Finance Director up to £100,000 pa 

Shaftesbury/ Sherborne, Dorset Remote and hybrid working

Main Job Purpose

Elite Finance Recruitment are seeking a strong calibre Finance Director to work with a client who operate within the educational sector. The role will report to the CEO, therefore we are seeking a qualified accountant with experience at a strategic FD/CFO level and who is able to project manage a new financial strategy and budgeting system.

Main responsibilities and duties

Key Responsibilities.

-Provide strategic leadership for all financial aspects of the organisation

- Develop and implement a financial strategy to position the trust to deliver its vision and values

-Develop and embed a culture of excellent financial management within the trust, managing the transition to a more aligned and centralised model within the trust

-Review all structures, policies and processes to ensure they are fit for purpose and meet the requirements of the organisation to deliver the financial strategy.

-Provide advice and expertise to the CEO and Board of Trustees on all financial matters, in order to provide effective oversight of performance, risk management and the financial health of the organisation.

-Introduce, monitor, evaluate and manage the GAG settlement and allocation to schools in the trust , making recommendations on investment to facilitate sustainable growth and development.

-Own the budgeting process for the MAT: setting key assumptions for school; overseeing the budgeting process within member schools; creating and managing the centralisation budgets and ensuring the consolidated budget is in line with expectations of the CEO and Trustees.

-Develop and own a rolling 5-year financial projection for the Trust, including projections for schools, central budgets, due diligence for joining schools and MAT forecasts (including management of the reserves policy)

-Provide advice, accessible financial information and support to stakeholders in financial and budgetary matters ensuring they meet legal requirements and follow best practice.

-Work in partnership with the Head of Business Operations to identify fundraising, income generation and grant application opportunities.

-Work closely with the Head of Business Operations to ensure procurement procedures are effective and securing VFM for the Trust

-Carry out all financial tasks commensurate with the role of Company Secretary (whilst working in partnership with the Governance manager).

Statutory obligations and reporting.

-Ensure the MAT is compliant with legal requirements in respect of all accounting processes and practices, public sector finances, HMRC regulations and the Academies Financial Handbook.

-Have overall responsibility?for the production of?the annual accounts for audit.

-Ensure all statutory and non-statutory financial returns for internal and external use are completed in an accurate and timely manner.

Financial Control

-Ensure the production of monthly management accounts for the schools and the MAT and promptly highlight anomalies and trends via accessible and accurate financial information and meaningful commentary.

-Ensure the reconciliation of all MAT schools control accounts monthly, review other accounts and calculate monthly journals.

-Ensure that the production of reports and accounts for sub-accounts and additional accounts are completed (as required).

-Ensure regular review of cash-flow

-Ensure that in-year budget revisions are processed accurately and promptly.

-Oversee the setting of the annual budget at each MAT school through the Curriculum Led Financial Process (CLFP) process.

-Challenge service leads to provide value for money service provision

-Work with the CEO to ensure the Scheme of Delegation is aligned to the Trust Financial strategy and procedures and controls

-Attend and prepare reports for trustee sub-committee meetings and the main Board meetings (as required).

-Manage the internal and external audit process.

-Implement operational best practice to drive excellent and effective financial management

-Draft specification and lead tender processes for the procurement of any financial services contractor.

-Review and challenge performance of financial services contractors against service level agreements.

- Ensure all stakeholders are trained to understand internal financial controls, processes and responsibilities.

Estates and Facilities

-Work in partnership with the Head of Estates to manage to financial aspects of the estates plan and facilities programme.

-Co-ordinate, in partnership with the Head of Estates, the production and monitoring of the School Condition Allocation (SCA) grant funding formula capital expenditure.

-Ensure the maintenance of a fixed asset register across the Trust.

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Commercially astute and have exceptional analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make decisions based on accurate and appropriate analysis.
• Flexible in managing,planning and executing daily, weekly, monthly workloads in a busy environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to influence and build relationships at all levels whilst working within a complex and multi-sited organisation
• Have excellent customer focus and a commitment to delivering high-quality services

Qualifications and previous experience.

• Preferably educated to degree level or equivalent and ACCA and/or CIMA (or equivalent) qualified.
• Over five years' experience in a similar strategic financial leadership role.
• Extensive experience of effective budgetary and risk management and forecasting, delivering management and financial accounts gained in a 'hands on' role.
• Experience of leading successful teams, preferably across multi-site organisations with a proven track record of making and implementing essential change.

Please apply with your CV to Rachael Terry for more information on the role.