The project
The Mayor’s Fund for London is a social mobility charity that works to improve opportunities for young Londoners from low-income backgrounds. By focusing on employment, education, and food security, the charity aims to help young people develop the skills, confidence, and resources needed to succeed. Through various initiatives and partnerships, they support thousands of young Londoners each year, helping to break down barriers and create a more inclusive city.
The Mayor’s Fund for London was in urgent need of an Interim Director of Finance following the planned departure of the previous postholder, and a requirement of a handover period. To ensure continuity in financial management, they required a highly skilled interim professional to step in for an initial period of three months. Given the strategic nature of the role, it was crucial to secure a candidate with strong experience in charity finance and governance.
Our approach
Our consultant, Tatiana, held a Teams meeting with the Head of People to take a detailed brief and gain a clear understanding of the specific requirements and challenges of the role. Following this, she quickly launched a targeted search for candidates who could seamlessly integrate into the organisation and take on the responsibilities of overseeing the charity’s entire finance function. These included producing monthly consolidated accounts, cash-flow forecasts, budgeting, managing audits, and presenting finance papers to the board. The successful candidate would also facilitate Finance, Audit, and Risk Committee (FAR) meetings and collaborate with the Development Team to shape budgets for funding bids.
Following a rigorous selection process, interviews were conducted within two weeks, and an offer was extended. Unfortunately, the initial candidate had accepted a longer-term role elsewhere. However, due to proactive candidate sourcing, additional strong candidates had already been identified. A second interview was quickly arranged, and another offer was successfully made and accepted. Within just 16 working days from initial job brief, the chosen candidate had started in the role, ensuring a seamless transition for the charity.
As the candidate approached the end of their initial three-month temporary assignment, their expertise and contributions had made such a positive impact that they were offered and accepted a six-month fixed-term contract.
The swift turnaround and successful placement not only provided much-needed stability for the charity’s financial operations but also demonstrated the effectiveness of a well-managed interim recruitment process in securing top talent under tight timelines.
