Professor Paul Palmer

Centre for Charity Effectiveness Cass Business School

Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness Intellectual leadership: developing talent, enhancing performance

How can the FD be involved in Strategy or… Would you like the top job?

Why are Charity FDs not like their commercial counterparts?• of current FTSE 100 CEOs, (51%)

are ... a qualified accountant who spent six years as Finance Director

Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness Intellectual leadership: developing talent, enhancing performance

But What Evidence for Charities?• ACEVO/Tribal CEO Pay Survey• No other empirical evidence• No Literature• How Rigorous?

Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness Intellectual leadership: developing talent, enhancing performance

And how much is this reality in Private sector• Focus on FTSE – but very different

from SMEs • Equally how representative is top

100 charities or even 500 from rest of sector?

• So Perception – rather than reality?

Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness Intellectual leadership: developing talent, enhancing performance

How Different is a Charity Finance Director to Private Sector?• ICAEW new framework• Differences?• - non profit distribution – focus on

mission• Who owns a Charity? – role of

trustees• But changing world of charity

finance re – Bonds, PRC – for some!Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness Intellectual leadership: developing talent, enhancing performance

Perception Issues

• Trustees – bigger picture – strategic/leadership skills

• Mission and Value – CEO experience in field• Walk the Talk – Affinity to the Cause• FD role and behaviour conforming to norm?

– comfort blanket issues – even role on the board re agenda item8!

Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness Intellectual leadership: developing talent, enhancing performance

An Effective CEO –some essential skills• Vision and strategic change maker• “Getting the Best out of Others”• Experience in Field/Values• Effective Governance• Leader and Communicator• “Multi tasking” • Profound understanding of the Sector

Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness Intellectual leadership: developing talent, enhancing performance

Strategies for an FD wanting to be a CEO/increase influence with trustees• Change your job title – Deputy CEO – Resources

Director?• Identify your charity expertise area – changes

in charity finance may help – re social bonds leadership role

• Do a wider management course• Take on special project roles – re field problem

and multi-tasking issues• Be a trustee elsewhere – but not Hon Treasurer-

don’t be pigeon holed!

Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness Intellectual leadership: developing talent, enhancing performance

Conclusions

• Have a desire – you got to want to do it• Be prepared for a bumpy role – are you

happy to be out of your comfort zone?• Your Personal development – how to think

more Holistically! –• Embedding your learning – £500 is not

enough!

Cass Centre for Charity Effectiveness Intellectual leadership: developing talent, enhancing performance