Part-Time Finance & Practice Director

About Robinson & Hall

Robinson & Hall LLP is a long-established, independent firm of Chartered Surveyors and property professionals, founded in Bedford in 1882. Today, we are a leading multidisciplinary practice providing a comprehensive range of land and property services, including rural property and business, planning and design, building and project consultancy, commercial property, lettings, auctions and renewable energy. The firm operates from offices in Bedford and Buckingham.

We have retained the personal approach of a partner-led professional practice while continuing to invest in the people, technology and systems required to develop the business.

Our core values are client care, professionalism and excellence, and we have built a strong reputation for providing high-quality, professional and reliable advice to our clients

We are now looking for an experienced part-time Finance & Practice Director to join the business and play an important role in the next stage of its development, replacing the current incumbent who is retiring and was previously the managing partner of the business.

The Role

This is a varied senior position combining financial oversight, practice management, technology implementation and business improvement .

The role will be approximately 15 hours per week and will be office based at our Bedford office in Oakley .

We recognise that a significant part of the position will be project based and therefore there can be flexibility in how the 15 hours per week are worked across the year. At certain points, greater involvement may be required to deliver a particular project, balanced by reduced hours at other times.

Working closely with the Partners, the Finance & Practice Director will take responsibility for overseeing the financial and administrative functions of the practice and will provide senior oversight to the Practice Manager and administration team.

An important element of the position will be to help us modernise and improve the systems and processes that support the business, particularly through the implementation of new IT systems, automation and the effective use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) .

Key Responsibilities

Finance and Commercial Management

• Oversee, review and improve the firm's financial management, reporting and controls.
• Provide the Partners with clear and meaningful management information to support business decisions.
• Oversee budgeting, forecasting, cash flow and commission calculations.
• Review financial performance and identify opportunities to improve profitability and efficiency.
• Work alongside our external accountants and other professional advisers as required.
• Help Partners and department heads better understand the financial performance of different areas of the practice.
• Support longer-term financial and business planning.

Practice Management and Operations

• Provide senior oversight and support to the Practice Manager and administration team.
• Work closely with the Partners to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the practice.
• Review existing working practices and identify opportunities to simplify, automate and improve processes.
• Help establish appropriate systems, controls and management information as the business develops.
• Lead agreed business improvement projects from initial review through to implementation.
• Ensure that new processes and systems deliver practical and measurable benefits to the business.

Technology, Systems and AI

This will be a key part of the position .

We are looking for someone who has a genuine interest in how technology can improve a professional services business and, importantly, has the ability to turn ideas into practical improvements.

Initially, this is expected to include:

• Leading the review, selection and implementation of a new accounts and financial management system together with a major upgrade of the Practice Management system.
• Reviewing how our existing systems operate and integrate.
• Identifying opportunities to reduce duplication, manual data entry and unnecessary administration.
• Working with our external IT advisers and software providers to introduce new systems successfully.
• Identifying practical opportunities to use AI and automation across finance, administration and the wider practice.
• Developing and implementing AI-supported workflows to reduce repetitive work, improve access to information and enable professional and administrative staff to work more efficiently.
• Establishing appropriate processes and controls around the adoption of new technology.
• Encouraging effective adoption of new systems across the practice.
• Ensuring that investment in new technology delivers genuine efficiency and business benefits.

The firm is already committed to investing in appropriate technology to improve efficiency and client service, supported by external specialist IT advisers.

The Person

We are deliberately keeping the specification reasonably broad. The successful candidate might currently be working as a Finance Director, Finance Manager, Practice Director, Financial Controller or senior accountant, or may previously have held a senior full-time role and now be looking for a high-quality part-time position.

We would particularly like to hear from candidates who can demonstrate:

• Strong financial and commercial experience.
• Experience of preparing, interpreting and presenting management accounts and other financial information.
• The ability to communicate financial issues clearly to business owners and non-financial managers.
• Experience of improving business systems and processes.
• Experience of successfully implementing new financial or business systems.
• Confidence in leading projects from initial review and specification through to implementation.
• A strong interest in technology, automation and the practical application of AI within business.
• The ability to oversee and support an established administrative team.
• Good commercial judgement and the confidence to challenge constructively.
• An organised, pragmatic and hands-on approach.
• The ability to balance strategic thinking with practical implementation.
• The confidence to work directly with the Partners of an established professional practice.

Experience within a professional services, property, surveying, legal, accountancy or similarly partner-led business would be particularly useful, although it is not essential.

A recognised accountancy qualification such as ACA, ACCA or CIMA would be advantageous, but we are principally interested in finding someone with the right combination of commercial, financial, systems and management experience .

Salary, Hours and Benefits

• Salary of £60,000–£75,000 full-time equivalent, dependent on experience.
• Approximately 15 hours per week .
• Flexibility in how hours are worked across the year to reflect the project-based elements of the position.
• Staff profit share scheme .
• Office based at our Bedford (Oakley) office .
• A senior role with considerable autonomy and the opportunity to influence the future direction of the practice.
• Opportunity to lead significant finance, technology, systems, automation and AI projects.

Why Join Robinson & Hall?

This is an opportunity to take on a genuinely influential role within a well-established independent professional practice.

It is notsimply a part-time accounting role. We are looking for someone who can combine strong financial and commercial skills with an interest in how a modern professional practice should operate.

The successful candidate will have the opportunity to shape how Robinson & Hall operates in the future, introducing better financial information, improving business processes, implementing new systems and helping us make effective and responsible use of AI and automation.

For the right person, the position offers the influence and variety of a Finance Director/Practice Director role without requiring a conventional five-day working week.

How to Apply

Please apply via Indeed with your CV and a brief covering letter explaining:

• your current circumstances;
• your relevant financial and commercial experience;
• your experience of managing or improving business operations; and
• any experience you have of implementing finance systems, new technology, automation or AI within a business.

Applications close on 30 November 2026.

Pay: £60,000.00-£75,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Profit sharing

Work Location: In person