Head of Finance - Sherbourne Recycling

Who is Sherbourne Recycling?

Sherbourne Recycling is an arm’s length company owned by eight local authorities in the West Midlands.

The company was established in 2021 to build and operate a state-of-the-art Materials Recycling Facility (MRF) in Coventry on behalf of its eight local authority shareholders. The facility provides a flexible and future proof recyclate management solution, able to adapt and flex to changing waste composition and legislation, producing high quality valuable recycled materials through utilisation of technologies such as robotics, AI, and optical sorters.

By producing a high quality recyclate, Sherbourne and its partners are able to offload the materials to UK- based partners as opposed to overseas, contributing to the circular economy.

Company Vision:

Sherbourne is committed to shaping a sustainable environment, leaving as small a footprint on the environment as possible. The facility is the most advanced of its kind in the UK, with built in future proofing to give flexibility to adapt to changing waste composition and legislation. Sherbourne is the future of the recycling industry in the UK and is working with companies far and wide to educate the rest of the industry on best practice for recyclate management solutions.

Position Summary:

We are looking for a Head of Finance to step into a leadership role within our finance team, overseeing group accounts, budget setting and all other related finance matters including managing a small team.

Responsibilities & Duties:

• Working collaboratively with the MD, Board and other stakeholders to create and execute a financial business vision which delivers profitable revenue growth.
• Oversee and set departmental budgets, in collaboration with the budget holders, to ensure the financial stability and sustainable economic growth of the business.
• Coordinate year-end activity including closing and publication of accounts, annual audits etc.
• Advise on inter-company arrangements, tax planning, transfer pricing etc.
• Lead and support the Management Team in achieving operational financial objectives and delivering the organisation’s commercial strategy.
• Seek continuous improvement and efficiency savings to maintain a lean, responsive business which is commercially viable and customer focused.
• Provide effective input into the development of an overall business vision & strategic plan and staffing and resource structure.
• Working collaboratively with the Business Development Director to develop and implement an effective commercial development strategy.
• Support activities across the business which positively affect the Operational and Business Development aspects of the business vision and strategic plan.
• Promote a culture which encourages staff to identify potential savings and reduce waste.
• Take an active part in the continual identification and application of schemes and practices to reduce strategic risks and improve business performance and efficiency to include IT infrastructure and functions, statistical monitoring and evaluation, and insurances.
• Ensure company compliance with financial standards, requirements and conditions, as defined by appropriate regulatory bodies, and ensure all associated policies and practices are adhered to.
• Delivering accurate and timely reporting as required to the Managing Director, Leadership Team & Board.
• Apply affective communication practices to ensure the organisation’s vision, values and other key information are shared effectively and appropriately with all team members.
• Support a culture which encourages information sharing and constructive feedback at all levels to improve service and systems.
• Provide coaching and development opportunities to staff, to enhance their skills, and provide opportunity for further development.
• Invest adequately in both formal and informal training, to embed a culture of continuous development and improvement for the service and individuals.
• Demonstrate an innovative and creative approach to making decisions to solve problems and achieve required outcomes.
• Support and champion communication and encourage involvement, feedback and courteous challenge.
• Lead on the development of policies and processes which support service delivery, empower managers and supervisors within the organisation and promote excellent service as the norm.

Personal Qualities:

• Improvement focus - driven to improve, constantly looking for opportunities that can lead to financial and commercial benefits.
• Team culture – Understanding the importance of every team member to the overall performance of the plant, working in a collaborative manner, empowering all departments to contribute to the wider goal of performance excellence.
• People focused management – Having the capacity to build positive relationships with all team members, providing and encouraging quality and timely feedback in a manner that builds engagement and commitment to the values and goals of the team.

Benefits Package:

• Circa £60,000 - £85,000 (depending on experience and level of responsibility)
• Salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Annual leave - 30 days, growing to 35 after 5 years’ service
• Electric vehicle scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• Personal development and training opportunities
• Life assurance @ 3 x salary
• Critical Illness @ 3 x salary
• Sick pay
• Health Cash Plan
• Private Medical Insurance
• Income Protection

Work hours are 37.5 hours per week, Mon-Fri.

Ref: J9395

Application form