Background and Context

Established in 1840, the DSPCA has grown to be the leading and largest animal welfare charity in Ireland over the last 180 years. We exist uniquely to rescue, rehabilitate and rehome sick, injured and cruelly treated animals.

Role Purpose /Summary

Reporting directly to the CEO and working as part of the Senior Leadership Team, this role presents an incredible opportunity to expand upon, and develop, the finance and governance functions in this important space.

The Director of Finance will develop and lead our financial strategy and its’ implementation as well as take ownership of risk management, while ensuring compliance and high standards of governance in adherence with regulatory bodies. The role will involve leading and managing a team of dedicated professionals and involvement on a regular basis at board level. This role offers the perfect opportunity for a proactive, driven professional to be part of the leadership team in a dynamic, fast paced environment in a period of change.

Principal Duties and Responsibilities

• To ensure the organisation’s financial systems are fit for purpose, enabling DSPCA to meet its organisational objectives
• Ensuring the chart of accounts reflects the ongoing needs of the organisation including departmental cost centres and project codes to facilitate actionable management reporting
• Preparation and management of annual budgets ensuring budget targets are tracked, adhered to and reported on
• Oversee organisation’s monthly management accounts and annual financial report and accounts
• Oversee the timely and accurate execution of the monthly payroll function
• Ensure the CEO, Directors, Board and its Sub Committees are supported to make decisions by providing them with necessary information and data
• Management of the organisation’s Risk Register and working with relevant departments to effectively manage those risks
• Lead ad hoc costing exercises and management reports as required ensuring a high standard of financial analysis is completed
• Ensure the Society is fully compliant and meets high standards of governance, ensuring adherence to all regulatory bodies including but not limited to the Charity Regulator’s code of governance
• Regular attendance at cross functional meetings at an organisational and board level
• Be the primary liaison with the Audit, Risk and Governance Sub Committee
• Development and management of a strong team with growth potential and continuity planning
• Manage relationships with key stakeholders including staff, external partners, board, auditors and regulatory authorities
• Ensure adequate SoPs are in place and are regularly reviewed and updated
• Monitor all activities using key metrics and report to SLT, CEO and board
• Undertake ad-hoc projects as required
• Ensure excellent standards of service and reputation at all times
• Provide credible and agile leadership to the team
• Treat employees with dignity and respect

Qualifications & Experience

• Demonstrable commitment to DSPCA values and behaviours, representing an excellent cultural fit, with a shared purpose towards the achievement of positive outcomes for animals
• Fully Qualified Accountant, ACA, ACCA, or CIMA with over 5 years post qualifying experience
• Degree Qualified ideally in business, finance, or governance areas
• Experience of supporting senior leaders in the achievement of financial and other targets to a high standard at senior level
• Experience of overseeing preparation of budgets and managing active forecasting of income and expenditure
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, across multiple stakeholders
• Delivery of capital projects as part of multi-disciplinary teams ensuring financial rigour and discipline throughout
• A high level of experience in management accounting with excellent analytical abilities
• Excellent judgement and gravitas and ability to provide strategic advice to Directors and Board
• Possess the requisite knowledge, skills and attributes to manage the functions
• A good understanding of the field of Governance, Risk, GDPR and Compliance is essential
• Experience in the charity or not-for-profit sector an advantage
• Full eligibility to work in Ireland with excellent proficiency in English and working knowledge of Local finance and governance environment

Critical Core Competencies

• LEADERSHIP – Lead with integrity and the proven ability to lead through others
• STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT – Build and maintain excellent stakeholder relationships
• EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION & INFLUENCING SKILLS – Excellent oral and written communication skills, comfortable with public speaking and making formal presentations
• STRATEGIC THINKING – Proven ability to formulate strategies – ability to take a broad-based view of issues and events and understand their longer-term impact
• CHANGE AND CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT MINDSET– the ability to effectively implement strategic imperatives while maintaining the ethos and values of the organisation
• ANALYTICS, PROBLEM SOLVING AND DECISION MAKING – Can analyse information quickly and come to a decision to address the impact of the information received
• PLANNING AND ORGANISING – Can make efficient use of scarce resources. Plans effectively and deploys resources in an efficient manner. Meets deadlines
• PROJECT MANAGEMENT skills and experience
• High level of COMPUTER LITERACY and knowledge of accounting and payroll systems

Terms

• Permanent Role with Flexible/Reduced Hours options (at least 28 hours pw)
• Agile working policy in place – min 3 days on site required, Rathfarnham, Dublin
• Annual Leave 24 days plus 2 company days, incremental holidays for service
• Bring your pets to work policy in place
• Learning and Development Opportunities

Other

Experience in both the private and not-for-profit sector and a love of animals would be advantageous

Application Process  – Closing Date Friday 23rd May 2025

Please apply including a CV and cover note to recruitment@DSPCA.ie ref Director of Finance before Friday May 23rd.Informal enquiries are welcome.

We warmly welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences. We are committed to making our recruitment processes accessible to everyone and are flexible in how we receive information. If you would like to apply via a different format or require any accommodations, let us know how we can support you to be the best you can be.  Recruitment@dspca.ie