and commercial opportunities. 
• Model different options so the Trust Leadership Team can compare costs, income, cash flow, risks, benefits and conditions for success. 
• Develop fee models that reflect true service costs, including workforce costs, support needs, premises, technology, transport and central costs, risk and contribution. 
• Support fee negotiations and commissioner discussions by providing credible financial analysis and clear options. 
• Help the Trust understand whether proposed services, placements, projects or funding models are financially sustainable. 
• Provide financial due diligence for major proposals, including funding mix, affordability, reserves, borrowing and fundraising assumptions.

Assets, Systems & Transformation

• Lead the Finance contribution to decisions about the Trust’s assets, including buildings, fleet, digital systems and other infrastructure. 
• Link asset decisions to service quality, financial sustainability, risk, utilisation and long-term investment planning. 
• Advise on whether major expenditure should be capitalised, expensed, impaired or treated as disposal related. 
• Lead work to improve cash management, working capital and liquidity, including delayed payments, fee uplifts, loan repayments and capital project phasing. 
• Develop practical financial responses before cash pressures affect frontline services. 
• Lead the Finance systems roadmap, including the core finance system, payroll, contracts systems, Power BI and automated workflows. 
• Prioritise system improvements based on business benefit, control improvement, user experience and value for money. 
• Modernise Finance policies so they are practical, accessible and aligned with strategy, legislation and good practice. 
• Review and strengthen financial controls, including delegated authority, procurement, supplier onboarding, contract approval, capital expenditure and project governance. 
• Use audit findings, control testing and incident trends to identify root causes, agree corrective action and make sure improvements are completed. 
• Lead periodic reviews of the Trust’s insurance arrangements, considering risk exposure, coverage, claims experience, market options, value for money, and alignment with the Trust’s risk appetite.

Other Responsibilities

• Actively engage with the Together Trust’s vision, mission and values. 
• Commit to promoting equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging.

The recruitment process has been designed to give candidates the opportunity to learn more about the charity, the role and the impact this post will have across the organisation. 

• Virtual online webinar - Wednesday 23 September 2026, 2:00pm - 3:00pm
• Application closing date - Friday 9 October 2026, 23:59pm
• Sellick Partnership interviews - w/c 12 October & w/c 19 October 2026
• Shortlist submitted to Together Trust - Monday 26 October 2026
• Trust experience day - Wednesday 18 October 2026
• Final panel interviews - Tuesday 1 December 2026

Thank you for considering this role with Together Trust. The recruitment process has been designed to give candidates the opportunity to learn more about the charity, the role and the impact this post will have across the organisation. 

Application closing date: Friday 9 October at 11:59pm

For further information about the role, the application process or any queries before applying, please contact Hayley Cox at Sellick Partnership on the details below. Hayley is exclusively partnering with Together Trust on this position and can provide further guidance on the opportunity and next steps.

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