Forestry Commission
Chief Financial Officer
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Chief Financial Officer
The role is based out of our Bristol office with the option of hybrid working
Job Summary
We are now seeking a Chief Financial Officer to join our Board and Executive Team. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive, this is a broad and influential leadership role, combining strategic financial stewardship with responsibility for shaping organisational performance, commercial growth and long-term sustainability.
We’re looking for an experienced and values-led executive who combines strong financial and business expertise with a collaborative leadership style. You will be a qualified accountant with a track record of operating at senior leadership level, developing successful teams and influencing organisational strategy. You will bring commercial insight, strategic judgement and the ability to lead through change. Most importantly, you will share our ambition to create lasting value for people, nature and future generations.
This is a rare opportunity to join one of England’s most distinctive organisations at an important point in its development. If you are excited by the prospect of combining strategic financial leadership with environmental and social impact at scale, we would be delighted to hear from you.
Job Description
Key Accountabilities
- Leadership of financial strategy, financial planning and an active leadership role on driving growth, value for money, audit, financial management and control, long term financial and strategic investment planning, best practice commercial procurement and contract management.
- Ensuring financial integrity, accountability and all statutory requirements are met, advising the Accounting Officer (Chief Executive) on all matters of financial probity, fraud, statutory compliance all within public sector accounting requirements, including consolidated budgeting guidance and managing public money.
- Being a strategic partner to the Chief Executive, through a period of change and increasing scrutiny of business performance and intent to grow commercial acumen.
- Oversee annual Forestry England budget planning and implementation, and preparation of the longer-term financial trajectory, ensuring that the organisation's target of achieving financial sustainability remains on track.
- Working with the Chief Operating Officer, to drive trading business improvement and growth, consider investment appraisals and ensure that Forestry England is efficient, providing excellent value for money and public benefit, with the management information to inform decision making.
- Taking responsibility for the development of outstanding management and external financial reporting, providing accurate, comprehensive, yet succinct and coherent, information that complies with all regulatory needs.
- Represent Forestry England in the wider Forestry Commission corporate services and systems change project.
- Oversee the relationship where Forestry England provides resource services to other parts of the Forestry Commission ensuring continuing development of the service, and financial compensation.
- Leading change in pursuit of strategic objectives in addition to influencing, encouraging innovation, ensuring high-quality delivery, and sharing best practice across Forestry England and the wider Forestry Commission.
- Building strong, progressive relationships, within and beyond Forestry England, working closely with other FC Group Finance Directors and members of the Forestry Commission Executive Board, as well as wider stakeholders and internal and external auditors.
- Inspire colleagues to secure new funding streams from all sources, including close working with the Forestry Commission’s Chief Finance & Corporate Officer to secure (Defra) funding both in year and for future periods.
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Person specification
It is important that, through your CV and supporting statement, you provide evidence of the professional skills, breadth of experience and personal qualities for this post.
Essential Criteria
- A relevant financial qualification (qualified CCAB or CIMA accountant) with senior, practical post-qualification experience.
- Evidence of developing and supporting business growth.
- A track record of building and leading high-performing teams, by developing capability and creating an inclusive culture.
- Evidence of high-quality abilities in analysis, synthesis and evaluation to inform strategic direction and optimise resource efficiency.
- Experience of driving continuous improvement across highly specialised functions for organisations of comparable scale and complexity.
- Experience of using customer and stakeholder insight to develop services, increase commercial acumen and growth, and sustain a dynamic high performing culture.
- A good communicator with an ability to develop and sustain constructive relationships with Board and other senior-level stakeholders in challenging situations.
- The ability to strategically lead a range of resource functions and be an inspiring member of the leadership team of a complex organisation.
- Experience of financial system change and implementation
- A strategic thinker with the ability to support at an operational finance level when necessary.
- Living our Values of Think Beyond A Lifetime; Be Adventurous; Do It Together; and Look Out And Look After.
Desired criteria
- An enthusiasm for the environment or land-based enterprise such as forestry, land management or outdoor commercial leisure.
- Experience gained across different business sectors.
- Experience of working with land assets, property, visitor attractions, green finance, or another relevant sector.
Salary and Benefits
Alongside your salary of £95,000, Forestry Commission contributes £27,521 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
- Learning and development tailored to your role
- An environment with flexible working options
- A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
- A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn and internal candidates may be subject to disciplinary action. Please see our candidate guidance for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.
Selection process details
Application Process
To Apply, Please Include The Following
- Your full CV.
- A Supporting Statement outlining your motivation for applying and how you meet our requirements, using the key aspects within the Person Specification as the basis for this. We would suggest up to 2 sides of A4 in length.
Please apply by sending your CV and Supporting Statement to exec@morgan-law.com
Reasonable Adjustment
If you have a disability and wish to discuss any reasonable adjustments that we might be able to make to assist you in applying for this post, please contact James Stephens by email - jamesstephens@morgan-law.com
Timeline
- Closing date for applications is at 11pm on Wednesday 14th October
- Notification of outcome by Wednesday 28th October
- Virtual interviews with Morgan Law on Monday 2nd & Tuesday 3rd November
- Virtual coffee/chat with Forestry England Chief Executive w/c 16th November
- Interviews with Forestry England, in Bristol on Monday 23rd November
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Queries
Thank you for your interest. If you have any queries, please contact James Stephens at Morgan Law by emailing exec@morgan-law.com
Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.
Role Details
This role has a minimum assignment duration of 3 years. An assignment duration is the period of time a Senior Civil Servant is expected to remain in the same post to enable them to deliver on the agreed key business outcomes. The assignment duration also supports your career through building your depth of expertise.
As part of accepting this role you will be agreeing to the expected assignment duration set out above. This will not result in a contractual change to your terms and conditions. Please note this is an expectation only, it is not something which is written into your terms and conditions or indeed which the employing organisation or you are bound by. It will depend on your personal circumstances at a particular time and business needs, for example, would not preclude any absence like family friendly leave. It is nonetheless an important expectation, which is why we ask you to confirm you agree to the assignment duration set out above.
Security
Successful candidates must undergo a basic (or equivalent) criminal record check.
People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard checks.
Nationality requirements
This Job Is Broadly Open To The Following Groups
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
Further information on nationality requirements
Working for the Civil Service
The Civil Service Code sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles.
The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.
Diversity and Inclusion
The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy.
This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans initiative.
Once this job has closed, the job advert will no longer be available. You may want to save a copy for your records.
Contact point for applicants
Job Contact
- Name: jamesstephens@morgan-law.com
- Email: jamesstephen
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