Head of Finance

Job summary

Are you looking for a role that contributes to making a difference and playing your part in tackling the climate and nature crisis? We have the job for you!

Forest Research is the research agency of the Forestry Commission. We operate across all parts of Great Britain, providing applied forestry science and tree-related research to the sector. Forest Research is all about giving top quality evidence and advice to policymakers and practitioners to make a positive impact on the ground. Internationally recognised, we need people who have the skills and passion to work on excellent science and provide practical solutions for nature.

We’re small enough that your voice is heard, yet large enough, as part of the Forestry Commission, that we have everything on hand to get the job done, as well as a variety of career pathways. Our staff are dedicated to their work and sharing it with others to bring positive change for our planet. We are a flexible and inclusive employer, so you can have a work life balance that is tailor-made to your circumstances. To find out more, visit Home - Forest Research

Our Finance Team is responsible for providing effective financial systems and support within Forest Research. They help us to ensure that we have the financial insight, systems, evidence and narrative needed to make confident decisions that support the successful delivery of our business operations.

Job description

The successful applicant will deliver the following key responsibilities:

Strategic Financial Insight
• Provide incisive financial analysis that translates complex information into clear insight for senior leaders.
• Apply professional accounting knowledge to develop the accounting practices in Forest Research, to ensure financial control and compliance with finance and business processes, including Public Sector Procurement and VAT accounting.
• Develop compelling financial narrative that connects resources to strategic goals and long term environmental outcomes.
• In conjunction with the Finance Director develop a robust financial strategy to provide assurance, balancing risk, value for money, corporate and strategic requirements to deliver benefit.

Financial Accounting and Reporting
• Lead in the delivery of unqualified annual accounts each year within HM Treasury deadlines, liaising with central Financial & Accounting services, Forestry Commission, Internal Audit and the National Audit Office.
• Annually review the government accounting framework and HM Treasury’s Financial Reporting Manual (FReM), to ensure that Forest Research complies with the framework and FReM.
• Liaise with internal and external audit, supporting the FD at audit planning meetings to ensure that audit are aware of existing procedures and processes as well as any changes.

Planning & Performance Reporting
• Lead on all management accounting functions in particular all aspects of budget planning and monitoring for Forest Research.
• Lead on business performance reporting and analysis in support of financial decision-making processes across the organisation to include business case and project evaluation.
• Create and provide financial system reports to ensure the transactions and balances in the accounts are adequately supported.
• Strengthen financial governance, transparency and stewardship. Lead, manage and advise on the maintenance and implementation of strong financial controls across Forest Research.

Project Finances
• Ensure resource allocation and financial controls support organisational resilience and future readiness by supporting medium and long term financial planning by reviewing and updating the overhead model.
• Lead and direct on financial aspects of research projects, to include internal and external contracts in the UK and EU/overseas.
• Review and advise on new commercial opportunities to provide assurance that they align with Forest Research requirements and not expose the business to undue risks

Continuous improvement
• Champion improvements in the quality, timeliness and clarity of financial outputs.
• Embed learning from audits, stakeholder feedback and performance reviews to drive continuous improvement and improve functionality.
• Contribute financial leadership to change and transformation programmes that improve financial capability and modernise how we operate.
• Oversee the management of finance systems and support provided to users including processes, procedures and training.
• Take a proactive approach to identifying finance and system issues that will need to be addressed and resolved as part of any change programmes.

Leadership & Team Development
• Lead, manage and develop a dispersed finance and procurement team, building capability, confidence and professional growth.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative and outward looking team culture aligned with Forest Research’s values and strategic approach.
• Encourage innovation, curiosity and problem solving across the team.
This role sits within a dynamic organisation, and responsibilities may evolve over time as we continue to develop our structures, services and ways of working. The post holder will therefore need to be adaptable and comfortable working in a changing environment.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

You will be a professionally qualified accountant with a CCAB or equivalent body and be able to demonstrate:

• Experience across a range of financial disciplines and the confidence to operate in a complex public sector environment.
• Experience in providing clear strategic advice, sound financial stewardship and strong analytical insight to senior leaders.
• Managing change in a complex operating environment by collaboration and inclusiveness, recognising the importance of working across teams and disciplines to achieve shared goals.
• Be an experienced people leader, managing effective teams to deliver high performance.
• The ability to communicate with clarity, presenting financial information in a compelling and accessible way so that non finance colleagues can make confident, evidence-based decisions.
• Comfortable influencing at senior levels and shaping discussions using a strong narrative grounded in robust analysis.

