Management Accountant (Finance Manager)

Fair Education Alliance

About the Organisation

Fair Education Alliance (FEA) unites 300 member organisations under a shared vision that no child’s success is limited by their socioeconomic background. Our members (charities and social enterprises, think tanks, businesses and foundations, youth organisations, unions, universities and schools) are working collectively to create an inclusive system.

We exist to close the gap in educational outcomes between children from low-income households and their wealthier peers. This autumn, we’re kicking off our next strategic phase, which will take our work from neighbourhood to national, building a movement for systems change towards a fairer future for children and young people.

About the role

The Management Accountant plays a central role in ensuring that the Fair Education Alliance’s finances are accurate, well-managed and clearly understood across the organisation. Working as part of the operations team, the postholder maintains the financial systems and processes that underpin FEA’s work. This includes overseeing day-to-day finance operations, producing reliable management accounts, supporting budgeting and forecasting, and ensuring that financial records meet charity accounting and regulatory requirements.

The Management Accountant also acts as a trusted financial partner to colleagues across the organisation. By providing clear, accessible financial information and helping budget holders understand their resources, the role enables confident decision-making by the senior leadership team and trustees. Through careful financial stewardship, strong attention to detail and a commitment to continuous improvement, the Management Accountant helps ensure that FEA remains financially resilient and able to deliver its mission to create a fairer education system.

Responsibilities

Finance Operations:

• Own the day-to-day bookkeeping, payment runs, and supplier management, working closely with our external accountants (Multiply) to maintain accurate, up-to-date financial records in Xero (accounting software).
• Coordinate monthly payroll, liaising with relevant team members on changes, starter and leaver information and HR updates.
• Manage financial reconciliations, ensuring all transactions are accurately recorded and queries are resolved promptly.

Financial Reporting & Analysis:

• Prepare monthly management accounts, providing clear and timely financial information to budget holders and senior leadership, as well as our Finance, Audit and Risk Committee.
• Produce directorate-level budget reports, supporting directors in understanding and managing their budgets through the year.
• Support the re-forecasting process, producing first-draft variance analysis and commentary for review by the Director of Operations and Chief Operations Officer.

Funder Finance & Compliance:

• Manage restricted fund tracking and reporting, ensuring income and expenditure are correctly coded by fund in Xero.
• Support the preparation of financial reports for funders, including Bloomberg Philanthropies and other grant holders.
• Prepare and post management journals in Xero relating to fund allocations, overhead recharges and other adjustments, in liaison with Multiply

Audit & Statutory Compliance:

• Support the annual audit process, including preparation of audit schedules, fieldwork support and responses to queries from our auditors (Godfrey Wilson).
• Maintain financial records and documentation in line with charity accounting and regulatory requirements.
• Support on statutory reporting and year-end accounts production as required.

Systems & Process Improvement:

• Maintain and develop FEA’s use of Xero, including the chart of accounts, reporting structure and management journals.
• Develop and document finance processes, templates and checklists to support organisational efficiency and continuity across the team.

Skills, Competencies, Experience & Attributes

Experience:

• Working in a finance, management accounting or bookkeeping role, ideally in a charity, social sector or small/medium-sized organisation.
• Preparing management accounts and financial reports for non-finance audiences.
• Managing or maintaining accounting software, with Xero experience strongly preferred.
• Supporting audit processes and preparing audit schedules or documentation.
• Restricted fund accounting or grant-related financial reporting (desirable, not essential). 

Skills and Attributes:

• Strong numerical accuracy and attention to detail, with the ability to identify and resolve discrepancies.
• Clear written and verbal communication, including the ability to translate financial data into accessible insights for non-finance colleagues.
• Well-organised and self-directed, with the ability to manage recurring responsibilities and monthly deadlines reliably within a part-time, predominantly remote working pattern.
• A collaborative and approachable style, with the ability to build confident working relationships with colleagues, funders and external advisers.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and accounting software, particularly Xero.

Knowledge:

• Double-entry bookkeeping and management accounting principles.
• CIMA, ACCA and equivalent professional qualifications (part-qualified welcome), and qualified by experience will be considered.
• Charity accounting and the Charities SORP (desirable, not essential).

Mindsets and Values:

• Commitment to FEA’s mission and a genuine belief in educational equity.
• A pride in accuracy, reliability and high standards of financial stewardship.
• Openness to feedback and a desire to improve systems and processes continuously over time.
• Comfortable working remotely and independently, with a proactive approach to communication and a willingness to flag issues early. 

Compensation & Benefits

• 38 days per year, and 3-day winter shutdown and eight flexible bank holidays. 
• Comprehensive pension scheme 6% employer contribution
• Cash plan healthcare package 
• Professional development budget.

Conditions of employment

• You must have the right to work in the UK. 

Working locations

• Hybrid model, working in the London office and remotely
• Anywhere in the UK. Travel to meetings in London and other key cities in England is required once a month. 

How to apply

• Please submit a CV and a short cover note that answers the following three questions (250 words each maximum). Your responses to these questions will be assessed without reference to your personal details or CV.
  • Question 1: Why do you want to work at the Fair Education Alliance?
  • Question 2: Tell us about an operations, events or administrative role you have held. What were your core responsibilities, and what systems or tools did you use to manage your workload?
  • Question 3: Describe a time when you planned and delivered an event or complex logistical project from start to finish.
  • What was the scale and purpose of the event, what challenges did you face, and how did you manage them?
• Please submit your application to [email protected] with the email subject title "Operations Manager Application". Please also complete our Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (see back cover for further details). If you have any questions about the role, you can email [email protected].

Interviews

• If you are shortlisted, the interview process will consist of two rounds. For the first round, you’ll be invited to an online interview, with a task to prepare beforehand. For the final round, you will be asked to prepare a presentation in advance, which will be followed by an in-depth interview discussion.
• Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis from Tuesday, 10th March
• Applications close: 30th March (9 am)
• First round interviews: Rolling during the application window
• Second round interviews: Rolling during the application window

Policies

The Fair Education Alliance is committed to its equality and diversity policy. We want to do all we can to prevent discrimination in any form. We ask all candidates to complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form. Completion is optional. Any responses you give will assist us in our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Your responses will be kept strictly confidential and will not be used in any decisions affecting you.

The Fair Education Alliance is committed to safeguarding all the children and young people we work and interact with. We take this responsibility seriously, with the focus being on their safety and welfare. It is likely all our employees will have some interaction with children and young people we work with, whether at an event or through our youth engagement work and therefore all offers of employment are conditional on referencing and a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and all employees are required to take part in regular safeguarding training. For more information, please refer to our Safeguarding Policy. The offer of employment will be conditional on a Basic DBS Check. You are required to declare any criminal convictions ahead of this DBS Check. 

Return to listing