Change manager jobs in spennymoor, county durham

Senior Financial Accountant - Fixed-Term
Reference: AUG20257890
Location: Flexible in UK
Contract: Fixed Term until 31st December 2026
Hours: Full Time, 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £47,313.00 - £50,309.00 Per Annum
Benefits: Pension scheme (7%), Life Assurance scheme, 26 days' annual leave (plus bank holidays)

The RSPB reserves the right to extend or make this role permanent without further advertising dependent on business needs at the end of the contract term.

This is an excellent opportunity to join our busy Finance team and develop your skills in one of the UK’s leading conservation charities. This role arises in order to support the Finance Systems Replacement project which is a Board priority and a major digital change project.

In order to facilitate this we are looking for additional support in our Financial Control Team. We are looking for a strong technical professional, whose financial expertise and specialist knowledge are a given. The main purpose of the role is to provide technical financial accounting support, with a focus on, but not limited to VAT, gift aid and corporation tax, preparation of statutory accounts, to ensure that RSPB and its related group entities comply with a range of regulatory and external stakeholder reporting requirements and specific project requirements related to the implementation of the new finance system. 

What's the role about?

You will be part of a team of professionals reporting to the Financial & Treasury Controller.

As part of a team of 5 your main duties will be to:

• Deal with VAT, Gift Aid and corporation tax enquiries, produce returns, etc.
• Be involved in the preparation of the Trustees’ Report and Accounts (including subsidiary and related entities); This involves co-ordinating input from the wider Finance team as well as liaison with the Communications and Corporate Governance and Risk teams to provide an integrated narrative that clearly articulates RSPB’s impact and the challenges it faces.
• Liaise and provide information to internal and external audit.
• Help manage and reconcile the fixed asset system with particular focus on getting the fixed asset data ready for accurate transfer to new finance system.
• Financial analysis and technical reporting including government statistics returns

With an income of over £170m per annum and 1.15 million members the RSPB combines worldwide charitable impact with a substantial commercial operation. The scale and diversity of the operation gives scope for this role to make a significant impact on the delivery of RSPB’s work as well as the opportunity for major personal development.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Fully qualified accountant or part qualified in final year of exams.
• Good working knowledge of the rules, regulations and standards in respect of tax legislation (VAT and Gift Aid), preferably for the charity sector.
• Good working knowledge of the rules, regulations and standards in respect of financial reporting (Accounting standards and company law) preferably for the charity sector.
• Ability to analyse, interpret and communicate financial data.
• Ability to communicate financial information to both a finance and non-finance audience.
• Experience within a medium sized organisation (Income £50m+) of preparing reports/returns for external stakeholders including Tax returns (VAT, Gift Aid and corporation tax), Annual Reports and Annual Returns (Charity Commission, Government agencies).

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Advanced knowledge of MS Excel
• Experience of accounting software within a medium sized organisation.
• Experience of communicating with HMRC and other regulatory bodies.
• Experience of communicating with internal and external stakeholders including auditors, trustees and directors.

Additional information:

• The role can be hybrid within the UK however you may be periodically required to attend our HQ finance office at RSPB HQ in Sandy, Bedfordshire.
• This role may require some travel within the UK.
• This role may require some overnight stays away from home.

The RSPB works for a healthy environment for all and we therefore expect you to take action in accordance with our Environmental Policy and objectives. Together we can make a positive difference for our world.

In the RSPB, volunteers are a major resource and make a vital contribution to the RSPB’s aim to take action for the conservation of wild birds and the environment. Employees are responsible for encouraging, developing and supporting volunteers in their work for the RSPB.

Support for obtaining taxation qualification can be considered.

Agreed professional subscriptions are paid by RSPB.

Closing date: 23:59, Tue, 2nd Sep 2025

We are looking to conduct interviews for this position on: 11th September 2025.

Please note that we will be actively recruiting for this role and reserve the right to close this vacancy should sufficient applications be received.

Interested?

If you would like to find out more, please click the apply button. You will be directed to our website to complete your application for this position.

As part of this application, you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete an application form where you will have the opportunity to tell us how you meet the criteria set above.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB, in which everyone feels supported, valued, and able to be their full selves. To achieve our vision of creating a world richer in nature, we need more people, and more diverse people, on nature’s side. People of colour and disabled people are currently underrepresented across the environment, climate, sustainability, and conservation sector. If you identify as a person of colour and/or disabled, we are particularly interested in receiving your application. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

No agencies please.

We are looking for someone who:

• Understands the power of sport to unite and uplift communities.
• Brings senior leadership experience in the required competencies of fundraising, communications and income strategy.
• Is confident managing relationships with high-value funders and partners.
• Has a deep understanding of inclusive storytelling and impact measurement.
• Can think big, act boldly, and build a strong and sustainable future for our movement.

We continue to be focused on our vision to create an inclusive world for all, driven by the power of sport, through which people with intellectual disabilities live active, healthy and fulfilling lives. 

