Chief Financial Officer and Company Secretary

The James Hutton Institute is Scotland’s pre-eminent interdisciplinary scientific research institute operating at the forefront of transformative science for the sustainable management of land, crop and nature resources that support thriving rural communities in Scotland and across the globe. With a community of 500 employees and over 100 PhD students in Dundee, Aberdeen and three research farms, the Institute is also the host for the Plant Sciences Department of the University of Dundee. Recently awarded c£62 million as part of the Tay Cites Region Deal to develop a Crop Innovation Centre, the Institute will next year be investing a further £8 million in a world-class, state of the art, Just Transition hub to continue its impressive contributions to the region and wider global scientific research. Through its subsidiary company James Hutton Ltd., the Institute already contributes to and collaborates with industry.

This is a hugely exciting time to be joining James Hutton Institute and your task as a key member of the senior management team will be to build on recent successes to develop further whilst navigating through the currently challenging external environment. Key elements of this strategic management position will include the development of new business operating models, increased commercial activity plus the re-shaping and modernization of the organization’s professional services. Combining financial stewardship with commercial activities and company secretarial responsibilities your role will be pivotal in ensuring the Institute’s long-term financial and organizational success. Managing teams of high-quality professional staff, you will be responsible for wide-ranging professional services that include finance, research support, procurement, legal, campus services and IT and will be expected to effectively combine both strategic and operational management responsibilities. A strategic advisor to both executive and non-executive functions, you will also be expected to manage relationships with varied external partners which include government, education, research, industry and other UK & international collaborators.

The successful candidate will be a clear strategic thinker, and a professionally qualified accountant with extensive successful management experience of equivalent services in large and complex multi-site organisations. You will also have proven experience of developing and delivering successful financial strategies and have delivered significant financial change and transformation. Responsible for managing a broad range of professional services, you will also ideally have experience of company secretarial duties and have delivered major capital programmes. An appreciation of and empathy with the purpose and values of a scientific research institute is essential; along with an ability to effectively balance commercial and more academic imperatives.

As a technical expert you will also possess excellent interpersonal skills and be able to work collegiately with all internal and external partners.

To find out more about this exceptional opportunity with one of the world’s leading research institutes please contact our recruitment consultant Alan Walter, Dixon Walter Ltd on 07876 766972, email alan@dixonwalter.co.uk or visit https://www.dixonwalter.co.uk/opportunities/james-hutton-cfo/ .

The closing date for applications is Sunday 9^th February, with preliminary interviews with Dixon Walter from Monday 10^th February and final interviews at James Hutton Institute the week commencing 10^th March.