HelpAge International (www.helpage.org) is the secretariat to the HelpAge Global Network, which brings together a wide range of organisations and individuals working to promote the rights and meet the needs of older women and men, nationally and/or internationally.

About the Job

The Global Finance & Compliance Business Partner provides high-quality financial business partnering support and oversight to assigned programmes and organisational initiatives.

The role supports managers in ensuring compliance to policy in areas of budgeting, proposal development, donor compliance, and financial reporting. The post holder will help colleagues make informed financial decisions while ensuring compliance with organisational, donor, and regulatory requirements.

The role also lead the internal audit planning and implementation, compliance, and assurance activities across corporate and partner financial reporting.

Key areas for impact/influence and responsibilities

Financial Business Partnering

• Build strong relationships with budget holders and managers, providing proactive financial advice, support and oversight.
• Support managers in understanding financial compliance and managing risks.
• Contribute to financial decision-making through analysis, insight and challenge.

Budgeting, Forecasting and Financial Planning

• Support the preparation of programme budgets, and financial plans with a view to ensuring compliance with policy.
• Monitor expenditure against approved budgets and provide timely feedback on variances, risks and mitigation
• Contribute to organisational financial planning processes and reporting cycles.
• Support grant managers and programme teams in understanding donor rules and compliance requirements.
• Monitor and advise on cost recovery, co-funding requirements, and financial risks associated with grants.

Partner Financial Management

• Support financial oversight of implementing partners in line with HelpAge’s partner-led approach.
• Review partner financial reports and supporting documentation.
• Support partner financial assessments, capacity strengthening initiatives, and compliance reviews.
• Audit selected partner organisations in line with agreed audit plan

Compliance and Audit

• Analyse monthly management information prepared for senior management and provide audit and assurance on them
• Support the design of relevant financial reports, dashboards and performance reports needed to manage performance and risk.
• Support the annual external audit preparation and process.
• Develop and propose an annual internal audit plan for review and approval by the Audit & Risk Committee, ensuring appropriate oversight and safeguards to maintain the independence of internal audit activities.
• Develop and maintain Internal Audit Procedures to ensure best practice and that the audits address specific areas of identified risk withing corporate accounts and programmes/partners activities
• Coordinate and implement the approved internal audit plan in accordance with established procedures and appropriate independence safeguards. At the conclusion of each audit, communicate findings to Director of Finance and Business Support Department or partner organisation, document management responses and agree corrective action plans.
• Monitor and report on the implementation of any recommendations;

Skills and experience required

Essential

• Professional accounting qualification or equivalent audit certification and experience.
• Significant experience in financial management, budgeting and financial reporting.
• Experience working within an NGO, charity or similar organisation.
• Strong understanding of donor-funded programmes and donor compliance requirements.
• Experience in financial audit, compliance, and investigation.
• Good communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong Excel and financial systems skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work collaboratively across teams.

Desirable

• Experience supporting partner-led programming and partner financial management.
• Experience preparing donor budgets and donor financial reports.
• Knowledge of UK charity finance requirements.
• Knowledge of Charity SORP and auditing standards
• Experience using MS Business Dynamics or similar accounting systems.
• Experience supporting finance process improvements and risk management.

• Build strong relationships with budget holders and managers, providing proactive financial advice, support and oversight.
• Support managers in understanding financial compliance and managing risks.
• Contribute to financial decision-making through analysis, insight and challenge.
• Support the preparation of programme budgets, and financial plans with a view to ensuring compliance with policy.
• Monitor expenditure against approved budgets and provide timely feedback on variances, risks and mitigation
• Contribute to organisational financial planning processes and reporting cycles.
• Support grant managers and programme teams in understanding donor rules and compliance requirements.
• Monitor and advise on cost recovery, co-funding requirements, and financial risks associated with grants.
• Support financial oversight of implementing partners in line with HelpAge’s partner-led approach.
• Review partner financial reports and supporting documentation.
• Support partner financial assessments, capacity strengthening initiatives, and compliance reviews.
• Audit selected partner organisations in line with agreed audit plan
• Analyse monthly management information prepared for senior management and provide audit and assurance on them
• Support the design of relevant financial reports, dashboards and performance reports needed to manage performance and risk.
• Support the annual external audit preparation and process.
• Develop and propose an annual internal audit plan for review and approval by the Audit & Risk Committee, ensuring appropriate oversight and safeguards to maintain the independence of internal audit activities.
• Develop and maintain Internal Audit Procedures to ensure best practice and that the audits address specific areas of identified risk withing corporate accounts and programmes/partners activities
• Coordinate and implement the approved internal audit plan in accordance with established procedures and appropriate independence safeguards. At the conclusion of each audit, communicate findings to Director of Finance and Business Support Department or partner organisation, document management responses and agree corrective action plans.
• Monitor and report on the implementation of any recommendations;

• Professional accounting qualification or equivalent audit certification and experience.
• Significant experience in financial management, budgeting and financial reporting.
• Experience working within an NGO, charity or similar organisation.
• Strong understanding of donor-funded programmes and donor compliance requirements.
• Experience in financial audit, compliance, and investigation.
• Good communication, stakeholder management, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong Excel and financial systems skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work collaboratively across teams.
• Experience supporting partner-led programming and partner financial management.
• Experience preparing donor budgets and donor financial reports.
• Knowledge of UK charity finance requirements.
• Knowledge of Charity SORP and auditing standards
• Experience using MS Business Dynamics or similar accounting systems.
• Experience supporting finance process improvements and risk management.

• BA/BSc/HND