Description:
Galway City Partnership is looking for a Chief Financial & Compliance Officer (CFCO) to join our senior team. This is a strategic leadership role managing a €3.3M+ budget, driving financial planning, compliance, and governance for impactful community initiatives.
Responsibilities
Strategic
- Lead the successful design and implementation of GCP’s financial priorities in line our strategic plan and future strategic growth opportunities.
- Strategically optimise the financial management of the company income, balancing programme deliverables, funders reporting requirements, judicious cashflow/reserve management.
- Ensure GCP’s financial systems are fully compliant with industry standards and funder reporting requirements.
- Continuously develop and update GCP’s financial policies and procedures ensuring that these are compliant with legislative and regulatory requirements, best practice and funders requirements.
- Lead GCP’s finance/administration team and ensure the effective and efficient deployment of staffing resources.
- Liaise with GCP key stakeholders including auditors, financial institutions, funding authorities (including programme auditors), Revenue etc.
- In conjunction with the CEO, the CFCO will present all necessary financial reports and strategies to ensure compliance with funding authorities and the Charities Regulator to maximise compliance and minimise risk.
Operational
- Management of all company bank accounts.
- Oversee payroll, expenses, and financial transactions, ensuring accurate record keeping, with overall responsibility for providing payroll information to staff and/or Revenue.
- Prepare financial returns with the Finance/Admin team.
- Prepare and present monthly financial reports to the GCP Board of Directors and regular reports to the Operational and Audit Committee as required.
- Oversight of GCP’s insurance cover, pension, and other relevant schemes.
- Oversee GCP’s procurement in line with national (and EU where relevant) procurement guidelines and any additional programme requirements as detailed in programme contracts, Service Level Agreements (SLAs), or Memorandums of Understanding (MOU).
- Prepare timely and accurate company accounts for annual statutory audit.
- Prepare programme budgets in collaboration with CEO and relevant programme Line Managers for existing programmes and new funding applications.
- Attend programme management team meetings with the CEO
Regulatory Compliance
- Oversee risk management strategies, internal controls, and fraud prevention, ensuring that financial and operational risks are identified, monitored, and mitigated.
- Develop, update, and adhere to relevant policies and procedures and internal financial controls. Ensure that company practices are in line with Companies Registration Office (CRO), the Charities Regulator (CRA), relevant elements within the Governance Code, GDPR and funders for example.
- Oversee compliance with prompt payment legislation
- Ensure compliance with Key Performance Indicators
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of financial and regulatory changes.
Health and Safety, Charity Regulation, and Safeguarding
- Ensure the organisation complies with all health and safety regulations.
- Implement and monitor policies that promote a safe working environment for staff and stakeholders.
- Ensure that GCP keeps up to date with and in compliance with Charity Regulator guidelines, reporting requirements, and governance standards.
- Oversee safeguarding policies and procedures to protect vulnerable individuals, ensuring compliance with legal and ethical standards.
Staff Management
- Line manage and mentor the finance/administration team to achieve its full potential.
- Organise and attend regular team, one-to-one, and Career Development meetings throughout the year to build and maintain strong communication channels within the team.
- Promote staff development through training plans and continuing professional development (CPD).
- Promote a culture and working environment which is supporting of the organisation’s purposes, aims and values.
Other
- Undertake other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned by the CEO or Board of Directors.
Qualifications
- Professional qualifications such as, ACA, ACCA, or CIMA or CPA.
- Bachelor's degree in Finance, Accounting, (Master’s preferred).
- 5 years’ experience in Senior Financial Management Roles to include; budgeting, management accounts & departmentalised management accounts, budget versus actual accounting information and payroll. Practice experience preferable.
- Experience and proficiency in accounting software systems essential
- Knowledge and experience in use of Xero and Approval Max would be advantageous
- Extensive working knowledge of financial regulations, compliance standards, and risk management.
- Strong track record in strategic financial planning, budgeting, and investment management.
- Experience in leading audits, financial reporting, and liaising with regulatory bodies.
- Demonstrated ability to lead teams and drive financial performance improvements.
- Experience in health and safety compliance, charity regulation, and safeguarding practices is desirable.