Finance Manager

About Active Lincolnshire

Active Lincolnshire is a charity and one of the national networks of Active Partnerships funded by Sport England to lead the local implementation of the national ‘Uniting the Movement’ strategy, which we do through ‘Let’s Move Lincolnshire’, the countywide strategy for physical activity. It is our aim that everyone in Lincolnshire has options and opportunities to be active every day. We are particularly focussed on increasing physical activity levels and using the positive power of sport and physical activity to tackle inequalities.

This is a unique and rewarding 1‑year fixed‑term opportunity funded through the systemic programme, combining essential operational stability with organisational growth. Funding is securely in place until March 2027 with an expectation to fulfil the full 1‑year term, subject to subsequent funding approval. The role is structured across two key areas: 22 hours per week providing maternity cover for day‑to‑day finance operations, and up to 15 additional hours per week dedicated to setting up new financial workflows to support the rapid expansion of our charity and lead planned organisational financial growth.

The Finance Manager is a hands‑on, operational role responsible for running the day‑to‑day transactional finance processes, internal controls, and financial reporting loops of the charity. This position balances essential practical accounting duties with internal business practices, providing budget holders with clear guidance and accurate tracking tools. The role ensures that contract budgets, grant allocations, and multi‑stream funder accounts are precisely maintained, reconciled, and compliant with external regulations.

• Process and embed sound financial processes across the organisation, supporting project leads to maintain robust reporting at every stage.
• Transactional finance: process purchase invoices, manage the ledgers, reconcile bank and balance sheet accounts, and manage the purchase order function.
• Process day‑to‑day transactional accounting processes, including purchase ledgers, sales invoices, credit controls, and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Prepare monthly management accounts and papers for the Finance and Audit committee, provide board reports, coordinate the annual audited accounts process, and collaborate with the CEO to administer the annual budget and four‑year forecast.
• Manage contract budgets and ensure accurate grant monitoring, processing, and fund reconciliations are delivered in line with funder requirements.
• Proactively support the charity’s governance as new income streams are secured, working alongside colleagues to identify and mitigate risk while connecting with the national Active Partnership network and Sport England to share best practice and support cross‑network reviews.

• Professionally qualified (AAT, ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent) and highly organised finance professional with a strong background in financial management and corporate accounting.
• Proven experience of preparing board‑level management accounts, coordinating year‑end audits, and managing complex grant‑funded or partnership‑funded portfolios.
• Advanced proficiency in cloud‑based accounting platforms (ideally Xero) and Microsoft Excel, with the ability to translate complex financial data into clear, strategic narrative for non‑financial audiences.
• Collaborative team player with excellent relationship‑building skills, capable of coaching and building financial confidence among budget holders, while demonstrating a deep personal alignment with our core values.

All members of the Active Lincolnshire team must visibly role‑model and uphold our core values:
Integrity, Collaboration, Inclusivity, Innovation, and Continuous Learning. Because this post interacts directly with organisational governance, the successful candidate must possess an absolute, uncompromising ability to maintain and respect highly confidential information. To succeed, you must be a dedicated team player who brings a proactive growth mindset, and an authentic commitment to understanding diverse perspectives.

We want our workforce to reflect the communities we serve. We use inclusive language and aim to remove barriers in recruitment. If you require adjustments to take part in the recruitment process or need information in an alternative format, please contact us. We also welcome candidates sharing any language preferences.