Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, better known as CHAS, cares for children with life-shortening conditions and their families. We operate through our two hospices, our network of staff in hospitals, and our home care service in every part of Scotland. We know that better data will help us plan and deliver our services in a more effective.

Three children die every week in Scotland from an incurable condition. Our doctors, nurses and social workers support as many of those families as we can. We aim to reach every family in Scotland and have an amazing opportunity for you to join our team.

As our Finance Business Partner, you will:

· Support the Senior Leadership to help deliver our growth plans and optimise financial performance

· Lead the financial planning and monitoring cycles for CHAS by building great relationships across CHAS

· Actively support new opportunities for CHAS by providing specialist financial advice

The ideal Finance Business Partner will:

· Be a qualified accountant

· Have excellent interpersonal skills and be a real people person as building effective relationships across CHAS is key

The job will let you use and grow your skills and experience in:

· Planning, analysing and assessing financial performance

· Monitoring, evaluating and reporting on all areas of financial risk

· Communicating financial performance

· Identifying and Implementing change which will have a profound and positive impact on the people we help.

Great at working with people, numbers and ideas, you will have experience in helping organisations. If you are strongly motivated to make an impact for children and families, please read the job description.

You can contact Jenni Fairbairn, Director of Finance and Corporate Services, for an informal chat on 0131 444 1900 . We look forward to hearing from you.

CHAS offers an excellent package which includes access to the NHS or local government pension scheme, and offers a great work/life balance. Mainly based in our Edinburgh office, this role will also build relationships with our staff in Kinross, Balloch and Stepps and so the ability to travel is essential.

This is a permanent role, but we would consider a secondment for the right candidate.

The Organisation

Down’s Syndrome Scotland was established as a charity in 1982 and is the only organisation in Scotland dedicated solely to supporting people with Down’s syndrome, their relatives and carers. Our mission is “To support families and people with Down’s syndrome to reach their full potential by providing a range of services, influencing public policy and by changing attitudes”.

This mission is brought to life by a staff of 30 who are located around the country. In addition, groups of volunteers run nine branches around Scotland who offer an invaluable peer support network at local level.

The Role

The CEO will lead the organisation in its mission with an inclusive and empathic approach, achieving positive outcomes across the widest of stakeholder maps and never forgetting the reason for its existence.

Key Responsibilities:

• Liaise with, support and motivate all staff and volunteers and secure their loyalty and commitment to the organisation’s aims, objectives and ambitions.
• Seek out, develop and maintain effective working relationships with all relevant organisations and individuals to promote the work of the charity and facilitate the implementation of its strategic objectives.
• Contribute to the development of, and be responsible for, the implementation and monitoring of the Board's strategic plan.
• Continue to attract and retain members, ensuring that members’ views and concerns inform the activities of the organisation and in particular that the voices of those with Down’s syndrome have the opportunity to be heard.
• Be a passionate and effective advocate in advancing the ambition to bring about cultural and legislative change so that meaningful activity is increasingly funded, prioritised, and delivered. This will include networking at senior level with like-minded charities, academic institutions, government, parliamentarians and local authority departments.
• Report to and work closely with the Chair and Board of Trustees to ensure the Board’s involvement in policy decisions and to increase the overall status and visibility of the organisation throughout Scotland.
• Liaise with the Board to develop and lead on the implementation of financial plans, including setting budgets, formulating income generation strategies and overseeing all fundraising activities.
• Liaise with the Board to ensure that the overall governance structure, policies and procedures are appropriate and effective, taking remedial measures and implementing changes as necessary.

The Person

This person will have had a significant leadership role in a well-managed charity or other not for profit organisation.

There will be evidence of working effectively and empathically with a wide range of stakeholders, ideally including government, major funding organisations and crucially those whom the organisation exists to serve.

A track record of positive interaction with a governing body.

Demonstrable success in developing and motivating high performing teams and an admired reputation as an authentic leader.

Key attributes must include being:

• a powerful and relaxed communicator; well able to perform an ambassadorial role
• financially astute with an instinctive grasp of numbers and metrics
• a natural leader with an ability to engage and inspire
• of flexible intellect; well able to switch from the big picture to the management of fine detail
• of unimpeachable integrity, someone who would instinctively subordinate their own interests to the needs of the charity.

Have you the passion and drive that inspires every supporter to experience the Joy of Giving?

Three children die in Scotland each week from an incurable condition. Presently, CHAS is only able to reach one of those children and their families. We are determined to change that.

Our ambition is to be there for each and every one of those children and their families. To achieve this, we need to inspire people across Scotland to take our vision to their hearts and make sure that no child with a life-shortening condition or their family should go without having the opportunity to be supported by CHAS.

To ensure we achieve this mission, we are establishing a new team as part of our five-year “Joy of Giving” fundraising strategy. With the recent appointment of CHAS’ first ever Head of Supporter Engagement who will join the team shortly, our intention is to bring together exceptional fundraising professionals to drive forward our award winning Keep the Joy Alive campaign. Is this you?

If you thrive on the challenge of setting and achieving audacious goals, think the only way to approach a target is to smash it out the park, have the playful creativity that doesn’t ever settle for the moon on a stick, and can bring the energy that adds that unexpected sparkle to how you approach your fundraising, then CHAS would love to support you in reaching out and touching your fundraising stars.

Magic is what happens if you are someone that can transform kilobits of data into incredible moments of joy for the children and families we support as a result of awesome data-driven fundraising campaigns that smash targets. You will support your colleagues to “love” their data, harnessing insight to develop marketing campaigns and fundraising products that inspire and grow support

Have you the passion and drive that inspires every supporter to experience the Joy of Giving?Three children die in Scotland each week from an incurable condition. Presently, CHAS is only able to reach one of those children and their families. We are determined to change that.

Our ambition is to be there for each and every one of those children and their families. To achieve this, we need to inspire people across Scotland to take our vision to their hearts and make sure that no child with a life-shortening condition or their family should go without having the opportunity to be supported by CHAS.

To ensure we achieve this mission, we are establishing a new team as part of our five-year “Joy of Giving” fundraising strategy. With the recent appointment of CHAS’ first ever Head of Supporter Engagement who will join the team shortly, our intention is to bring together exceptional fundraising professionals to drive forward our award winning Keep the Joy Alive campaign. Is this you?

If you thrive on the challenge of setting and achieving audacious goals, think the only way to approach a target is to smash it out the park, have the playful creativity that doesn’t ever settle for the moon on a stick, and can bring the energy that adds that unexpected sparkle to how you approach your fundraising, then CHAS would love to support you in reaching out and touching your fundraising stars.

Great fundraising campaigns don’t just happen. They are planned with precision and executed with passion and pin sharp focus. They need that someone who has the courage to push themselves out of their comfort zone and take others with them. They make lots of things happen, quickly, in all the right order and bring everyone with them to campaign launch day and beyond. They make this look easy. Is this you?

You will lead the delivery of CHAS acquisition and retention strategies. Flair and creativity will see you work with colleagues to harness direct marketing techniques and you will have a proven track record on executing integrated multi-channel campaigns that deliver target-beating results.