Chief Financial Officer Appointment Brief December 2025
Welcome Thank you for your interest in the role of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at Barnwood Trust. We are looking for a strategic, pragmatic, constructive, determined, developmental and commercially-minded leader who will help us on the next stage of our journey. This is an exciting time to be joining the Trust. Barnwood has developed significantly over the last decade or so and now has a great platform in place to push on and drive positive social change. Our work matters and we make a real difference, but, of course, there is much more to do, as well as many current challenges to face and tackle in the world. There is a significant and important opportunity here, given our resources, relationships, staff team and emerging track record. I was appointed CEO in August 2025 with a mandate to oversee the co-creation and development of the next phase of our strategy, organisation and impact, with and for disabled people, people with mental health conditions and our wider communities across the county and beyond. The role of CFO will be critical: leading and refining financial stewardship and governance, ensuring resources and investments deliver ever more missionaligned impact, and further developing our finance, operations, data, HR, investment and governance systems and functions to ensure we become an ever more cohesive, efficient, impactful, agile and innovative organisation.
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As the CFO, you will lead the Supporting Operations Team, working closely and collaboratively with the Leadership Team and Board of Trustees. You will enjoy taking ideas, emerging strategy, possibilities and aspirations and turning them into clear and efficient development both in the organisation and on the ground in our communities, working well with and through people and networks. You will also need to be comfortable, proactive and confident driving change, quality and impact - internally and externally; and possess the personal skills, care, inquisitiveness, experience, heart and acuity to manage and develop staff, culture and governance systems and processes so that they are the very best they can be. This is a rich, rewarding and exciting opportunity for a forward-looking leader who can steward the Trust’s resources and financial assets, drive organisational improvement, help shape Barnwood’s future and therefore make long lasting positive change happen on the ground. It will be a real pleasure to work with you and we look forward to hearing from you. Matt Little Chief Executive Officer
Our Vision Gloucestershire will be a better place when disabled people and people with mental health conditions are equal, empowered and their rights are upheld.
Our Purpose To act as an agent of social change, working alongside disabled people and people with mental health conditions to create that change.
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About us Barnwood is an independent charitable Trust. We get millions of pounds of funding out into the county every year. But money is only part of the story. We join with the people, communities and organisations in Gloucestershire’s disability and mental health movement creating change so that disabled people and people with mental health conditions have choice of opportunities, access their rights, and are included where they live.
What do we do? We investigate the long-term, complex issues and barriers faced by disabled people and people with mental health conditions. We share research, develop projects, and run campaigns to influence the change that’s needed. We partner with
local organisations, involve people with lived experience directly in our work, and look for better ways to invest and fund. Barnwood Trust was set up over 200 years ago. Today, we are not your typical funder, and we don’t work in isolation. Learning and collaboration run through everything we do. We bring people together for a different conversation and we explore big ideas. We listen and add clout where we can, to help make changes happen - always pushing for equity and inclusion and making a difference in the life of the county.
Our goals Disabled people and people with mental health conditions across Gloucestershire….
Have choice of opportunities that meet their hopes and passions.
Are included and involved in their communities and the places where they live.
Access their rights and see positive change on disability issues.
You can read more about our work here and in our latest Annual Report here.
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Strategy Barnwood is an independent charitable foundation and seeks to use this independence and its place-based focus, the breadth, depth and longevity of its relationships across the county, and its close working relationships with disabled people and people with mental health conditions, to make a real difference and to address systemic issues. We want our financial assets to reflect the organisation that we are and the change we wish to make.
This approach has led us to allocate our capital across different geographies, covering global, UK and local, and different levels of impact but always through the lens of disability, mental health and neurodiversity. The CFO will have oversight of the whole spectrum of capital, ensuring it meets the Trust’s aims, and be responsible for overseeing the management of its sustainable and enhanced / impact sustainable investment portfolios, working with the Trust’s investment manager, Goldman Sachs.
