Finance Director

Job Title: Finance Director

Level: Executive

Reports To: EIA Treasurer

Hours: Part time, 15 hours per week

Location: Wednesday – Berkhamsted office based, hybrid  

The company:

The Events Industry Alliance Ltd (EIA, www.eventsindustryalliance.com) is a dynamic organisation serving organisers, venues and contractors in the exhibition & events industry. The EIA works on behalf of the events industry associations AEO, AEV and ESSA to increase awareness of the importance and economic contributions of the events industry. The EIA is a platform for the AEO, AEV and ESSA to work together to achieve common objectives for the good of the industry.

In addition, EIA provides a secretariat function to its three, not-for-profit, owner trade associations within the events sector, namely the Association of Event Organisers Ltd (AEO, www.aeo.org.uk) which has a turnover of approximately £1.3m and 100 members, the Association of Event Venues Ltd (AEV,www.aev.org.uk) which has a turnover of approximately £340K and 50 members and (ESSA, www.essa.uk.com) which has a turnover of approximately £550K and 320 members. Served by a small dynamic team of 20 employees based in Berkhamsted, EIA is a fast-paced, progressive, customer-facing company, with a high profile in the events sector.

The role:

As a member of the EIA management team, you will have full responsibility for the finance, HR, IT, and facilities management for EIA, reporting directly to the Board. In addition, you will be responsible for the finances of the three trade associations. You will work with and have a strong relationship with the Board’s Treasurer of each association. You will be appointed and have responsibilities as the Company Secretary for all 4 companies.

The trade association’s business models are based around revenue from membership subscription, sponsorship and events for members, small intimate networking dinners, annual conferences, training and awards dinners.

Key skills required for this role:

• Commercial acumen and delivery of objectives – Whilst reporting to the EIA Board via the non-executive Treasurer, you will also have a dotted line reporting to the leader of each of the three Associations, each of whom are also EIA employees.   You will provide business support and share your knowledge and experience to assist them in their decision-making process, explore the financial and legal implications of their initiatives and develop these into financial models and regular forecasting.
• Excellent communicator - You need to be confidential and diplomatic, maintaining ethical walls to prevent the disclosure or exchange of information or communication that could lead to conflicts between the three Associations.
• Technical competence – As a qualified accountant you will draw on all your skill sets from double entry bookkeeping right through to presenting to the Board and everything in between.

• Hands on approach – you will have the support of a part time bookkeeper, who works 4 days per week. This role is very hands on and diverse, you will be expected to roll up your sleeves and get involved in all aspects including preparation of the budgets, management accounts, ledger reconciliations, insurance, building management, review all legal contracts. You will have an eye for detail but can see the bigger picture.

• Presenter/speaker- you will attend each company’s board meetings and their AGM, (around 14 meetings in total per year), at which you will present the financial forecast, budget and statutory accounts.
• Experience of P&L management – All 4 companies are not-for-profit, SMEs, so you must have experience, which you can share to empower employees throughout the business to control costs and work to budgets, especially for events they are running.

• Strong work ethic – Naturally, looking after 4 companies there are a multitude of important deadlines e.g. management reporting, HMRC, payroll, payment runs, Board papers etc. which must be met. You will be a self-starter, disciplined and can multitask.
• Cash flow - Day to day cash flow (including direct debit and credit card receivables) and treasury management – All companies are self-funded.
• HR – Full HR function including payroll, contractual and legal compliance e.g. offer of employment, employee on boarding, annual reviews, performance and disciplinary issues.
• Company Secretary for each company – Filings, change Articles & Memorandum, AGM paperwork
• IT – responsible for strategy and implementation. Management of the outsourced IT support
• Governance – Participate in quarterly meetings with each Board’s Executive.
• Internal control & the annual audits – Full management of the annual statutory audits for each company to tight deadlines to include preparing the ledgers, supporting audit schedules, responding in a timely fashion to audit queries and statutory accounts. Writing the Treasurer’s Report for presentation at each of the AGMs.  

Package:

Basic Salary: £ on application

Bonus: Performance-related bonus.

Total on target earnings: £ on application

Pension:  Employer contribution 4% of basic salary to a stakeholder scheme (employee minimum contribution 5%).

Holidays: 10 days (Pro rata of 25 days for full time). Once you have completed 2 years’ service, holiday entitlement increases in the next and subsequent year by ½ a day, until a maximum of 11 days per year.

Others: Cycle to work scheme.

Qualifications                       

Qualified Accountant with a minimum of 5 years’ post qualification business-related experience.