Finance Director

All Opportunities

National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS)

Finance Director

Maidenhead

Up to £70,000

Ambition

A truly exciting time to be joining NRAS as we prepare to roll out a new comprehensive three-year strategic plan to 2028, informed by stakeholder insight, from patients to healthcare professionals, with clear financial planning, performance metrics, and impact measurement.

Our new Finance Director will be pivotal to our ambition to become a more strategic, inclusive, and patient-responsive organisation, and the successful delivery of this plan, which is grounded in real-world needs and which aims to:

Enhance digital engagement and remote support, building on past successes in virtual outreach and education in rheumatology care, especially during the pandemic.
Deepen engagement with NHS reforms, legislative platforms, and public consultations to elevate RA/JIA within broader healthcare priorities.
Scale patient education and support services, including digital tools, self-management resources, and thematic campaigns.
Launch and maintain research-led programmes, ensuring funding and resource allocation align with patient-identified priorities.
Build strategic partnerships across charity, healthcare, and policy spheres to amplify reach and capability.

Intro

Thank you for your interest in the position of Finance Director at the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS).

We are delighted that you are considering joining us at this pivotal time in our journey as we enter an exciting new chapter and continue to expand our reach, impact, and influence.

NRAS is the only UK patient-led charity dedicated to supporting people living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), their families, and the health professionals who care for them. Our work has a profound impact on the lives of many thousands of people, offering expert information, advocacy, peer support, and campaigning for better services and recognition of these lifelong conditions.

Founded in 2001, NRAS, which will be celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2026, has grown from small beginnings to become a nationally recognised organisation with an outstanding reputation for delivering high-quality services and influencing health policy at the highest levels.

Our commitment to improving the lives of those affected by RA and JIA remains at the heart of everything we do, with the role of Finance Director central to the achievement of our plans, by leading and strengthening our financial and operational capacity, and helping us grow and evolve in an increasingly complex external environment.

If you believe you have the experience, skills, and enthusiasm to take on this exciting role, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Purpose

The role of Finance Director at NRAS is a rare opportunity to lead with both purpose and precision, at a time when the health and charity sectors urgently need strong, values-driven financial leadership.

As our Finance Director, you will play a pivotal role in guiding NRAS through a changing and challenging external landscape, ensuring the organisation remains financially resilient, transparent, and ambitious, while staying firmly anchored to its mission.

Overseeing financial strategy, governance, risk, and compliance, HR & IT, shaping how resources are deployed, how services and support are scaled, and how the charity grows its influence in national policy and public health discourse.

It calls for a leader who brings both strategic insight and hands-on expertise, someone who can think big, plan long, and roll up their sleeves when needed, working closely with the CEO and Board, offering sound advice, constructive challenge, and the financial clarity to inform critical decisions.

Career Level

Leadership

Qualification

Qualified Accountant, with evidence of continuing professional development.

Specialisation

Finance / Accountancy

Responsibilities

A member of the senior leadership team, and a qualified finance professional with not just technical excellence in charity finance, but with empathy, integrity, and a clear commitment to our cause, responsibilities include:

Strategic Leadership

Leading the development and implementation of the organisation’s financial strategy.
Acting as a strategic business partner to the CEO and senior leadership team.
Providing financial input into organisational planning, risk management, and decision-making.
Present financial reports and recommendations to the Board of Trustees and Finance & Audit Committee.

Financial Management

Producing all budgeting, forecasting, management accounting, and financial reporting.
Ensuring robust financial controls, policies, and procedures are in place and adhered to.
Managing cash flow, treasury management, reserves, and investment strategies.
Leading on VAT partial exemption.
Providing a lead on legacy management, working with the fundraising team to finalise bequests made to the charity.
Ensuring compliance with the Charity Commission, HMRC, Companies House, and other relevant bodies.
Preparation of annual accounts, liaising with external auditors.

Operational Oversight

Leading and managing a small finance and office team, overseeing the proper functioning of the office environment.
Overseeing HR functions including payroll, recruitment processes, employment policies and conducting the annual salary review and benchmarking and making recommendations to the Board (utilising external HR advisors as needed).
Ensuring effective IT systems, data security, and digital infrastructure (utilising external consultants).
Managing insurance, procurement, contracts, and office facilities and the relationship with the Property Manager and Landlord.

