Interim Finance Director

Job Title: Interim Finance Director – Strategic Planning, Performance & Transformation

Location: North East London

Reports to: Chief Operating Officer

Employment Type: Part-Time (3 days/week), Hybrid

Role Overview

Burman Recruitment are seeking a commercially minded and transformation-focused Finance Director to lead strategic financial planning, investor relations, and organisational performance for a respected higher education institution. With a current financial deficit of £5m+, this role is pivotal in driving a financial turnaround, restructuring operational frameworks, and building a future-facing finance function.

This role goes beyond traditional finance—it demands leadership in change management, stakeholder engagement (including international investors), and structural reorganisation. You will partner with the COO and executive team to define financial strategy, create delivery structures, manage investor communications, and reshape the organisation for long-term sustainability and growth.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Turnaround

• Lead the financial recovery strategy, managing a turnaround plan for a deficit in excess of £5 million.
• Develop actionable, measurable plans to return the organisation to a sustainable surplus within an agreed timeframe.
• Implement cost optimisation strategies while maintaining core mission delivery.

Investor Relations & External Stakeholder Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for overseas investors and funding bodies.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with external financial partners, communicating performance, strategy, and funding opportunities.
• Provide clear financial narratives and business cases to support new investment or funding opportunities.

Organisational Restructuring & Framework Development

• Develop and implement financial and operational frameworks to support effective delivery across teams.
• Lead a review of current staffing and organisational structures; propose and manage staff restructures where required.
• Establish clear reporting lines, accountability structures, and internal points of contact across key functional areas.
• Introduce governance mechanisms to ensure transparency, control, and alignment with strategic objectives.

Financial Planning, Reporting & Controls

• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, financial modelling, and performance reporting processes.
• Deliver accurate and timely financial reports to the executive team, board, and external stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with all statutory, regulatory, and internal financial control requirements.

Insight-Driven Decision Support

• Integrate financial and operational data to provide strategic insights and performance dashboards.
• Lead the design and implementation of KPIs aligned with the institution’s goals.
• Translate data into actionable insights that support executive decision-making and strategic planning.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Leadership

• Work collaboratively with departments to embed financial discipline, strategic clarity, and data-led decision-making.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to the COO and senior leadership team on all matters related to finance and business operations.
• Champion a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and financial literacy across the organisation.

Key Skills & Experience

• Qualified accountant (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) or equivalent senior finance professional background.
• Proven experience in leading financial turnarounds in complex universities.
• Demonstrable experience liaising with international investors and managing funding relationships.
• Strong track record in organisational transformation, including staff restructuring, process redesign, and framework implementation.
• Advanced financial modelling and reporting skills, with strong systems knowledge (Excel, BI tools, Oracle, Agresso, Adaptive Insights).
• Exceptional strategic thinking, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Comfortable operating at both strategic and operational levels in a dynamic, change-oriented environment.

Why This Role?

This is a rare opportunity for a purpose-driven Finance Director to make a lasting impact at a time of financial and structural change. You will have the autonomy to shape the institution’s financial future while collaborating with an engaged leadership team and committed stakeholders. If you are a transformational finance leader ready for a challenge, this is your moment.