Finance Director

Rothamsted Research Ltd.; St Albans, North Devon; On-site; GBP 70,000 - GBP 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A premier research institute is seeking an exceptional Finance Director to join their Executive Team. The role involves shaping and delivering long-term financial strategy, ensuring sustainability and resilience while leading financial operations. Ideal candidates should be CCAB qualified with extensive experience in financial leadership and governance. The role offers the chance to influence the institute's future and includes a competitive salary and benefits such as 30 days annual leave and a generous pension scheme. The closing date for applications is 13 March 2026.

Benefits

30 days annual leave

Generous pension scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Free parking

Positive work-life balance

Qualifications

• Substantial post‑qualification leadership experience in complex organizations.
• Proven ability to influence, negotiate, and collaborate at senior levels.
• Commitment to inclusivity, collaboration, and integrity.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of the Institute’s long-term financial strategy.
• Provide financial insight to the Executive Team and Board.
• Drive integrated financial planning across the Institute.
• Lead end-to-end financial planning cycle, including budgeting and forecasting.

Skills

Extensive senior‑level financial leadership experience

Expertise in financial planning and strategy

Understanding of governance and financial controls

Ability to influence and negotiate

Leadership in finance and procurement

Education

CCAB qualified

Job description

Overview

We are seeking an exceptional Finance Director to join our Executive Team at a pivotal time in the institute’s development. Reporting directly to the Director and CEO, this is a strategic, influential leadership role responsible for shaping and delivering our long‑term financial strategy—ensuring the institute’s sustainability, resilience, and continued support of world‑class scientific research.

As Finance Director, you will work in close partnership with the Executive Team, the Board, and key external stakeholders. You will lead our finance, procurement, and grants functions, ensuring that resources are aligned to institutional priorities and that robust governance underpins all financial operations.

This role offers the opportunity to make a profound impact on the institute’s future, driving financial excellence, strategic clarity, and operational effectiveness in a unique scientific environment.

About You

The successful candidate will be CCAB qualified with substantial post‑qualification leadership experience. You will have:

• Extensive senior‑level financial leadership experience within complex organisations (e.g., research, higher education, public sector, not‑for‑profit).
• Demonstrable expertise in financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, modelling, and long‑term strategy.
• Strong understanding of governance, financial controls, audit, risk, and statutory reporting requirements.
• Proven ability to influence, negotiate, and collaborate at senior levels internally and externally.
• Demonstrable leadership experience in finance, procurement, and/or grants environments, with a focus on continuous improvement and talent development.

Our ideal candidate will bring a strong commitment to Rothamsted's mission and values and will actively champion our philosophy of inclusivity, collaboration, integrity and respect. A proven ability to lead change and drive performance improvement initiatives across finance operations, together with outstanding interpersonal and communication skills.

Key responsibilities

• Leading the development and execution of the Institute’s long‑term financial strategy, ensuring financial resilience and sustainability.
• Providing authoritative financial insight to the Director/CEO, Executive Team, and Board, enabling high‑quality strategic and operational decision‑making.
• Driving integrated financial planning across the Institute, ensuring alignment between research objectives, operational needs, and available resources.
• Leading the end‑to‑end financial planning cycle, including budgeting, forecasting, financial modelling, cashflow management, and performance reporting.
• Providing strategic and operational leadership for the Finance, Procurement and Grants functions
• Executive collaboration and Institutional support
• Governance & External Stakeholder engagement

Benefits and Opportunities

This is an exciting opportunity to shape the financial future of the institute, delivering world‑leading science with real global impact. You will join a collaborative Executive Team and lead talented finance professionals dedicated to supporting cutting‑edge research and organisational excellence. We offer a competitive salary and an attractive benefits package including 30 days annual leave, Christmas closure, a generous pension scheme, Employee Assistance Programme, free parking, a campus offering cultural and recreational activities and positive work‑life balance.

Additional Details

We welcome applications for both interim and permanent appointments. While the role is designed as full‑time, we are open to considering part‑time arrangements (minimum three days on site) for an exceptional candidate.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

Closing Date: 13 March 2026

About The Company

Established in 1843, Rothamsted Research is one of the UK’s leading Research Institutes delivering world class agricultural science. Our commitment to learning and development, equality, diversity and inclusion and flexibility in working arrangements creates a positive work life balance and enables a welcoming environment for all prospective employees.

As a Disability Confident Employer we are committed to making reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process and all disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview. If this is required, please contact us. Applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion or age are welcomed, providing the required criteria is met.

We have an attractive benefits package including 30 days annual leave, a generous pension scheme, Employee Assistance Programme and an attractive campus offering cultural and recreational activities.