Assurance Director - Academies & Not for Profit (NFP)

Job Title: Academies & NFP Assurance Director

Location: Finchley, with time spent in City (with hybrid working)

Days/Hours Worked: Monday-Friday, 35-hour week (flexitime)

Role Summary

Are you an experienced audit professional with a passion for making a difference in the charitable sector? Join our Assurance team at BKL as an Audit Director, where you’ll lead and shape our growing portfolio of Academies and Charities/Not-for-Profit clients. In this influential role, you’ll combine your technical expertise and strategic vision to deliver exceptional service, develop our team, and drive success within a purpose-driven environment.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Collaborate with the Audit Senior Leadership Team to define and execute the strategic direction for the Academies and Charities/Not-for-Profit portfolio.

• Provide leadership across high-profile engagements, ensuring alignment with BKL’s group-wide vision and values.

• Take ownership of the Academies and Charities/NFP client portfolio, ensuring audit engagements meet the highest standards of quality, timeliness, and budget compliance.

• Contribute to the growth of the service line, identifying new opportunities and fostering client relationships to expand the portfolio.

Audit Excellence

• Oversee all stages of complex audits, including planning, risk assessment, execution, and reporting.

• Manage high-risk areas of audit engagements, designing and executing rigorous procedures to uphold compliance and technical quality.

• Ensure audits are delivered in line with UK GAAP, IFRS, and other relevant accounting standards.

Team Leadership and Development

• Mentor and coach audit managers and junior staff, providing guidance, constructive feedback, and opportunities for professional growth.

• Foster a collaborative, high-performing team culture aligned with BKL’s values of inclusion, diversity, and innovation.

• Lead by example in maintaining professionalism and delivering outstanding client service.

Client and Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as a trusted advisor to clients, offering strategic insights and actionable recommendations.

• Strengthen client relationships through regular communication, timely delivery, and understanding their unique challenges.

• Represent BKL’s Assurance team externally, promoting our commitment to balancing profit and purpose as a Certified B Corporation.

Operational and Commercial Oversight

• Manage engagement budgets, ensuring profitability and adherence to agreed timelines.

• Continuously improve audit methodologies, tools, and processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

• Stay informed on regulatory changes, emerging trends, and best practices within the Academies and Not-for-Profit sectors.

Qualifications, Experience & Skills required

Essential:

• Recognised professional accounting qualification (e.g., ACA, ACCA).

• Minimum of three years’ Responsible Individual (RI) experience.

• Proven expertise in leading complex charity and Academies audits.

• Deep knowledge of UK GAAP, IFRS, and charity-specific accounting frameworks.

• Exceptional leadership, coaching, and mentoring skills with a focus on team development.

• Strong client relationship management, negotiation, and communication skills.

• Strategic mindset with the ability to deliver results and drive change.

• Proficiency in audit software, particularly Caseware, and experience leveraging data analytics in audits.

Desirable:

• Experience with Academies financial statements and reporting requirements.

• Familiarity with risk management frameworks and regulatory compliance for charities and NFPs.

We know you have a lot to offer, which is why we want to give you the freedom to thrive no matter who you are or what your background is. You will have every opportunity to use your creativity in how you approach your work and the support to innovate.

Inclusion, diversity, and talent development are a fundamental aspect of who we are, and we welcome applications from candidates who share and champion these values. You will play an integral part in helping to make BKL a great place to work with a sense of belonging for everyone.

High challenge, high support
 

If you enjoy problem-solving and a fast-changing environment, you will thrive in this role.

As in all BKL roles, you will be able to take a flexible approach: balancing independent work with teamwork, and remote working with time in the office with colleagues.

You can get an insight into life at BKL here.

We’re proud to be one of the few Certified B Corporations in the accountancy sector. In joining us, you’ll become part of a business that’s committed to balancing profit and purpose.

Take your next step

If this sounds like the role for you, we’d be delighted to discuss the career you could build at BKL.

Part of how we’ll get to know you, and make sure we’d work well together, is aptitude and psychometric testing during our selection process.

The start date of this role is as soon as possible... so we’re ready when you are!

In addition to the responsibilities listed above, you will be required to undertake GDPR training in order to fully understand the regulations and ensure all work is carried out in a compliant manner. As part of any recruitment process, the Firm collects and processes personal data relating to job applicants. The Firm is committed to being transparent about how it collects and uses that data and to meeting its data protection obligations. Wilson Wright is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified candidates eligible to work in the UK.