The Care Trust

Background and Context

Since our establishment in 1974, The Care Trust is committed to empowering lives and building brighter futures through our fundraising efforts to support our Charity Partners.

As Director of Strategic Finance and Value, you will be instrumental in safeguarding The Care Trust's financial stewardship—upholding transparency, ensuring strategic impact, and enabling continued growth to support critically important service outcomes. This is a unique opportunity for a visionary and analytical finance professional to lead the evolution of the Finance function in alignment with the Organisation's Strategy, positioning it as a value-driving strategic partner. You can learn more about our work here

Our Mission

The Care Trust exists to enable our partners to provide vital services and support to adults and children with disabilities and other vulnerable groups. We do this through our incredible supporters who enable innovation, development and enhancement in the services of our Charity Partners that will make demonstrable differences to the lives, potential and well-being of the people our Charity Partners support.

Role Purpose Summary

We're looking for a visionary, strategic finance leader who's inspired by purpose and driven by values. As our Director of Strategic Finance and Value, you'll play a central role in shaping The Care Trust's financial future - ensuring our sustainability, strengthening our governance, and guiding how we use resources to make the biggest possible impact for those we support.

As a key member of the Senior Management Team, the role of Director of Strategic Finance and Value will shape the future of The Care Trust. Reporting to the CEO, you'll lead with purpose, integrity and vision—guiding our financial strategy, embedding robust governance, supporting enhanced and future-focused strategic decision making at senior management and Board Level. Ensuring we remain a sustainable and impactful force for good. This is more than a finance role; it's an opportunity to drive positive change and directly contribute to the incredible work of our Charity Partners.

We are looking for an experienced and dynamic leader with a track record of success who will inspire the team and all our stakeholders who collectively enable our vital work. The successful candidate is someone with exceptional financial leadership skills, as well as a collaborative approach to building alliances and trust.

 Duties and Responsibilities

Strategic Financial Planning & Management

·      Lead long-term financial planning and strategy

·      Lead organisational financial forecasting using advanced scenario planning, sensitivity testing and predictive analytics.

·      Build and maintain robust, future-focused financial models and strategies to support the optimisation of the Organisation's strategy, financial decisions, performance and risk management.

·      Lead on the management of the finance resources, protecting the financial health of the organisation, in line with statutory and regulatory requirements.

·      Lead the financial reporting ensuring accuracy, efficiency and compliance.

·      Implement robust finance systems and develop policies and procedures to ensure effective and efficient financial management within the organisation.

·      Lead on all financial matters including month end reports, management accounts, cash flow management, statutory accounts, presentation of management information and KPIs.

·      Ensure legal and regulatory documentation is filed and monitor internal controls and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.

·      Provide financial, risk and performance information to guide decision making

·      Integrate financial and sustainability metrics into financial modelling.

Value Creation, Insights & Transformation

• Champion the organisational shift from transactional finance to strategic value-oriented finance in line with the organisation's strategic plan.
• Provide data driven financial insight and strategic guidance to inform decision making on operational development within the senior management team and in reporting to the Board of Directors.

·      Lead on forecasting, budgeting and variance analysis.

• Conduct scenario analysis and sensitivity testing to support and guide decision making.
• Define and measure value across financial and non-financial metrics, working with colleagues to align performance and purpose.

Leadership & Finance Operating Model

• Act as a trusted advisor to the SMT and Board, providing actionable recommendations based on financial insights.
• Influence and contribute to organisational strategic planning, transformation programmes, and growth initiatives.
• Develop and implement a “Finance-as-a-Strategic-Partner” vision across the organisation and lead on associated change management to embed.
• Lead the translation of financial insights into strategy that drive operational excellence and competitive advantage.
• Reassess and redesign finance operating models to increase efficiency, agility, and responsiveness to strategic needs.
• Line-manage the Finance team including the identification of skill gaps and lead the upskilling around digital tools, analytics, and AI literacy.

·      Lead, collaborate and work closely with the Finance Team to shape the organisation's finance strategy in the achievement of strategic goals. 

Continuous Improvement & Change:

Work with the CEO to develop and deliver operational capacity, capability, efficiency and effectiveness:

·      Evaluate operational initiatives from a financial perspective to identify improvement and development opportunities enabling long term planning and performance.

·      Lead in the development of the finance systems and IT infrastructure inclusion of new technologies.

·      Lead on optimising workflows and embedding new systems, processes and approaches to enable data driven proactive decision-making and improved operational efficiency and performance.

• Foster a forward-looking culture within the Finance Team focused on continuous learning, innovation, and impact.

·      Policies & Procedures - Develop operational policies, procedures and processes and ensure they are followed.

·      Change Management - Support the analysis and development of change management strategies to enable sustainability.

·      Succession Planning - responsibility for identifying and developing future finance leaders in the organisation.

Key Competencies and Experience

Person Specification:

Skills and Experience:

·      A professionally qualified accountant with at least 5+ years post qualification experience.

·      Proven experience with financial planning, analysis, modelling and reporting

·      Experience of driving cross-functional strategic initiatives and transformation

·      Strong commercial acumen

·      Experience of change management and successful project execution

·      Qualification/experience in corporate governance advantageous in this role

·      The skills to lead, develop and manage at senior level, demonstrating excellent leadership and people management skills.

·      Demonstrated capability to think broadly, considering a wide range of internal and external factors when solving problems.

·      Champion collaborative working and demonstrate the ability to drive change.

·      Excellent oral, written communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to engage at a very senior level with a strong track record of stakeholder management.

·      Demonstrated experience/understanding of the role of a Board of Directors and corporate governance.

·      Significant IT and reporting skills

·      Sound understanding of or interest in learning AI, business intelligence tools and digital transformation principles

Role Related Competencies

·      Strategic Leadership

·      Communications

·      Analysis and problem solving

·      Managing Staff and Performance

·      Impact & Outcomes Focused

Values Based Competencies:

·      Passion For the Cause

·      Integrity & Ethical Mindset

·      Relationship Driven & Empathetic

·      Resilience & Adaptability

·      Collaborative & Team Oriented

·      Proactive & Self Motivated

·      Growth Mindset & Continuous Learning

·      Salary circa. €90k

·      Full-time – 37.5 hours per week

·      Hybrid Working Policy

·      25 days annual leave

·      Pension entitlement after successful completion of 6-month probation period

·      Access to Employee Assistance Programme

·      Bike to work scheme.

·      Tax saver public transport scheme.

·      Training and Development opportunities

Application Process

Informal enquiries

Interviews

The recruitment process is being managed exclusively on behalf of the Care Trust by Mantra Strategy. We committed to being an inclusive and diverse organisation. We welcome applications from all sectors of the community. We do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, class, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, membership of the Roma or Travelling community and other legally protected statuses. We warmly welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to taking reasonable steps to make our recruitment process as accessible as possible and are flexible in how we receive information. If you would like to apply via a different format let us know how we can support you to be the best you can be.

Informal enquiries in confidence are welcomed by Suzanne Mulholland by email or on +353 86 600 1039.

The closing date is Wednesday 27^th August 2025. Please submit a CV and cover letter to suzanne@mantrastrategy.ie

Please note it is expected that interviews will take place in early September.