Essex Wildlife Trust are the county’s leading conservation charity, committed to protecting wildlife and inspiring a lifelong love of nature; and we would love you to join our committed and enthusiastic team. Our values are Impactful, Collaborative, United and Proactive.

As the Trust’s senior expert in charity finance, the Finance Director has overall responsibility for ensuring robust financial practises at the Trust, driving the development and implementation of long-term financial strategies, and ensuring the delivery of all relevant objectives and targets as set out in the Trust’s strategic planning processes.

This role is responsible for leading the development of key functions within the Finance & Systems directorate, including: Finance; Risk and Compliance, including Health and Safety; IT and Data; Systems; Procurement; Governance; Business Continuity; and Facilities Management.

Taking ownership of the Trust’s financial performance and the overall financial literacy of the organisation, the postholder helps ensure ongoing financial sustainability, recommending remedial action if this falls below agreed budgets, and driving the delivery of the Finance Strategy for the Trust, ensuring proper controls are in place.

As a member of the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT), the Finance Director contributes to the strategic direction of the organisation, working closely with the Board of Trustees, and acting as a trusted advisor to the CEO, senior colleagues, and Trustees, providing specialist expertise.

A key aspect of the role is to scrutinise and evaluate the financial performance of the Trust, reporting progress against strategic objectives and ensuring that the organisation is delivering against its charitable objectives and fulfilling requirements of the Charity Commission.

The role requires a professionally qualified accountant with substantial senior financial management experience in charity accounting and financial regulation, complemented by management qualifications or equivalent experience. Proven track record in leading financial functions in complex organisations is essential, as is a deep understanding of compliance, governance and risks in the charitable and conservation sector.

The post holder must have experience in IT, data and systems transformation, leading high-performing, multi-disciplinary teams, and executing business transformations to align operational work with strategic aims. 

A full job description and person specification can be found in the 'role information pack'.

To make an application, please complete an online application form on our website by 12:00 noon on Wednesday 24 July 2024. Please note, there will be two rounds of interviews with first week commencing 12 August 2024.

Please note, the successful applicant will be subject to a Standard level DBS check.

Essex Wildlife Trust is committed to an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone is welcome. As a conservation charity, we know how important diversity is, both in our natural world and amongst the people we employ. We want everyone to feel valued and empowered to contribute to our vision of “A county rich in wildlife with people connected to nature”.

As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to offering an interview to anyone with a disability that meets all the essential criteria for the post. Please let us know if you require any adjustments to make our recruitment process more accessible.