The Role
This is an exciting and hugely rewarding opportunity for someone who wants real responsibility for running infrastructure support services in a highly-respected organisation.
Reporting to the CEO and as a member of the Executive Team, the post holder will be expected to drive and manage the central administrative and core infrastructure functions across DHI to ensure we operate safely, securely, efficiently, and effectively.
As well as being closely involved in the day-to-day activities of the functions for which you are responsible, you will provide high level proactive advice, and quality services for the other Directors across all central and client service areas, including, finance and procurement, human resources, information technology development, health and safety, premises, office services, in addition to working closely with our retained HR advisor.
Key Accountabilities
The Director of Corporate Services is responsible for:
Corporate Governance & Assurance
- Oversee governance structures that support sound financial decision-making and regulatory compliance.
- Ensure Board and Committee reports relating to Corporate Services, finance interface areas, risk, and assurance are accurate, timely, and strategic.
- Maintain the organisation’s policy framework, including financial governance, risk, business continuity, and technology policies.
- Manage the risk register ensuring risks are identified and mitigated against.
- Support the Finance Manager in preparing for external audit by ensuring necessary documentation, organisational compliance, and evidence are in place.
Financial Governance & Controls
- Oversee organisational financial controls at a governance and operational-process level, ensuring consistent application across departments.
- Ensure operational teams comply with procurement rules, delegated authority limits, and contractual/financial governance frameworks.
Budgeting & Business Planning Support
- Coordinate the annual business planning cycle, ensuring alignment between corporate priorities, financial capacity, and resource planning.
- Support the Finance Manager in collating cross-organisational inputs into budgets, forecasts, and financial assessments.
- Ensure service plans and corporate plans are fully costed, realistic, and risk‑assessed.
Performance & Financial Reporting
- Lead the integration of financial and non-financial performance reporting, ensuring meaningful KPIs, dashboards, and assurance reports.
- Ensure services provide timely and accurate data required for financial monitoring and forecasting by the Executive and Board.
Procurement & Contract Management
- Lead the organisation’s procurement framework, ensuring compliance, value for money, and financial efficiency.
- Oversee procurement strategies, tendering processes, contract performance, and financial control compliance.
- Work with the Finance Manager to monitor spend patterns, supplier risks, and contract value optimisation.
Risk Management & Financial Risk
- Maintain the corporate risk framework, ensuring financial risks are identified, mitigated, and escalated.
- Work with the Finance Manager to ensure alignment between financial and organisational risk registers.
- Ensure financial implications are clearly set out in corporate decision-making.
HR Oversight
- Provide HR systems leadership and oversight, including governance around process, and compliance.
- Line manage HR administrative function to ensure high-quality transactional services.
- Oversee recruitment governance, cyclical HR processes, and workforce reporting.
- Working with the Executive, to promote workforce development, including training.
- Commission external HR advice for complex or specialist matters.
Information Governance, IT, and Data Protection
- Act as the organisations Data Protection Officer
- Provide oversight of information governance and data protection compliance.
- Oversee IT contracts and performance, ensuring timely implementation, value for money, reliability, and alignment with financial constraints.
- Ensure major system changes include appropriate business cases and commissioning of temporary specialist capacity where required, and implementation in the most efficient and effective way.
Facilities, Health & Safety, and Business Continuity
- Oversee contracts and budgets for facilities functions.
- Ensure health & safety compliance, maintaining accurate records and financial planning for statutory works.
- Lead business continuity planning, ensuring financial implications of resilience planning are assessed.
Operational Management
- Lead Corporate Services staff, promoting high performance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Develop and monitor Corporate Services KPIs, budget usage, and service plans.
- Drive cross‑departmental operational improvements that support financial control and efficiency.
Other Responsibilities
Line Management
- Provision of effective leadership, line management and supervision of staff within Finance and Corporate Services.
- Effective implementation of policies and procedures and support staff with management or supervisory responsibilities in carrying out these duties.
- DHI’s performance management policies and procedures are applied, as appropriate, and help staff to understand and comply with them.
- Lead on the recruiting, inducting, and developing of new staff according to DHI’s policies when vacancies arise.
Executive Organisational Responsibilities
- Making a contribution in the strategic planning process and contributing to the establishment of DHI’s business plan and balanced scorecard.
- Operating within the framework of DHI’s Strategic Plan and Annual Operational Plans and contributing to their outcomes.
- Contributing to the corporate management of DHI through membership of the Executive and other relevant management and working groups.
- Working with the Executive in the identification and pursuit of appropriate development opportunities.
- At all times adhering to relevant legislation, good practice and policies and procedures, including Health and Safety, Confidentiality and Equal Opportunities.
- Participating in regular personal support and supervision.
How to apply
Application is by way of a CV and a Supporting Statement.
Apply online at Jobs | NFP Consulting
Closing date: midnight 15 February
Selection and timescales
There will be a two stage selection process.
First interviews: w/c 23 February
Second interviews: w/c 2 March
For an informal and confidential discussion about the role, please email Vikki Park, Principal Consultant in the first instance – vikki.park@nfpconsulting.co.uk
