Senior Financial Accountant

Job Description

This is an excellent opportunity to join our busy Finance team and develop your skills in one of the UK’s leading conservation charities.

We are looking for a strong technical professional, whose financial expertise and specialist knowledge are a given. The main purpose of the role is to provide technical financial accounting support, with a focus on, but not limited to taxation matters: VAT, gift aid and corporation tax, to ensure that RSPB and its related group entities comply with a range of regulatory and external stakeholder reporting requirements. This role also requires you to be able to work collaboratively across the organisation to influence, lead and support change programmes that translate RSPB’s strategies into clearly defined priorities and outcomes.

What's the role about?

You will be part of a team of professionals reporting to the Financial & Treasury Controller. You will also be part of a team giving the insight and support needed to deliver complex cross organisation change programmes.

Your key responsibilities will be:

• Managing all areas of tax compliance including VAT, Gift Aid and corporation tax;
• Be the point of contact for internal advice regarding tax compliance;
• Lead on the policies, communication and training of taxation matters across the organisation;
• Involvement in the preparation of the Trustees’ Report and Accounts (including subsidiary and related entities); This involves co-ordinating input from the wider Finance team as well as liaison with the Communications and Corporate Governance and Risk teams to provide an integrated narrative that clearly articulates RSPB’s impact and the challenges it faces. Assistance with process improvement work and the development of a framework of accounting policies and internal financial control and provide practical advice and interpretation consistent with these policies and controls;
• Financial analysis and technical reporting.

With income of over £150m per annum and 1.2 million members the RSPB combines worldwide charitable impact with a substantial commercial operation. The scale and diversity of the operation gives scope for this role to make a significant impact on the delivery of RSPB’s work as well as the opportunity for major personal development.

Essential skills, knowledge and experience:

• Fully qualified accountant with an interest in taxation
• Good working knowledge of the rules, regulations and standards in respect of tax legislation (VAT and Gift Aid), particularly for the charity sector.
• Good working knowledge of the rules, regulations and standards in respect of financial reporting (Accounting standards and company law) particularly for the charity sector.
• Ability to analyse, interpret and communicate financial data.
• Ability to communicate financial information to both a finance and non-finance audience.
• Experience within a medium sized organisation (Income £50m+) of preparing reports/returns for external stakeholders including Tax returns (VAT, Gift Aid and corporation tax), Annual Reports and Annual Returns (Charity Commission, Government agencies)

Desirable skills, knowledge and experience:

• Advanced knowledge of MS Excel
• Experience of accounting software within a medium sized organisation
• Experience of communicating with HMRC and other regulatory bodies
• Experience of communicating with internal and external stakeholders including auditors, trustees and directors

Additional information:

• The role can be hybrid within the UK however you may be periodically required to attend our HQ finance office at RSPB HQ in Sandy, Bedfordshire.
• This role may require some travel within the UK.
• This role may require some overnight stays away from home.
• The RSPB works for a healthy environment for all and we therefore expect you to take action in accordance with our Environmental Policy and objectives. Together we can make a positive difference for our world.
• In the RSPB, volunteers are a major resource and make a vital contribution to the RSPB’s aim to take action for the conservation of wild birds and the environment. Employees are responsible for encouraging, developing and supporting volunteers in their work for the RSPB.
• Support for obtaining taxation qualification can be considered

This is a Permanent Full Time role for 37.5 hours per week. We are looking to conduct interviews for this position from w/c 20th February 2023. For further information please contact mary.redmond@rspb.org.uk

As part of this application, you will be asked to provide a copy of your CV and complete an application form where you will have the opportunity to tell us how you meet the criteria set above. If you wish to provide a cover letter with your application, please include this at the end of your CV document upload.

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

Please note that we will be actively recruiting for this role and reserve the right to close this vacancy should sufficient applications be received.

Before applying for this role, we recommend reading through the candidate guidance notes attached to the top of this advert