Location: Hybrid; approx. one day a week in Central London.
Salary: £40,000 – £45,000 FTE depending on experience
Terms: Part-time, flexible, 0.6 FTE/ 24 hours a week
Contract type: 1-year fixed term (with expectation of renewal)
Start date: As soon as possible

Application deadline: 24 May at 23:59
Interviews: 1st and 2nd week of June

Are you interested in exposing obstacles to climate action? 

We’re looking for a part-time Finance and Operations Manager to join our small, award-winning team of journalists and researchers at environmental investigations media outlet DeSmog.

You are highly organized and adaptable with a strong grounding in finance. Passionate about making a difference, you’re happy operating at a strategic and practical level: drawing up budgets or making a trip to the bank. As our company grows, your responsibilities will grow too, to include managing new hires. You will be joining DeSmog at an exciting time, helping us to take our work to the next level. 

The Finance and Operations Manager will work alongside the UK Editor, Grants Manager and with an external accountancy firm. You will report to the UK Editor. 

About Us

DeSmog is a not-for-profit investigative journalism outlet providing accurate, public-interest reporting that reveals the forces behind climate policy opposition and misinformation.

We publish regularly in partnership with mainstream media outlets including The Guardian, Independent, Channel 4 and the Financial Times. Our work is targeted and high-impact, used by MPs in Parliament, at congressional hearings in the US Senate, by law firms and climate campaigners in the UK and across the world.

Our databases, which track greenwash, hypocrisy, and the influence of vested interests on climate policy are a go-to-resource for journalists, campaigners, academics and policy-makers.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

The Finance and Operations manager will ensure the smooth and effective running of DeSmog, leading on finance, HR, administrative and information systems. Duties include:

• Developing our finance systems, including taking a lead on budgeting, planning and oversight of book-keeping
• Assisting the Grants Manager to produce financial reports for grantmakers; producing reports for the DeSmog board
• Overseeing banking arrangements and making payments (around a dozen per month).
• Designing and implementing HR processes and policies (including contracts, recruitment and onboarding)
• Developing strategic planning processes alongside the UK Editor
• Overseeing the (contracted-out) payroll system, approving salary payments
• Running the DeSmog UK Ltd company and ensuring its legal compliance
• Contracting and managing operations support as and when required
• Support the governance structures of DeSmog (eg. organizing quarterly board meetings)
• Managing our team’s flexible office rental account (usually for 1 day a week in London)
• Championing an open and diverse team culture
• Carrying out other ad-hoc administrative, HR and operational support tasks, as required

Role Requirements

Essential

• Minimum three years experience of financial management (including overseeing budgets and financial planning)
• Proven ability to establish effective processes and systems (HR, finance and others) to support the needs of a small and growing organization
• Experience of managing staff and familiarity with UK workplace legislation
• Experience of contracting and managing freelance employees and external providers
• Proven ability to set priorities and manage multiple tasks and react positively in light of shifting and competing timelines
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Ability to work both independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative manner
• Willingness to use remote-working technology & adopt hybrid/remote-working practices
• Comfortable (technically competent) using software such as Excel, Slack and the Google Suite Office package
• Commitment to the mission and vision of DeSmog: to expose lobbying and spin that undermine action on climate change

Desirable

• Experience working in the nonprofit climate/environment/energy sectors
• Technical proficiency in QuickBooks or equivalent accounting software
• A degree (Bachelor or Master’s) in a relevant subject
• A track record of networking and establishing productive relationships with new partners and other key stakeholders
• Experience of fundraising, grant writing, monitoring/evaluation or grant reporting

Application Process

DeSmog strongly values diversity. We welcome applications from people from all different backgrounds and particularly encourage applications from Black, Asian, and minority ethnic candidates.

To apply for this role, please send the following documents to [email protected]: a CV and a COVER LETTER of up to two pages identifying why you are a good fit for the role.

Please also include: details of two referees (we will request your permission before contacting them) and your potential start date.

Important note: applications without CV and cover letter will not be considered.

Deadline for applications: Sunday 23rd April at 23.59

Interviews will take place on: 1st and 2nd weeks of May by video conference (Zoom).

If you are interested in the role or have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to contact us at [email protected]