Career Opportunities

The South East Rivers Trust (SERT) is a busy, charitable organisation, consisting of approximately 40 employees and 10 Trustees, working across the rivers in the South East of England. Our rivers flow through a mixture of urban and rural locations, benefiting people’s wellbeing and pleasure, which we want to protect and enhance. We work to improve our rivers through education and practical conservation; we are looking to actively grow our team to deliver practical work, to improve water quality and to enhance natural beauty for all.

SERT is made up of five teams, running about 60 projects at any one time. We work with multiple stakeholders, from landowners to councils, delivering a wide range of environmental benefits. By joining us, you will have an exciting opportunity to use your skills, experience and passion to make a real impact on our natural world by running your own projects, while working as part of a team. You will be making a real difference to rivers and the wider environment in this corner of the UK. Most roles offer the chance to not only plan and monitor changes in our rivers, but also to be hands on — getting into the water and physically improving the ecosystem. We operate a hybrid working policy with most staff attending the office in Leatherhead once a fortnight, working from home and outdoors in our catchments.

Benefits you will enjoy if you work for us:

• 25 days annual leave, plus bank holidays. After three years’ service, staff receive an extra day of annual leave each year (maximum of 28 days).
• Hybrid working
• Pension contribution of 9% salary, subject to 6% employee contribution
• Life assurance (3 times your  annual salary when signing up to the SERT pension scheme).
• Time off in Lieu
• 4 staff awaydays per year
• Flexible bank holidays
• Enhanced leave policies including sickness, maternity and paternity
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Wellbeing team, with trained Mental Health First Aiders

Commitment to career development and training, including but not limited to:

• Individual career development plans
• Attendance at external training and conferences relevant to role
• Internal training relevant to role
• One personal development day per year
• Access to resources and training via affiliated memberships

If you don’t see a vacancy that you feel is suitable for you listed below but would like to explore the opportunities at the South East Rivers Trust, please send us your CV and contact details to jobs@staging.southeastriverstrust.org. A member of our team will be in contact with you. Please note, all CVs and applications are kept on file for six months.

Take a look below at the jobs available at the South East Rivers Trust.

• Finance and Grants Assistant

  Salary:  £26,423-£29,203  FTE   (£15,854-£17,522  pro rata)

  Hours:  Part-Time 22.5 hours (0.6FTE) To include Monday and Thursday

  Bring your environmental passion for rivers to life!

  Are you an enthusiastic finance professional who prides themselves on their attention to detail and excellence?  Would you like to work with the finance team for a charity who is invested in improving and making a real difference to our rivers here within the south east of England, which hosts some of the rarest chalk streams on the planet?

  About The Role

  We have an exciting opportunity to join the South East Rivers Trust’s Finance and Operations Team.  We are a small dynamic team, sitting at the heart of the organisation. The role reports directly to the Finance Manager and will provide support in administering all financial controls and processing for the organisation.  The successful applicant will come from a financial background with a strong understanding of financial principles, an accounting qualification and proficiency in Excel.  They will have experience in bookkeeping, reconciling accounts as well as dealing with banking, grant applications and expenses.

  The role would suit an individual, who is approachable and organised, with excellent attention to detail, able to work on their own or as part of a team.  The role involves liaising and following up with all teams to ensure the data provided is accurate and timely, to support grant applications, payments and audit requirements.

  To be successful, they will need to be able to multitask, be proactive and have excellent communication skills, following up and advising staff across all teams.  They will need to have a positive attitude, and willingness to assist the whole team with other administrative tasks as and when required.  This role is predominantly working from home, with at least one day per week working in the office in Leatherhead.

  This is a part time position (0.6 FTE) to include Monday and Thursday.  There may be a requirement to pick up additional hours to support with busy periods.

  About Us

  The South East Rivers Trust (SERT), is the river restoration charity for the South East of England. Our vision is that rivers across the south east are clean, healthy and rich in biodiversity. Our mission is to restore and protect rivers and their catchments against multiple threats and a dramatically changing climate. We do this by:

  • delivering evidence-based and nature-based solutions on land and in rivers;
  • inspiring and empowering more people to protect rivers for the future.

  Working at SERT is rewarding, fulfilling and busy. We work collaboratively and with passion, and this is reflected in our core values of: delivering high quality work, using expertise and scientific understanding, building good and effective relationships, and bringing positive energy to all we do. With rivers and catchments needing serious action to survive, our aims are growth and impact – so you’ll be comfortable with challenges and excited by change. If this sounds like an environment that you would thrive in, we would love to hear from you.

  Please see the full Finance Assistant Job Description for more information.

  How to apply: 

  Please send the following documents to jobs@staging.southeastriverstrust.org :

  • Your CV
  • a completed  SERT Application for Employment
  • Equality and Diversity Monitoring Form (optional)

  The deadline for application is 11:59pm on Wednesday 4^th December 2024.  We reserve the right to close the recruitment early.

  Interviews will take place week commencing 9^th December 2024.

  If you would like to discuss the position please email jobs@staging.southeastriverstrust.org  with your enquiry and we will arrange to call you back.

  Please note: All applicants must have the right to work in the UK. We do not sponsor applicants from overseas.

Equity, diversity and inclusion

At SERT, we are committed to offering equal opportunities and positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of age, sex, race, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital/civil partnership status, or pregnancy and maternity. We use a redacted process to reduce unconscious bias during shortlisting and ensure all applicants are judged solely on merit. Our equal opportunities monitoring forms helps us understand the diversity of applications we receive and are analysed on an annual basis.

SERT offers flexible working options to support everyone as individuals. Please get in touch if you require assistance with the application and/or interview process and our team will do the best to accommodate reasonable adjustments, where possible. For more information, please refer to our EDI Policy

Privacy notice

When submitting your application to us, it is important you are aware of what will happen to your personal data after the position is filled. Please read our Applicant GDPR Notice.