Application Guide

How to Apply for Senior Director of Finance

at Parenting For Lifelong Health

🏢 About Parenting For Lifelong Health

Parenting For Lifelong Health is a unique global initiative that develops, tests, and scales evidence-based parenting programs to prevent violence and promote child development in low-resource settings worldwide. Working here means contributing to meaningful social impact through rigorous research and implementation, with a focus on making parenting support accessible globally. The organization combines academic excellence with practical humanitarian work, creating a distinctive mission-driven environment.

About This Role

As Senior Director of Finance, you'll provide strategic financial leadership directly to the CEO and Board of Trustees, ensuring compliance with UK charity law while shaping the financial future of PLH's 2026-2028 Strategic Plan. This role is impactful because you'll directly influence the organization's sustainability and ability to scale evidence-based parenting programs globally through sophisticated financial modeling and governance support. You'll bridge high-level strategy with operational finance management in a remote, part-time capacity.

💡 A Day in the Life

A typical day might involve reviewing financial reports with the Finance Manager, preparing briefing materials for an upcoming Board committee meeting on reserves policy, and developing scenario models for different funding approaches to the 2026-2028 Strategic Plan. You'd likely spend time advising the CEO on financial implications of program expansion decisions and ensuring audit preparations align with UK charity accounting standards, all while coordinating remotely with team members across different time zones.

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Interview Prep

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🎯 Who Parenting For Lifelong Health Is Looking For

  • Has 8+ years of senior financial leadership experience specifically within UK charity sector, with demonstrated understanding of Charity Commission requirements, SORP FRS 102, and trustee fiduciary duties
  • Possesses proven expertise in multi-year strategic financial planning and scenario modeling for international NGOs, particularly for scaling programs in low-resource country contexts
  • Has direct experience supporting Boards and Board Committees on governance matters, including preparing financial materials for trustee meetings and advising on legal compliance
  • Can demonstrate experience establishing financial controls and reporting systems for organizations managing multiple international grants and funding streams

📝 Tips for Applying to Parenting For Lifelong Health

1

Quantify your UK charity finance experience - specify years working with Charity Commission regulations, SORP compliance, and supporting trustee boards in your resume

2

Highlight any experience with costing implementation models for global health or social programs, particularly in low-resource settings relevant to PLH's work

3

Demonstrate understanding of the part-time remote nature by mentioning experience managing finance functions in distributed teams across time zones

4

Include specific examples of strategic financial planning for 3+ year organizational strategies, not just annual budgeting

5

Reference PLH's specific focus on evidence-based parenting programs and how your financial expertise could support scaling these interventions

✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter

['Your direct experience advising charity CEOs and Boards on UK governance requirements and fiduciary duties', "Specific examples of strategic financial modeling you've developed for multi-year organizational strategies similar to PLH's 2026-2028 plan", "How you've ensured financial sustainability and affordability while scaling programs internationally", 'Your approach to collaborating with a Finance Manager while providing senior oversight in a remote setting']

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🔍 Research Before Applying

To stand out, make sure you've researched:

  • → PLH's existing parenting programs (like Sinovuyo, ParentApp) and their evidence base from published research
  • → The organization's current funding structure and major donors from their annual reports
  • → UK Charity Commission guidance for trustees and SORP FRS 102 requirements for charity accounting
  • → Global implementation partners and countries where PLH operates to understand the financial complexity

💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics

Based on this role, you may be asked about:

1 Walk us through how you would cost and model the financial implications of PLH's 2026-2028 Strategic Plan across different country implementation scenarios
2 Describe your experience preparing financial materials and advice for charity trustee meetings under UK law
3 How would you ensure SORP FRS 102 compliance while working remotely with a Finance Manager?
4 What financial controls and reporting systems would you implement to manage PLH's international grant funding?
5 How have you previously balanced strategic financial planning with day-to-day oversight in a part-time leadership role?
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⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Applying with only corporate or for-profit finance experience without demonstrating understanding of UK charity sector specifics
  • Failing to address the part-time nature of the role and how you would manage strategic responsibilities within those constraints
  • Using generic financial leadership examples instead of charity-specific scenarios involving trustee governance and SORP compliance

📅 Application Timeline

This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.

Typical hiring timeline:

1

Application Review

1-2 weeks

2

Initial Screening

Phone call or written assessment

3

Interviews

1-2 rounds, usually virtual

✓

Offer

Congratulations!

Ready to Apply?

Good luck with your application to Parenting For Lifelong Health!

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