Spectrum of Capital - Impact Alignment Enhanced/ Impact Sustainability Sustainable c£70m
£10m
Focus on Targets leaders sustainability in ESG and and minimising sustainability conflicts with charity objectives Market rate returns
Market rate returns
Impact Investment
Social Investment
Funding
£5m
£3.5m
£5.5m p.a.
Impact Driven Aligns to headline Impact Aims
Impact First Aligns to Impact Aims and Objectives
Market rate returns
Low financial returns and fund recycled
Impact Leads on Impact Aims, sets Objectives and Strategy No financial returns
The impact investment and social investment ‘buckets’ are managed internally, with deployment of these funds and resource requirements to do so currently under development. The CFO will be integral to this continued development, working with the Head of Funding and Influencing to ensure alignment with the Trust’s future funding strategies.
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Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement We continue our journey on diversity, equity, inclusion, social and racial justice; this is a crucial and central part of making positive lasting changes in and through our work. We still have a way to go but, with expertise and support from The Better Org (TBO), the work is moving forward. TBO undertook an internal review and engaged with key Barnwood stakeholders to build an overall picture of how people experience Barnwood from a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) point of view. TBO observed a range of challenges and reflected these back to us. They noted that we had made good progress on DEI, with a focus on inclusion and forming strong relationships, particularly around disability and mental health, but more emphasis on race equity and intersectionality is needed for wider change.
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Cross-team groups work on the areas identified by TBO - looking at how other organisations put ideas into practice, to come up with top priorities for us to focus on and create our next phase DEI plan. Trustees have also committed to taking forward the TBO findings and recommendations and seeing them through into practical change in our organisation and on the ground. We are determined to do more in this area over the next few years, our plans are emerging and you can read more about our DEI journey in this recent blog: www.barnwoodtrust.org/blog/dei-andsocial-justice-at-barnwood/
Our Values and Culture At Barnwood, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace where everyone feels valued and respected.
We believe that diversity drives innovation, creativity, and positive change - enabling us to amplify our social impact together. As a values-driven organisation, we care very much about the work we do and we are deeply connected to it in a range of personal ways. Many of our staff and Trustees having lived experiences of disability, mental health and neurodivergence. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including people of different ethnicities, faiths, abilities, and life experiences. If you share our vision for an inclusive future, we would love to hear from you. For information about some of our accessible and inclusive onboarding processes at Barnwood visit our website.
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Finances Barnwood relies on its investment portfolio to generate financial returns to deliver its work. We work on a total return basis and seek a financial return of CPI+4% over a 5-year time frame. In 2024, our total income was £3.1million of which £2.9 million came from investment income. Expenditure during this period was £8 million, with the net expenditure of £4.8 million being offset by investment gains during the same period. Total reserves at the end of 2024 were £94 million, of which £92.1 million are held in investments. You can read more in our latest Annual Report.
Leadership Team
Organisation Chart Chief Executive Officer
Head of Funding & Influencing
Chief Financial Officer
Finance & Operations Manager
Head of Engagement & Insights
Executive Assistant
Supporting Operations Team
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Role Description Chief Financial Officer Salary: £75,000 per annum
Location Office based in Cheltenham with occasional opportunities for home working.
DBS Barnwood Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of disabled people and people with mental health conditions and expects all employees to share this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to several employment reference checks and a basic DBS check provided by the Trust.
Purpose
About the role
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The Chief Financial Officer (CFO) reports to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and is a member of the Leadership Team. The Leadership Team (LT) works collectively to deliver the Trust’s mission and impact.
Play a key role in the leadership of the Trust supporting and developing effective governance, strategy, policy and operations, shaping how the Trust stewards its assets, builds internal capacity/effectiveness/efficiency and lives out its values.
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Ensure effective, efficient and innovative use of financial resources, investments and capital assets to deliver mission aligned impact and value.
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Act as a key organisational integrator, connecting finance, operations, data, HR and investment to create a coherent and effective whole across the Trust.
