Finance Business Partner in Sandy

The RSPB is one of the UK’s most respected conservation charities for the conservation of birds and nature. As an RSPB employee, you will be helping to save nature every time you come to work. If you have a passion for nature and conservation this could be your ideal role, there’s never been a more important time to protect our wildlife and wild places.

We are seeking an excellent qualified accountant to join our Financial Planning and Reporting team, as a Finance Business Partner, supporting colleagues in the UK Countries Directorate more specifically for England (though you do not need to live in England). This is a key role working directly with our conservation delivery and our reserves network areas, all with individual characteristics and skills requirements.

What's the role about?

As a Finance Business Partner you will work proactively with senior colleagues to provide an added-value service of financial support to our UK Countries Directorate. In addition to a strong management accounting background, you will understand the difference that can be made through strong business partnering relationships and be confident in building those relationships. You will gain the respect and confidence of the colleagues you support through strong communication skills (written and oral) and your ability to constructively challenge ideas and plans. You will add value through gaining an intimate understanding of the Directorate that you partner, together with contributing to business performance and the requirements of the finance function with the charity's need. You will be a fully qualified accountant with up-to-date technical knowledge and a desire to progress in your profession. We will want the successful candidate to influence change and use their skill set to further drive the organisation's objectives forward. You will also be comfortable working under pressure, to tight deadlines, and interacting with people at all levels within the RSPB.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Fully qualified accountant (ICAEW, ACCA, ICAS, CIMA, or equivalent professional body)
• Sound knowledge of technical accounting legislation
• Ability to act as a critical friend to senior management balancing challenge and support.
• Develop effective working relationships that influence and challenge senior management teams, so that the role of the Finance Business Partner is an integral and valued part of the organisation
• Ability to influence decision makers through sound logic, diplomacy and assertiveness, with the ability to convey appropriate financial messages to various audiences
• Ability to evaluate incomplete and complex financial information, to develop and consider a range of possible options and make a judgement as to the recommended course of action
• Excellent communication (written and oral), coaching, mentoring, presentation and training skills
• Ability to ascertain financial trends and calculate the impact of them on the organisation under various scenarios
• Working in cross-functional teams to provide transformational advice on new initiatives, investment appraisals/organisational restructures/matters of risk and control design effective mitigation strategies, in order to support effective decision making
• Build capability and knowledge in managers so that they can effectively manage their budgets through effective financial information, support and advice
• Working with all finance teams, to implement new Finance initiatives, ensuring the highest level of customer service and procedures are continuously reviewed so that the service is business focused in the delivery of objectives with an expert knowledge of your client area

We're looking for a qualified finance professional who can bring strong business partnering skills and transferable experience to the role. Experience of financial forecasting, organisational change, coaching non-financial colleagues, annual accounts preparation or working within the charity sector would be beneficial. However, if you can demonstrate the essential skills and experience and are motivated to apply them within a conservation charity, we'd love to hear from you.

Additional Information:

This is a Full-Time Perm role for 37.5 hours per week. The role is a hybrid position that will require travel in the UK including to the UKHQ Finance Department in Sandy Bedfordshire, and to attend meetings in the support of your team, department and directorate.

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 upload a CV and complete a short application form. In the cover letter section please explain employment history and how you meet the set criteria above. Your application will be assessed by our panel on how you meet the criteria. Contact us to discuss any additional support you may need to complete your application.