Founded in 2008, Severn Rivers Trust (SRT) is the only organisation that works across the entire River Severn catchment in both England and Wales, an area of 11,500 square miles. SRT is headquartered in Martley near Worcester, and whilst it is an independent organisation, it is also part of the wider Rivers Trust movement and is a member of both the Rivers Trust and Afonydd Cymru, the umbrella bodies for rivers trusts in England and Wales.

The Trust works closely with a range of government and private sector funders, most notably including, Environment Agency, Natural Resources Wales and the water companies operating within the catchment. SRT has generated a turnover of £1.6m in the financial year 2021 / 2022 and employs around 25 highly committed and well qualified staff, organised across the following four divisions; Operational Team, Development Team, Community Engagement Team and Finance & Administration Team.

SRT also has a trading arm, Severn Rivers Ecology (SRE). The principal activity of SRE is as an environmental consultancy, raising funds for use in SRT’s charitable work. For the year-ending 31st July 2022 SRE had a turnover of £55k. Currently, the company remains embryonic, however, there is a commitment to increase trading and grow the unrestricted funding that the consultancy generates for the charity.

Severn Rivers Trust seeks a Chair of its Finance and Risk Committee and additional Trustees with a risk management background. They will act as a critical friend to the management team, particularly the CEO.

Trustees work with the Chair and other members of the Board to determine the Trust’s strategy and ensure that it delivers on its charitable objectives and long-term mission, which include:

• Scrutinise and ensure that SRT’s finances are appropriately accounted for through budget setting, monitoring, preparation and publication of accounts and overseeing any investment decisions
• Advise the Board of Trustees on internal and external audit, internal controls and risk management
• Oversee, encourage and monitor the effectiveness of the financial and other internal controls of The Trust, on behalf of the Board
• Keep under review the internal controls and risk management systems
• Review the audited annual report and financial statements 
• Give assurance to the Board that the financial operations are being managed and operated
• Ensure the Trust’s compliance with legal duties and responsibilities, including adherence to the Trust’s Memorandum and Articles

In addition, Trustees should be willing to use their specific skills and expertise to support the Board and Senior Management Team in its decision making, and will be ambassadors for the Trust, always acting in its best interests.

The Severn Rivers Trust seeks a Chair of its Finance and Risk Committee and additional Trustees with a risk management background. They will be engaged, ensure good governance and provide support in their specific area of expertise, to assist SRT in growing its charitable influence and impact towards improving the ecological resilience of the catchment.  

Chair of Finance and Risk Committee: The successful candidate will be a qualified chartered accountant and have previously held a senior finance position at a strategic level (ideally at director level), sat on committees and will bring exposure to working with or sitting on boards. The successful candidate ideally will have knowledge of strategic charity finance, SORP reporting and charity reserves including restricted and designated funds. They will also have experience in developing and maintaining robust governance, including risk management and financial management.

Trustees: Successful candidates will have a background in risk management, change management and business leadership. Trustees will have the ability to challenge SRT’s Board and Executive, and ensure it continues to meet all its regulatory and compliance obligations, and that any decisions made are robust and any associated risks are mitigated, or significantly reduced.

The Trust is open to receiving applications from candidates seeking their first board role, as long as they are able to demonstrate their ability to manage and lead a board and build and sustain partnerships with various organisations and stakeholders.

Tony Harvey, Chair
Natasha Bradshaw (Affiliate)
John Smithson
Peter Marshall
Stuart Ballard (Affiliate)
Andrew Wedgbury
Professor Ian Maddock
Christopher Birrell
Penelope Cameron Watt
Jeffrey Olstead
Lada Stefantsova
Sid Singh
Ian Gordan

The role is unremunerated, however reasonable pre-agreed expenses may be reimbursed. There are four Board meetings and the three Finance and Risk Committee meetings, ad hoc engagement and working directly with Executive Directors. It is anticipated that most board meetings happen in person but committee meetings are currently held virtually. 

Start date for Trustees can be flexible but ideally the Chair of Finance and Risk Committee would start this autumn.

Candidates for the roles should note that whilst some trustee board and committee meetings are conducted virtually via internet conferencing, some happen face to face. This will require attendance at locations including the Trust's main offices at Martley (near Worcester) and at locations elsewhere in the Severn catchment, where there will also be opportunities for trustees to visit project sites. Candidates must be UK-based.