Finance and Operations Officer

Immigration Law Practitioners' Association

About the Organisation

Immigration Law Practitioners’ Association (ILPA) is a professional association and registered charity, the majority of whose members are barristers, solicitors, advocates and IAA-regulated advisers practising in all aspects of immigration, asylum and nationality law. ILPA currently has approximately 4500 individual member contacts.

Founded in 1984 by leading practitioners in the field, and 42 years on, stronger than ever, ILPA exists to promote and improve advice and representation in immigration, asylum and nationality law, through an extensive programme of training and disseminating information and by providing research and opinion that draw on the experiences of members.

Our vision is a fair and effective immigration system that respects human rights and the rule of law. We realise this by empowering members to provide the best possible advice and support for migrants and collaboratively working to improve law, policy and practice. ILPA is represented on numerous Government, official and non-Governmental advisory groups and regularly provides high-level evidence to Parliamentary and official enquiries.

ILPA is at the forefront of engagement with the Home Office, NGOs and other Government departments. To our members, ILPA is a community where they come to share knowledge, keep up to date with changes and receive high-quality training to enable them to practise effectively. Members also rely on ILPA to be their voice in seeking change for the better in immigration, asylum and nationality law and practice. We do this through the work of our expert legal team, engaging with policymakers and stakeholders, and drawing on the experiences and expertise of our members.

About the role

As a dual-registered charity and Company Limited by Guarantee with an annual income of c. £750,000, we are seeking a Finance and Operations Officer. This is a vital “sole-charge” finance role within a team of 12. You will take full ownership of our day-to-day transactional accounting, ensure compliance with both the Charity Commission and Companies House, and help keep operations running efficiently. You will bridge the gap between technical accounting and everyday charity management, providing the CEO and Board of Trustees with the clear financial insights needed to plan our future.

Responsibilities

Financial Management and Compliance:

• Fund Accounting: Track, segment, and report on restricted grant funding alongside unrestricted income streams using data from accounting platforms
• Transactional Finance: Manage day-to-day bookkeeping using accounting software (ApprovalMax, QuickBooks), including processing invoices, expense claims, bank reconciliations, and supplier payments.
• Budgeting & Cash Flow: Collaborate with the CEO to construct the annual organisational budget and budget reforecasts; overall responsibility for cash flow using data from accounting platforms
• Audit Preparation: Lead and coordinate the year-end independent financial examination or statutory audit process, acting as the primary point of contact for external auditors.
• Income Generation: Assist the CEO in preparing grant funding applications, reports to funders, and develop and maintain transparent data of grant-funded income to ensure continuity of funding and consistent cash flow.

Operations & Payroll:

• Payroll & Pensions: Oversee the monthly payroll (which is mainly outsourced). Paycircle, our existing platform, makes the calculations and payments of salary, tax, and pension.
• Office & IT Facilities: Oversee all operational requirements of our premises, manage relationships with facilities vendors, utilities, and coordinate
• IT/digital infrastructure, software and facilities: responsible for IT infrastructure and equipment; lead contact with our outsourced IT support helpdesk
• Procurement & Supplier Management: Oversight and responsibility for procurement processes, develop and maintain supplier register and repository, review vendor and supplier contracts, negotiate commercial terms, and ensure value for money across all spending.

Governance & Risk Management:

• Dual-Regulatory Filings: Complete and submit accurate annual returns and statutory updates required by both the Charity Commission and Companies House.

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Experience & Knowledge:

• Charity Finance Expertise: A minimum of 5 years’ experience in a similar role, a non-profit finance role, with demonstrated expertise in fund accounting, restricted grants, and Gift Aid.
• Operational Generalist: Proven track record of handling practical operational environments, such as small-team HR payroll management and administration, basic IT coordination, procurement/supplier oversight, or facilities tracking.
• Small-Team Adaptability: Experience working as a sole-charge finance professional or within a small team (under 20 staff), proving a willingness to be a “hands-on doer” as well as independent. 

Skills & Competencies:

• Technical Software Literacy: Proficiency with modern cloud accounting systems (ideally Approval Max, QuickBooks) and advanced Microsoft Excel skills.
• Financial Communication: Ability to translate dense financial data and balance sheets into clear insights for the CEO to utilise
• Attention to Detail: Transactional data entry, financial reporting, and timeline management for compliance filings.

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the London office and remotely

How to apply

• Please submit a CV and cover letter to [email protected] by Wednesday 7th October 2026 at 5 pm.

Policies

ILPA is an equal opportunities employer. We acknowledge that the legal and charitable sector can be less accessible to people from minoritised or racialised communities and lower socio-economic backgrounds, and we are committed to unsettling the status quo. We particularly welcome applications from individuals who have lived experience of the UK immigration system.

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