Overview

Head of Finance role at RSPB. Flexible in UK with regular travel to HQ in Sandy, Bedfordshire. Permanent, full-time position (37.5 hours per week).

This role reports to the Director of Finance and balances strategic vision with operational delivery, ensuring the finance function operates with agility and remains fit for purpose, providing well-informed financial decisions and transparency aligned with effective corporate governance.

Base pay range

Salary information is provided by RSPB. Your actual pay will be based on your skills and experience — discuss with your recruiter to learn more.

Role and responsibilities

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

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

You will bring strong technical expertise and experience, plus a commitment to RSPB values and a collaborative leadership approach. Build credibility and emotional intelligence to influence, engage and build trusted relationships 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 and communicate insights clearly.
• Excellent knowledge of financial standards, UK GAAP (FRS102), IFRS.
• Proven leadership and people management skills; ability to develop team members and foster a positive culture.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills to present, influence and represent the functional area 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 and recommend actions.
• Proven ability to translate strategy into action, develop programmes, prioritise and lead change.
• Highly competent user of Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience

• Knowledge of the charity sector and frameworks such as SORP.

Additional information

• This role is home-based with regular travel to UK HQ in Sandy, Bedfordshire (approximately once per month) and occasional travel to other locations as required (overnight stays may be necessary).

We are looking to conduct interviews from the week commencing 29 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 requires completion of standard pre-employment checks.

We are committed to developing an inclusive and diverse RSPB. We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds and encourage applications from people of colour and disabled people, who are underrepresented in the environment, climate, sustainability and conservation sector.

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

No agencies please.

Seniority level

• Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Full-time

Job function

• Finance, Accounting/Auditing, and Management

Industries

• Non-profit Organizations and Environmental Services