Finance and Operations Associate

About the Role

The Finance and Operations Associate will keep the Forward Institute financially healthy and operationally strong as we scale our ambition and impact.

The role combines disciplined, detail-focused finance processing with cross-functional coordination. You will run clearly defined processes with accuracy and reliability, while building confidence in working with others and strengthening how the engine runs.

The work involves:

• Keeping core finance processes accurate and compliant

• Supporting management reporting and budgeting 

• Improving how our operational systems work together 

This is a role for someone early in their finance career who is ready to take ownership of clearly defined processes and learn with us. This role is about building strong foundations: accuracy, reliability, financial discipline and confidence in building relationships. Your key responsibilities:

Core responsibilities

• Keeping core finance processes accurate and compliant

  • Process supplier invoices, expenses, and payments on time and in line with controls 

  • Keep records clean, complete, and easy to retrieve 

  • Follow up missing info quickly and close loops with colleagues and suppliers 

  • Flag anomalies and errors early, and help fix root causes

• Supporting management reporting and budgeting

  • Maintain reconciliations (bank and control accounts) and resolve discrepancies

  • Maintain clear documentation for month-end, year-end, and audit trails • Support basic control checks and improvements to reduce risk and rework 

  • Contribute to a culture of financial discipline and accountability 

• Improving how our operational systems work together 

  • Keep data accurate and consistent across systems and platforms 

  • Maintain core registers and system structures, and supporting the team to use them 

  • Improve workflows by spotting friction, tightening processes, and reducing rework 

  • Translate needs into practical fixes, templates, and ways of working

About You

Mindset

• Disciplined and dependable: you take pride in accuracy and follow-through 

• Curious and reflective: you want to understand the 'why', not just the steps

• Calm under pressure: you navigate ambiguity, sound judgement, and clear communication

• Improvement-oriented: you leave systems stronger than you found them

Capabilities

• Organisation and prioritisation: you can manage competing deadlines and keep processes running smoothly 

• Systems confidence: you are quick to learn tools and workflows 

• Bias for action: you find practical routes through problems and move work forward ​

Experience and trajectory

• Early in your finance career, with commitment to building your finance craft

• Ready to progress towards management accountancy with our support 

• Some experience in finance admin, transaction processing, reconciliations, or operational coordination

Motivation 

• You want to work cross-functionally in a small, ambitious organisation, where finance supports real decisions

• You care about building something sustainable

• You are energised by contributing to work with influential organisations across business, government, and civil society

Benefits

We know our greatest strength is our people. We want everyone who works with us to feel supported in their wellbeing and confident in building a meaningful career.Our benefits include:

• Private health insurance

• Hybrid working arrangements

• A generous training and development budget

• Pension contributions

• A rich internal culture of learning and dialogue

You will also have the opportunity to work with some of the most thoughtful and influential leaders across business, government and civil society.

How to Apply

To apply, please send your CV and a covering video (max 2 minutes) answering the following questions:

1. What drives your interest in developing finance as a craft, and why does the CIMA qualification mater to you at this stage of your career?

2. How does the Forward Institute's purpose resonate with your own values, and why do you want to work within a team working to shape responsible leadership?

We are an equal opportunities employer and are committed to fair and inclusive recruitment practices. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds, identities, and lived experiences.

We want to make this process as inclusive and accessible as possible. If you have any access needs or specific requirements, please get in touch with [email protected].

You must have the right to work in the UK.