Job Description

Location: London (hybrid)

Hours: Full-Time 

Remuneration: £80,000 -£87,000 per annum, depending on experience

Contract: 13 months fixed-term contract (Parental Leave Cover)

About FILE

The Foundation for International Law for the Environment (FILE) is a not-for-profit philanthropic organisation working to accelerate legal action on climate change. 

Through grant-making and in-house legal expertise, we empower our partners to deliver strategic, innovative legal interventions and we support lawyers in their own countries to bring their own cases. 

Legal action can unlock the systemic changes in finance, policy and social systems needed to protect all of us from climate change. The power of the law is both direct (changing policy and practice) and indirect (signalling the wider shifts taking place across these systems).

FILE is a ‘regrantor’ - this means we do not bring legal action in our own name. We receive grants from our philanthropic donors and make onwards grants to partners who align with FILE’s charitable aims and purposes. We do not seek to make any profit from our activities either in a relevant financial year or in the longer term.

Role overview

The Head of Financial Planning and Analysis is a key leadership role within the Finance Team at FILE, responsible for the financial planning cycle and management information, business partnering support across the organisation, and financial reporting to donors.

Key Responsibilities will include:

• Lead the FP&A team at FILE, including setting team vision, annual team planning and objectives
• Lead annual planning process across income, granting plans and operational expenditure, developing innovative approaches
• Ensure robust quarterly forecasting process supports resource planning, strategic operational expenditure investment decisions and guides the allocation of unrestricted and flexible funding to highest impact
• Ensure prompt monthly Management Information, implementing reporting tools, dashboards and  automation where possible
• Ensure key stakeholders across the Grants Team, Donor Relations Team and across FILE receive high value business partner support to enable strategic decision-making, in addition to support on individual donor proposals, grants and operational expenditure decisions
• Develop and implement a new donor proposal budgeting process
• Ensure financial reporting to donors is on time, accurate and high quality
• Oversee Grant Assurance, support finance colleagues with statutory and donor audits as required, and collaborate with the Legal Counsel and Head of Grants on grant risk reporting
• Ensure Grant Management System has strong controls and user administration and collaborate with Finance Team colleagues on data reconciliations
• Drive process improvement, and develop best practice guidance, training and induction materials for budget holders, tools and templates for grantmaking and donor management.
• Any other responsibilities required to support the success of the Finance Team

Key Outcomes

• The FP&A team has a clear vision, with ambitious but resilient annual planning
• The FP&A team has a strong culture of collaboration, trust, integrity and empowerment, and individual team members have clear objectives and development plans
• Robust annual organisational financial planning and quarterly forecasting processes support the delivery of FILE’s strategic objectives, high impact grantmaking and value for money
• Prompt, high quality Management Information supports senior stakeholders including SLT and FILE’s Boards in strategic decision making
• FILE’s full operational cost structure is modelled and well understood, to support resourcing and expenditure decisions to scale, flex or respond to risk as needed
• FILE budget holders and portfolio teams understand their budgets, financial risks and opportunities, and are supported to take good financial decisions
• FILE’s donors view FILE’s financial management and reporting as accurate and reliable
• FILE’s grantmaking has good internal and external financial processes, tools and guidance and is supported by a risk based assurance approach
• The FP&A team has a continuous improvement mindset, with best practice processes and moving towards automation and self-service reporting

Skills, Experience & Qualifications

• Relevant accountancy qualification or equivalent by experience
• Inclusive team leader, able to set a clear vision and navigate the team through growth and change
• Ability to develop and coach a high performing team
• Demonstrable influencing and presenting skills, up to Board level
• Good attention to detail and strong organisational, analytical and project management skills, with the              ability to be flexible as priorities and needs change
• A problem-solver, excels at financial modelling
• Highly collaborative

Location

FILE has offices in London and the Netherlands. We are advertising this role for candidates based (and with the right to work) in the UK, or the Netherlands.

Therefore, please note that this role will be advertised in multiple locations, but we are only hiring for one position. Please apply to the job post for your preferred location.

Working for FILE

FILE is a collaborative community of individuals who share a passion for climate, nature, and justice. We bring together knowledge and experience to support our mission.

Our people are empowered to lead their work both individually and as part of a wider team in order to make impactful change. As a relatively young organisation with the ambitious mission to change global systems, our roles are ideally suited to those who are highly strategic, flexible and adaptable, and open to growing in line with the Foundation.

FILE is committed to challenging inequality and values diversity, equity and justice in all areas of life. Our mission, work and impact is global, with staff and partners from across the world and a range of lived experiences. We firmly believe that we are strengthened by the diversity of our partners and staff.

At FILE, we actively work to create an inclusive culture where colleagues feel welcomed, heard and supported to succeed and thrive.

How FILE supports its staff

FILE is committed to creating a workplace that supports our staff to do their best work and develop professionally. FILE offer a generous annual leave policy and additional time-off work to support wellbeing. Amongst other benefits, FILE offers private healthcare and a contribution to a pension scheme.

FILE is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and empowered. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and encourage candidates who can contribute to the diversity of our team to apply.
Join us in making a tangible difference in the fight against climate change by creating spaces where diverse voices come together to drive impactful solutions.

Applications

Please apply on our website and upload your CV. This role is open for applications immediately and we accept applications on a rolling basis. If you are interested, we encourage you to submit your application as early as possible. The role will close on the 15th of June.

Diversity & Inclusion

As an equal opportunities employer, FILE is committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees and does not condone discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership.

We aspire to have a diverse and inclusive workplace and strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join FILE.