Finance Manager

Location: Ark-T Centre, The Venue, Barns Road, OX4 3RQ
(or remote with weekly meetings)

Position reports to: Chief Executive Officer

Benefits: Annual leave entitlement of 28 days (pro rata for part-time hours), plus bank holidays.

Pension is offered to all employees.

The Ark-T Centre is an arts and mental health charity in East Oxford that believes creativity changes lives. We use the arts to support mental health, build resilience, and create meaningful community connections, especially for children and young people facing challenges. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The Finance Manager is a key member of Ark T’s operational team, responsible for ensuring accurate financial management, reporting, and compliance. The role supports strategic decision-making through the provision of timely and reliable financial information. Working closely with the CEO and external accountants, the Finance Manager ensures the smooth running of all financial processes and systems, with particular attention to the needs and context of a small but ambitious arts and mental health charity.

The list below outlines the key responsibilities of the role; however, these may evolve over time as the role or the organisation develops, and additional or alternative duties may be required.

• Manage Ark T’s accounting system (Xero), ensuring accurate and timely recording of all transactions
• Reconcile bank accounts, process payments, and track income
• Maintain accurate records for restricted and unrestricted funding, ensuring correct allocations
• Manage Ark T’s bank accounts, including maintaining up-to-date records of authorised users, login permissions, and password security protocols

• Work with the CEO and programme leads to develop annual and project budgets
• Monitor actual spend against budgets, identifying variances and providing explanations

• Prepare and review monthly and quarterly management accounts in collaboration with Ark T’s accountants
• Present financial reports to the CEO, Board of Trustees, and funders as required
• Prepare cashflow forecasts and support financial modelling for new initiatives

• Work with external accountants to process monthly payroll and ensure all staff are paid correctly and on time

• Support the monitoring of pension contributions and liaise with the pension provider, if necessary
• Ensure compliance with relevant pension regulations where applicable

• Maintain the funding tracker, ensuring grant income is correctly recorded and restricted funds are monitored
• Track expenditure for individual grants, ensuring spend is aligned with budgets and deadlines
• Prepare financial reports for funders and support monitoring returns

• Maintain accurate Gift Aid records and process Gift Aid claims in line with HMRC regulations
• Work with the CEO and Fundraising team to ensure donor records are up to date and claims are maximised
• Ensure appropriate audit trails are in place for donations and declarations

• Ensure financial policies and procedures are followed and regularly reviewed
• Ensure compliance with HMRC, Charity Commission, and other relevant statutory bodies
• Liaise with the independent examiner/auditor for the annual accounts and support audit preparation, if necessary

• Maintain and improve financial templates, tools, and spreadsheets to support efficiency
• Maintain secure records of financial system passwords and ensure appropriate access control
• File and manage financial documentation for easy access and transparency
• Work collaboratively with the CEO and Programmes team to improve data collection for financial impact and evaluation

• Act as an authorized signatory for routine payments (e.g., payroll, expense reimbursements) in the CEO’s absence, in accordance…