About the Westcountry Rivers Trust

Formed in 1994, the Trust was established to restore Westcountry rivers. Measures to protect rivers can help to save money for farmers, lower costs for water companies, boost tourism, reduce the need to dredge estuaries and even benefit human health.

Today the charity works with a wide range of stakeholders from landowners to local communities, businesses, farmers and water companies to restore and protect the rivers, lakes, estuaries and coastal areas for the benefit of people, wildlife and the local economy. There has never been a more important time to work on the rivers of the West Country as the impacts of climate emergency and the ecological crisis is forcing society to invest in building catchment resilience.

Spurred by a shared love of rivers, the Westcountry Rivers Trust is very much a grassroots organisation, brought into existence from the bottom up. In the early 90s, a group of individuals, passionate – but concerned – about the waterways around them, began to stitch together their ambitions for restoring Westcountry rivers, laying the foundations for the Trust we know today. Everything the Trust does is informed by the best available science. Their work is driven by an ‘ecosystems approach,’ considering the function of the entire catchment, not just the rivers that flow within them.

It was this new perspective – not to mention the hands-on and tireless approach to river restoration – that grabbed the attention of so many supporters and funders, and which lies behind the flourishing rivers trust movement. Since then, the Trust now has circa 75 employees with an annual turnover of c£3m running multi-annual projects spread across a wide range of funders.

The Trust has three main delivery teams and a support services team. Our employees work on delivery sites, from home, and from the office.

About the Role

This role plays a key part in delivering efficient and effective administrative support, primarily to the finance team, but for the benefit of the whole Trust.

It primarily acts as administrative support for the Project Finance Officers, including the preparation of claims for our EU-funded projects. The role also welcomes contributions towards the continued improvement of administrative processes and the ways we work to support the Trust and its staff.

With a genuine can-do attitude and a willingness to help colleagues, the role demonstrates strong administrative skills in a multi-task environment, with exceptional organisation skills and a good standard of literacy and numeracy. The individual needs to be an effective communicator and demonstrate a professional manner when dealing with Trustees and external individuals.

As an instrumental member of the charity’s finance team, this individual works collaboratively, is proactive, and shows confidence and initiative, ensuring smooth and reliable administrative support for the Trust’s finance, and project-funded activities.

Responsibilities

Project Finance

Support the finance team in preparing project claims by assisting in the project master sheet compilation and collating all necessary supporting documentation.
Compile monthly expense and salary defrayal evidence packs for project claims.
Ensure all timesheets are reviewed and approved by Project Managers and Supervisors on COREtime, meeting monthly deadlines.
Ensure all expense claims are approved by Project Managers on COREtime in line with monthly deadlines.
Generate timely monthly timesheet reports from COREtime for use in project claims.

Core Finance

Support the core finance function by analysing purchase invoices and posting them to the Xero accounting system as required.
Maintain accurate records of donors and associated Gift Aid information.

Other

Assisting the Finance team with ad hoc duties as required.
Providing a full back up to the Office Administrator; covering reception duties if needed such as answering calls and coordinating deliveries.

Person specification

Essential Criteria:

Able to work accurately and methodically, with strong attention to detail when required.
Proficient in Microsoft Excel and Word, with a willingness to develop skills further.
Capable of managing own workload effectively and meeting deadlines consistently.
Strong written communication skills, including drafting letters, emails, and managing professional correspondence.
Effective oral communication and interpersonal skills, demonstrating a professional and approachable attitude.
Able to work independently with minimal supervision, as well as collaboratively within a team.
Resilient and able to remain calm and focused under pressure.
Experience in an administrative role within a multi-task environment, managing competing priorities effectively.

Desirable Criteria:

Strong knowledge and proficiency in Microsoft Office applications, with advanced skills in Excel.
Experience and competence in using Xero accounting software.

Benefits

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) 25 days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays, with a reward for long service - an additional 1 day per year for each year worked over 5 years, up to a maximum of 30 days for employees serving 10 years continuous service Additional leave covering the Christmas Closure period WRT contributes 9% of salary to a personal pension scheme (following a three-month postponement period), plus Life Assurance cover Cycle to Work Scheme Hybrid & Flexible Working

Project Finance Administrator