Head of Finance

Web Recruit Ltd; Callington, Stoke Climsland; Hybrid; GBP 42,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading environmental charity is seeking a Head of Finance to lead its financial function and operations. This role involves overseeing the finance team, ensuring sound financial management, and delivering effective financial stewardship. The ideal candidate should possess strong analytical skills, be part-qualified or fully qualified in accounting, and have experience in charity finance. The position offers a salary range of £42,400 - £46,800 FTE per annum and supports hybrid working. Apply by midnight on 14th January 2026.

Benefits

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

25 days’ Annual Leave + Bank Holidays

Additional leave for Christmas Closure

9% salary contribution to personal pension scheme

Cycle to Work Scheme

Qualifications

• Strong knowledge of charity finance, accounting standards, and compliance.
• Experience managing grants or multiple funding streams.
• Experience improving financial systems, processes, and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the finance team’s day-to-day operations.
• Ensure accurate reporting, sound controls, and reliable financial management.
• Contribute proactively to the improvement of financial processes.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Excellent communication skills

Proficiency in Xero

Advanced Excel

Education

Part-qualified or fully qualified (ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent)

Tools

Xero

Excel

Job description

Head of Finance

Contract: Permanent

Report To: Finance Director

Hours: 30 hours per week, but full time (37.5 hours) will be considered

Location: Westcountry Rivers Trust’s office is in Stoke Climsland, and whilst we have adopted hybrid working, there is an expectation to work from the office on a regular basis and to travel to sites across the delivery area.

Westcountry Rivers Trust is recruiting a Head of Finance. This is a permanent contract after a successful 6-month probation period.

The starting salary for this role is £42,400 - £46,800 FTE per annum; this will be pro rata for 30 hours per week (dependent on experience).

Benefits of working for Westcountry Rivers Trust

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 25 days’ Annual Leave + Bank Holidays, with a reward for long service - an additional 1 day per year for each year worked over 5 years, up to a maximum of 30 days for employees serving 10 years continuous service
• Additional leave covering the Christmas Closure period
• WRT contributes 9% of salary to a personal pension scheme (following a three-month postponement period), plus Life Assurance cover
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Hybrid & Flexible Working

Apply by midnight on 14th January 2026 with a CV and Covering Letter.

Interviews will be held in person at our offices in Stoke Climsland on Thursday 29th January 2026.

About the Westcountry Rivers Trust

Formed in 1994, the Trust was established to restore Westcountry rivers. Measures to protect rivers can help to save money for farmers, lower costs for water companies, boost tourism, reduce the need to dredge estuaries and even benefit human health.

Today, the charity works with a wide range of stakeholders to restore and protect the rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal areas for the benefit of people, wildlife and the local economy. There has never been a more important time to work on the rivers of the West Country, as the impacts of the climate emergency and the ecological crisis are forcing society to invest in building catchment resilience.

About the Role

Reporting directly to the Finance Director, the Head of Finance plays a central role in delivering a highly effective and well-governed finance function for the Trust. Acting as the FD’s second-in-command, the role provides leadership across a wide variety of financial and project-related activities, ensuring strong financial stewardship, consistent performance, and clear strategic insight.

As part of Westcountry Rivers Trust, this role sits at the heart of a successful and values-driven environmental charity leading a diverse portfolio of innovative conservation and river restoration projects. It offers the opportunity to support meaningful, high-impact work that is helping to protect and improve the natural environment across the region.

This role oversees the finance team’s day-to-day operations, ensuring accurate reporting, sound controls, and reliable financial management across both core operations and funded projects.

With responsibility for coordinating complex financial workflows and multiple concurrent priorities, the Head of Finance brings adaptability, an exceptional eye for detail, and the ability to work calmly and effectively under pressure.

The Head of Finance also contributes proactively to the ongoing improvement of financial processes, systems, and working practices—driving enhanced efficiency, transparency, and operational effectiveness across the Trust.

Person Specification

• Highly professional and level-headed, fostering a collaborative approach across teams.
• Honest, transparent, and consistent communicator, articulating challenges calmly, assertively, and in a balanced manner to build trust and engagement.
• Ambitious and results-driven, striving for excellence in personal performance and team development, with the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Proactive and solution-focused, identifying issues early and tackling them effectively before they escalated.

Knowledge and Experience

• Strong knowledge of charity finance, accounting standards, and compliance.
• Experience contributing to financial planning, reporting, and analysis.
• Experience managing grants or multiple funding streams.
• Experience with subsidiaries, inter-company transactions, or charity trading operations.
• Experience improving financial systems, processes, and reporting.
• Knowledge of procurement processes and NEC contracts.

Skills and Competencies

• Strong analytical, organisational, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency in Xero and advanced Excel.

Qualifications

• Part-qualified or fully qualified (ACCA, CIMA, or equivalent).

The above are Essential criteria unless indicated as Desirable.