Head of Finance

Could this be your next role? We are looking for a new Head of Finance to lead financial strategy at scale and influence decisions at the highest level at one of the UK's most respected conservation charities.

Head of Finance
Reference: AUG20259208
Location: Flexible in UK – With regular Travel to HQ in Sandy, Bedfordshire
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full-Time, 37.5 hours per week
Salary: £70,490.00 - £80,025.00 Per Annum
Benefits: Pension Scheme, Life Assurance, 26 days annual leave

This is an exciting opportunity for a finance leader reporting to the Director of Finance, who can balance strategic vision with operational delivery, ensuring the finance function operates with agility and remains fit for purpose, providing well-informed financial decisions, transparency that are aligned with effective corporate governance. Striking this balance will be key to your success as Head of Finance.

What's the role about?

You will be accountable for a functional specialism covering the main RSPB charity, its subsidiary companies, and connected entities. This high-impact role is responsible for leading the development and coordination, of our financial controls and compliance across the RSPB, providing detailed, insightful financial analysis that supports the delivery of the RSPB’s strategic objectives.

With income and expenditure of around £200m annually, and a new finance system covering financial operations and systems integrations, you will bring proven expertise in managing large volumes of transactions, managing financial controls, running audits, and dealing with complex tax and contracts issues, leading the Financial Operations, Financial Control and Finance systems teams.

You will be a finance professional who not only brings strong technical expertise and experience but also demonstrates a clear commitment to our values and a collaborative approach to leadership. You will have the credibility and emotional intelligence to influence, engage and build trusted relationships both across the organisation and with external partners.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Qualified accountant, with at least 5 years post qualified experience.
• Outstanding analytical skills to understand complex financial performance, see the underlying major issues and strong communication skills to convey this in a simple and powerful
• Excellent knowledge of financial standards ,UK GAAP (FRS102), IFRS.
• Proven leadership and people management skills, able to develop team members for high performance and build a positive culture
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to present, influence and represent the functional specialism at all levels
• Collaboration skills to build partnerships, navigate politics and manage conflicts
• Business management skills to understand strategy, business functions and decision-making
• Ability to evaluate incomplete, complex and large volumes of financial information, to develop and consider a range of options and make a recommended course of action
• Proven ability to translate strategy into action, developing programmes, prioritising and leading change
• Highly competent user of Microsoft office in particular Excel

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Knowledge of the charity sector and the frameworks within which we work, including Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP)

Additional Information:

• This role is home based with the requirement to regularly travel to our UKHQ in Sandy, Bedfordshire (expected to be once per month) plus occasional travel to other locations as required (overnight stays may be necessary).

Closing date: 23:59, Friday 19th September 2025
We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from week commencing 29th September 2025.

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.

This role will require completion of the standard pre-employment checks.

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.

The RSPB is an equal opportunities employer. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

As part of this application you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete a short form. In the cover letter section of the form you will have the opportunity to explain how you meet the criteria set above. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.

No agencies please.