The Chief Financial Officer has direct line management responsibility for the Finance & Operations Manager and Executive Assistant; and beyond them a team of people in the Supporting Operations team. This team ensures that Barnwood is a wellrun organisation with aligned financial, operational and data practices. The CFO is involved in direct reporting to the Board and has a close working relationship with committee chairs and Treasurer.
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Key Responsibilities Corporate leadership and vision
Governance, legal and risk
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Help strengthen and modernise governance practices, enabling constructive challenge, accountability and learning across the organisation.
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Ensure that strategies, policies, controls and scheme of delegations are appropriate, approved by the Board with regular reviews in place, and acted upon.
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Lead on the development and implementation of forward-looking, proportionate risk management strategies for both strategic, financial and operational risk across the Trust.
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Ensure that the Trust complies with changes in legal and statutory requirements, accounting standards and recommended good practice of the Charity Commission.
Support the CEO and Board in developing and delivering the Trust’s strategy, leading on financial and investment elements and ensuring organisational alignment to strategic priorities.
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Grow, develop and maintain good relationships with key stakeholders.
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Keep informed of relevant developments in policy and legislation and ensure the Trust maintains compliance and best practice.
Planning, management and reporting •
Propose, set and oversee the management of the annual budget, medium term forecast and reporting for the Trust, within the context of the Trust’s purpose, vision and financial strategy.
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Develop and oversee our annual delivery planning process.
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Build effective and strategic approaches to budgeting, financial literacy and use of resources aligned to impact and value across the team.
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Provide regular and appropriate reports on the Trust’s progress towards achieving and implementing the strategic objectives and plans.
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Ensure the Trust’s values and management practices are highquality, fair, modern and consistently implemented.
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Strategic development and oversight of financial and investment strategy •
Lead the further development and delivery of the Trust’s long-term financial and investment strategy, ensuring it is appropriate and underpins the Trust’s financial sustainability, seeking approval at regular intervals by the Board.
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Work closely with external investment managers to ensure the Trust’s investment strategy reflects the Trust’s purpose, vision and values and work to achieve approved investment targets.
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Ensure effective, best practice and consistent accountability, learning, impact tracking and communications mechanisms are in place in relation to financial and investment reporting. Work with LT colleagues to ensure the Trust’s overall approach to investment (including social and impact investment) is as coherent as possible with funding strategy and social change work.
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Work with trustees and LT to develop effective long term partnerships to increase the value, impact and quality of our investments and innovative work in this area.
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Steward the Trust’s endowment and financial assets responsibly for long-term sustainability and intergenerational benefit.
Development and oversight of other key aspects of ‘Supporting Operations’ •
Oversee our overall approach to data, technology, platforms and AI, and support the transition to datadriven decision making, including development of accessible dashboards and metrics.
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Lead colleagues in the Supporting Operations Team to ensure our workplace and community facility at Overton House creates positive social and environmental value.
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Oversee HR and people development systems across the organisation.
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Ensure procurement and contract management processes are sound and applied well.
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Support environmental responsibility through operational practices and plans so we can contribute more proactively to a just transition.
Lead, manage and develop function team •
Lead and develop the Supporting Operations Team, which includes Finance, Facilities, HR, Legal, IT, Data and Governance, ensuring the team is equipped to deliver its work.
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Drive change management across this team, as appropriate, to ensure that the Trust continues to deliver value for money, impact and effectiveness.
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Support, empower and develop the team through constructive leadership, honest feedback and clear developmental goals.
General •
Demonstrate integrity, respect and collaborative leadership in line with the Trust’s values — building strong relationships and modelling the behaviours we expect across the organisation.
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Support involvement of lived experience in organisational direction and decision-making.
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Ensure the Chief Executive is kept informed of all important matters related to the work of the Trust.
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Maintain confidentiality at all times and ensure compliance with the Trust’s Information Governance Policy and suite of related policies and procedures.
Safeguarding and welfare •
Adhere to Safeguarding guidelines by following the Trust’s Safeguarding policy and processes, escalating concerns to the Safeguarding Leads via the Safeguarding concern form. Share learning and best practice at Safeguarding drop-in sessions.
