Head of Finance

Head of Finance

Contract: Permanent
Report To: Finance Director
Hours: 30 hours per week, but full time (37.5 hours) will be considered
Location: West country 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.

West country 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).

• Employee Assistance Programme (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.

For queries about this role or the application process, please contact the Recruitment Team.

Formed in 1994, the Trust was established to restore West country 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 from landowners to local communities, businesses, farmers and water companies 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. Spurred by a shared love of rivers, the West country Rivers Trust is very much a grassroots organisation, brought into existence from the bottom up.

In the early 90s, a group of individuals, passionate – but concerned – about the waterways around them, began to stitch together their ambitions for restoring West country rivers, laying the foundations for the Trust we know today. Everything the Trust does is informed by the best available science. Their work is driven by an ‘ecosystems approach,’ considering the function of the entire catchment, not just the rivers that flow within them.

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. The Head of Finance 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.

• Support the Finance Director in ensuring the financial security of the Trust.
• Provide regular reports and updates to the Finance Director on the status of Trust‑wide projects.
• Provide financial analysis to support organisational planning.
• Assist in overseeing the preparation of grant claims (for…