Director, Finance & Operations

Luminate

Director of Finance & Operations at Luminate overseeing finance, HR, and IT functions. Shaping financial strategy in a changing business model with global impact across multiple countries.

Posted 7/25/2026full-timeLondon • District of Columbia • 🇺🇸 United StatesLead💰 $180,000 - $240,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

Use this summary to align your resume positioning with the role.

Demonstrates strong financial management capabilities, including expertise in US GAAP, statutory audit processes, and compliance with regulatory obligations. Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and translate strategic priorities into operational plans while ensuring effective internal controls and risk management.

Highest-signal resume keywords

US GAAP ExpertiseStatutory Audit LeadershipCash Management and Treasury FunctionCross-Functional Team LeadershipFinancial Compliance and Risk Management

ATS Keywords

Tailor your resume

Applicant Tracking System Keywords

Tip: use these terms in your resume and cover letter to boost ATS matches.

Hard Skills

Financial ManagementAudit ProcessesBudgeting and ForecastingFinancial ReportingInternal ControlsRisk ManagementCash Flow ManagementAccounting OperationsRegulatory ComplianceFinancial Planning

Soft Skills

Leadership SkillsStrategic ThinkingExcellent CommunicationJudgement and IndependenceTeam Development

Certifications & Qualifications

Professionally Qualified AccountantDual US and UK Qualification

Industry Keywords

UK Charity RegulationsUS Private Foundation RulesMulti-Donor Funding ModelsOrganisational EffectivenessCross-Country Operations

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Lead and align Finance, HR, and IT into a cohesive operating model, with direct line management of the teams in all three functions.
Shape the financial strategy for a changing business model: overheads, fee structures, cost recovery, and the financial case put to prospective funders.
Sit on the Leadership Team and support the Board: presenting audit findings, and preparing Board materials including the budget.
Translate organisational strategy into operational priorities and annual plans.
Ensure support functions enable programme teams to deliver impact globally.
Drive continuous improvement, simplification, and cross-functional collaboration.
Serve as a trusted advisor to the COO on organisational effectiveness.
Lead financial operations, ensuring strong financial management, accurate reporting, effective controls, and alignment with organisational strategy.
Lead the annual audit processes across our legal entities (currently a US foundation audit, a US LLC audit, a UK Services Limited audit, a UK charity audit, and a Kenyan branch audit), serving as the primary liaison with external auditors and ensuring timely completion of financial statements and filings.
Manage cash flow and lead the treasury function, including banking relationships, financial systems, and operational processes.
Ensure strong internal controls, segregation of duties, financial policies, and risk management practices that safeguard organisational resources, owning the controls and policy environment across finance, IT, and people.
Oversee accounting operations, including month-end and year-end close processes, reconciliations, financial reporting, and compliance with US GAAP.
Ensure compliance with applicable requirements, tax filings, regulatory obligations, and donor/funder requirements.
Oversee budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning processes (a strong team member leads FP&A day to day; your role is direction and quality assurance rather than execution).
Translate complex financial information into actionable insights for non-finance leaders.
Partner with leadership to continuously improve financial systems, automation, reporting tools, and processes that reduce administrative burden and increase transparency.

Requirements

What you’ll need

Strong working knowledge of US GAAP (UK accounting knowledge helpful but not required).
Demonstrable experience leading statutory audit processes, ideally across multiple entities and jurisdictions, together with internal controls, compliance, and risk management.
Experience of cash management and leading a treasury function.
Experience leading multiple corporate functions like Finance, People/HR, and IT.
Strong leadership skills with the ability to build and develop high-performing teams, leading by influence and consultation as much as by authority.
Strategic thinker able to translate organisational priorities into operational plans.
Experience operating across multiple countries and complex regulatory environments.
Excellent communication skills and ability to translate financial and regulatory complexity.
Strong judgement and independence.
Familiarity with UK Charity and US private foundation rules.
Strong preference Professionally qualified accountant (or equivalent), able both to guide the team and to do the work personally.
A dual US and UK qualification would be exceptional.
Experience of managing or supporting a UK charity, and familiarity with UK charity reporting and governance obligations, as we establish our UK entity.
Experience of multi-donor, multi-revenue funding models.

Benefits

Comp & perks

Visit out Careers page for more information.