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Person Specification Commitment to disabled people and people with mental health conditions •
Commitment to social change for disabled people and people with mental health conditions, development in communities that enables this and that creates wider benefit for all, and to working alongside people with a range of lived experience in shaping organisational direction.
Education and training •
Educated to a graduate level
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Chartered accounting or equivalent financial qualification (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA).
Knowledge and experience •
Experience in developing and implementing long-term organisational, financial and governance strategies, with a focus on operational improvement and effectiveness.
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Proven success in leading and developing teams and driving positive organisational and cultural change.
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Experience in driving transformation initiatives and managing change effectively.
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Proven track record leading the finance and operations functions of a similarly complex organisation.
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Experience in stewarding financial assets, reserves or endowments for long-term sustainability and innovative impact. Demonstrated knowledge and experience of relevant financial
Appointment Brief | 2025
management systems and risk management. •
Experience working with or within a charitable foundation, public benefit organisation, mission-driven institution or purpose-led business.
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Excellent organisation skills, with extensive experience in project and program management, and a proven ability to plan, organise, and lead the implementation of organisation-wide plans and processes.
Skills •
Strong aptitude for making sound decisions under pressure, with ability to diagnose problems quickly and foresee potential issues.
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Strong self-awareness, enabling the establishment and maintenance of excellent working relationships with a wide range of people using tact, diplomacy and sensitivity.
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Strong line-management skills, able to support, empower and develop staff to do their best work.
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Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to produce clear, concise and compliant reporting for Board and stakeholders.
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Confidence in reporting to governancerelated Committees and Board.
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Capacity to manage a large and varied workload, establishing priorities and meeting deadlines.
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Strong data and digital literacy, with the ability to use modern tools and systems to support insight, efficiency and decision-making.
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Creativity, flexibility, adaptability and ability to innovate for improvement.
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Ability to build data-informed culture and promote evidence-based decisionmaking.
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Full driving licence.
Work approach and behaviours •
A collaborative and values-driven leadership style, with integrity, respect and sensitivity in working with others.
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Ability to prioritise, manage complexity and remain calm and resilient in periods of change.
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Willingness to challenge constructively, innovate, and support continuous organisational improvement.
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You will be a strategic, modernising leader who brings financial expertise alongside curiosity, openness and the ability to help the organisation evolve confidently.
Benefits •
36 days holiday including bank holidays per annum.
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Life Assurance (3 x Salary)
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Pension Contributions (10% for employer and 3% for employee)
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Employee Assistance Programme
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How to Apply To apply for the role, please upload your CV together with a supporting statement (of no more than 1000 words) onto the Prospectus website via the link below. Please ensure that you have included a telephone number, as well as any dates when you will not be available or might have difficulty with the recruitment timetable. If you wish to apply using an alternative format, please contact Prospectus on 020 7691 1920 or email executive.admin@ prospect-us.co.uk For guidance on formulating your supporting statement, please review our guide How to Write a Cover Letter for a Charity Leadership Role. Applications via the Prospectus website should be made at: https://prospect-us.co.uk/job/193672
Barnwood Trust are a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability (this includes mental health or long-term health conditions) and have the essential knowledge, experience and skills as outlined in the Person Specification, we will offer you an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme. At Prospectus we believe passionately that a truly inclusive workplace leads to increased social impact. We are committed to supporting our clients build more inclusive teams. To understand how we are performing, we ask that you kindly complete the brief equal opportunities questionnaire when you submit your application via our website. Please be assured that your responses are kept confidential, separate from your candidate record, are not part of any application you make, and that the consultants never see individual responses to the questionnaire.
Recruitment timetable
Queries
Deadline for applications: Sunday 1st February 2026, Midnight
If you would like to have an informal conversation about the role, please contact our retained partners:
Interviews with Prospectus: w/c 9th February 2026
jane.ray@prospect-us.co.uk or
Interviews with Barnwood Trust: 2nd-5th March 2026
tammy.stewart@prospect-us.co.uk
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