Above all, you will combine strategic thinking with a commitment to improving financial governance and capability. You will be curious, improvement driven and able to see the bigger picture, ensuring the Forest Research’s financial leadership supports long term environmental, economic and societal outcomes.

Desirable Criteria:
• A good working knowledge of Government accounting framework and HM Treasury’s Financial Reporting Manual.
• A good working knowledge of public sector procurement processes

Behaviours

We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:

• Leadership
• Making Effective Decisions
• Delivering at Pace

We only ask for evidence of these behaviours on your application form:

• Leadership

Benefits

Alongside your salary of £60,293, Forestry Commission - Forest Research contributes £17,466 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

• A Civil Service pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%.
• A range of family friendly benefits.
• An environment with flexible working options.
• Learning and development tailored to your role.
• A culture which promotes a diverse and inclusive work environment.
• A range of wellbeing benefits including discounted Civil Service Healthcare, access to an Employee Assistance Programme 24/7, Bike to Work Scheme, plus many more.
• 25 days annual leave, with 1 additional day for each year's service up to 5 years (pro rata), plus 10.5 bank holidays/privilege days (pro rata).
• Ability to buy or sell 5 days annual leave.
• 3 days volunteering leaveper year

We aim to provide a great place to work, whichever location you work from. Blended working forms part of our flexible and inclusive approach to future ways of working. It is an informal arrangement which gives you the option to work some of the week from home, and some of the week from our Forest Research main offices, subject to role requirements, business needs, and regular review. Informal blended working arrangements will be available as agreed with the line manager.

This role is full time only. Applicants who wish to work an alternative pattern are welcome to apply however your preferred working pattern may not be available and you should contact us to discuss this before applying.

Things you need to know

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 (opens in a new window) for more information on appropriate and inappropriate use.

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours and Experience.

Please apply at Civil Service Jobs - GOV.UK.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete a Civil Service Numerical and a Civil Service Verbal Test. You will need to successfully pass these to be invited to complete the remainder of the application. Civil Service online tests - GOV.UK.

Please allow yourself sufficient time to complete these. We recommend you do so as soon as possible. You should allow up to an hour for each one, they are not timed and internet access will be required for the duration of the tests.

If you successfully pass both the Verbal and Numerical tests, you will be invited to complete the second part of your application. You will be asked to:

• Complete a CV setting out your career history, highlighting specific responsibilities and achievements that are relevant for this role. Please ensure you have provided reasons for any gaps within the last two years
• Submit a Personal Statement – (limited to 500 words) explaining how you consider your personal skills, qualities and experience meet the essential criteria as outlined in the person specification
• Provide a 250 word statement for the Lead Behaviour: Leadership

We will use this information to assess your application against the essential criteria in the person specification.

Shortlist

The panel will select a shortlist of candidates whose applications best demonstrate suitability for the role, by considering the evidence provided against the Essential Criteria set out in the Person Specification. Failure to address any or all of these may affect your application.

Sift is planned to take place on 17 April 2026

Interviews are planned to take place in the week commencing 27 April 2026

Applicants invited to attend for interview will be required to prepare a short presentation. Details will be shared on confirmation of interview.

If we receive a large volume of applications, then we will sift on CV (Experience) and the Personal Statement. However, candidates will be expected to answer questions on all behaviours listed at the interview stage.

Candidates who are judged to be a near miss at interview may be considered for other positions in Forest Research which may be at a lower grade but have a potential skills match.

Diverse perspectives and experiences are critical to our success and we welcome applications from all people from all backgrounds with the experience and skills needed to perform this role.

If a person with disabilities is put at a substantial disadvantage compared to a non-disabled person, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) 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) (opens in a new window)
• 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 (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) 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 (opens in a new window).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 theCivil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window).

Apply and further information

This vacancy is part of the Great Place to Work for Veterans (opens in a new window) initiative.The Civil Service welcomes applications from people who have recently left prison or have an unspent conviction. Read more about prison leaver recruitment (opens in new window).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 : hr.services@forestresearch.gov.uk
• Email : hr.services@forestresearch.gov.uk

Recruitment team

• Email : hr.services@forestresearch.gov.uk

Further information

Our recruitment process is underpinned by the principle of appointment on the basis of fair and open competition and appointment on merit, as outlined in the Civil Service Commissioners’ Recruitment Principles. If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and you wish to make a complaint, you should in the first instance contact FR HR Services by email: hr.services@forestresearch.gov.uk you are not satisfied with the response you receive, you can contact the Civil Service Commission, which regulates all Civil Service recruitment.

Attachments

CS_Behaviours_2018 Opens in new window (pdf, 1043kB)