Governance & Risk

Attend Board meetings, finance and remuneration sub-committee meetings.
Maintaining the organisation’s risk register and leading on mitigating actions.
Supporting the Board and CEO in ensuring effective charity governance.
Ensuring NRAS complies with legal, regulatory, and best practice requirements.

External

Representing NRAS in a senior capacity to external service providers, partners and sector counterparts, to promote partnerships, collaboration and provision of new services to NRAS.

This is not an exhaustive list, and the Finance Director may be asked to undertake additional responsibilities commensurate with the role.

Person Specification

A trusted partner, a calm presence, and a strong communicator, able to navigate complexity and keep the needs of those we serve at the heart of every financial decision.

Qualifications

Qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), with evidence of continuing professional development.

Experience

Proven experience in a senior finance leadership role within the charity or non-profit sector.
Experience in strategic financial planning, budgeting, and reporting.
Ability to analyse complex financial information and communicate it clearly to non-specialists.
Experience of working with senior leadership teams and Boards of Trustees.
Track record of managing or overseeing HR, IT, and compliance functions.

Skills

Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills.
Excellent communication, networking and advocacy skills.
Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach.
Strong leadership and people management skills.
Ability to manage competing priorities and meet deadlines.

Knowledge

Strong understanding of charity finance, including SORP and charity regulation.
Strong understanding of partial exemption and VAT for charities.
Understanding of grant funding, fundraising, finance, and restricted/unrestricted income.
Knowledge or an appreciation of the issues affecting people with long-term health conditions or lived experience of RA/JIA.

Attributes

High level of integrity and commitment to NRAS’s values.
Curiosity to interrogate and challenge how we work to drive operational efficiency.

Organisation Profile

Founded by Ailsa Bosworth MBE, who herself lives with Rheumatoid Arthritis, an autoimmune condition causing painful joint inflammation, and who now serves as the NRAS’s National Patient Champion.

Today, the charity helps adults and young people meet the lifelong practical, physical and psychological impacts of living with these serious diseases. With NRAS highly valued for its lived-experience understanding and the depth of its patient-focused support, and known for its empathy, reliability, and the ability to “speak the patient’s language.” Transforming the lives of people living with these conditions through the provision of support, education, information, and advocacy.

We are viewed by healthcare professionals as a trusted partner for patient education and service improvement, often referenced by rheumatology clinics as a resource for patients, and also widely recognised by our peers and within the charity sector more broadly as a well-run, patient-driven organisation, respected for our specialist focus and impact.

Each year, many thousands receive direct support and benefit from our helpline, peer support, and educational resources, and tirelessly raising awareness of the need for early diagnosis. Contributing to policy changes around access to biologic drugs, service quality standards, and waiting times for specialist care, with our website and social platforms, reaching a wider audience, and providing accessible support to people across the UK.

Industry Category

Company Size

Apply Now

If you would welcome the opportunity to apply and become our new Finance Director, please forward:

A CV or an extended biography outlining your executive and non-executive appointments, achievements, and academic and professional qualifications.
A supporting statement (maximum 2 x A4 pages) demonstrating your motivation, skills, and experience relevant to the role, how you would hope to add value to the charity and any other relevant information.

Your application should be sent to our advising consultant, Philip Nelson, via email to philip.nelson@thehiringdept.com.

Please also let us know if you need any special provisions should you be called forward for an interview.

The appointment will be subject to the receipt of satisfactory references.

Timetable

Closing Date: Monday, 29th September

First Round Interviews: Wednesday, 8th October

Final Panel Assessment: tbc

Queries

For an informal and confidential discussion, to ask a question on any aspect of the appointment process, or for additional information, please get in touch with our advising consultant, Philip Nelson, on 020 3590 9978 or via email at philip.nelson@thehiringdept.com.

NRAS is an equal opportunities employer, and we welcome applications from all suitably experienced persons regardless of their race, socioeconomic backgrounds, gender, disability status, ethnicity, religion/faith, sexual orientation, or age.