We are looking for people who are passionate about Special Olympics and are completely aligned with our values. We are authentic. We act with honesty, integrity and respect. We are creative and innovative. We love to embrace difference and doing things differently. We are brave, courageous, resilient and determined. We listen and are led by the voice of our athletes. We are always kind. We are Inclusion in Action.

We are continuing to build a high-performing team who care for each other and care about our cause. Our athletes are incredibly inspirational, courageous and insightful people, and they deserve a team who are equally committed and passionate about our mission.

About you

You’re entrepreneurial, independent, and driven. You treat your work like it’s your own business - spotting opportunities, testing ideas, and chasing results.

If you’re a traditional charity fundraiser, this probably isn’t for you. But if you’re excited by risk, growth, and pace - keep reading.

Over the past three years, we’ve bought and scaled swim events, turned others down, failed fast, and doubled our unrestricted income. We want someone who’s up for that kind of journey over the next three years too.

You’re as comfortable pitching to a corporate partner as you are writing fundraising copy, tweaking button text, or building a forecast. You can move between detail and vision, instinct and data, phone calls and spreadsheets.

You know how to deepen supporter journeys, grow fundraising per head, and develop new income streams. Bonus points if you like outdoor swimming.

About us

We’re a Founder-led charity working to solve learn-to-swim for disabled children - and we aim to do that in the next ten years.

We’ve grown our impact 5x in the past three years and now raise over £1m in unrestricted income annually through our swim events. Our events attract 5,000 swimmers and 3,000 fundraisers, and we own and operate some of the UK’s most iconic outdoor swims - including the Dart10k and Bantham Swoosh - alongside a growing series of 24-hour relays in lakes and lidos.

We’re small, ambitious, and fast-moving. Strategy and delivery happen side by side. We work on multiple projects, test constantly, and keep things flexible and responsive. You’ll need to thrive in that environment to enjoy the role.

The role

We’re all driven, and you’ll need to be too - this is a fast-paced, ambitious environment with lots of learning and change.

We’re looking for a strategic, creative Head of Fundraising to lead our next phase of growth.

Your first focus will be stewarding our 3,000 fundraisers - overseeing segmented email journeys, managing a £40k prizing fund, and improving supporter care through deeper, more personal touchpoints. That might mean calls, events, or just finding ways to help people feel more connected to their impact.

Beyond that, you'll help us develop and test new income streams - from matched giving and regular giving, to sponsorships, repeat fundraising, and post-event conversion. You'll also play a key role in evolving our Challenge Events portfolio across in-person, virtual, and blended formats.

This role requires someone with a strong track record in fundraising growth, a test-and-learn mindset, and the ambition to build something big.

Core Responsibilities

• Strategy Development and Implementation
• Develop and execute a fundraising strategy aligned with the charity's objectives.
• Identify and cultivate new fundraising opportunities to diversify income streams.
• Defining our fundraising growth strategies, specifically around our event series.

Community and Events Fundraising

• Oversee the planning and execution of community fundraising initiatives, specifically with our event fundraisers.
• Engage and mobilise volunteers and supporters for fundraising activities.

Fundraiser Care

• Customer Lifetime value / retention / regular giving.
• Build and maintain relationships with donors, ensuring effective stewardship.
• Develop and implement donor retention strategies to increase long-term support and regular giving.

Trusts and Foundations

• Working closely with our Head of Programmes to oversee our bids process, working with specialists and utilising learnings from previous years.
• Deepen strong relationships with grant-making bodies and ensure compliance with grant requirements.

Corporate Partnerships

• Manage and develop corporate partnerships and event sponsorships. 
• Develop tailored proposals and pitches to attract corporate support.

Team Leadership

• Lead, inspire, and manage a small fundraising team, fostering a culture of high performance and collaboration.
• Provide mentorship and professional development opportunities for team members for both fundraising and marketing.

Monitoring and Reporting

• Track and report on fundraising performance against targets.
• Provide regular updates to the Senior Leadership Team. 

Qualifications and Experience

• Proven experience in a senior fundraising role.
• Proven experience working on fundraising events and event fundraising.
• Demonstrable success in developing and implementing successful fundraising strategies.
• Strong track record of securing major gifts, grant funding and/or corporate partnerships.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage and inspire a wide range of stakeholders.
• Experience in digital fundraising and leveraging social media platforms.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Highly organised, with the ability to manage multiple projects and deadlines.

Optional / Ideal Responsibilities

Marketing & Comms

• Developing Level Water’s marketing and communications strategy
• Leading strategy implementation and ensuring that we’re representing our Programmes work and impact work in the best possible way to our different groups of stakeholders. 

Digital Fundraising

• Leverage digital platforms, advertising and social media to enhance fundraising.
• Implement innovative online fundraising campaigns and initiatives.

Event growth and innovation

• Understanding the mass participation event landscape and its opportunities, ideally within the swimming sector but other sports experience very welcome.

Personal Attributes

• Passionate about the mission and values of Level Water.
• Strategic thinker with a results-oriented approach.
• Creative and innovative mindset.
• Resilient and adaptable, with a positive attitude.
• High level of integrity and commitment to ethical fundraising practices.

Please send a CV and Cover Letter (which can be a 2-3 minute video) to apply.