Chief Finance Officer

Role: Chief Finance Officer
Contract: Permanent
Salary range: -100,000116,000 per annum + benefits
Working Arrangement: Hybrid (London based), with occasional travel to the Academies

An established and growing Multi-Academy Trust is seeking an experienced and strategic Chief Finance Officer to join it''s Executive Leadership Team.

This is a significant leadership appointment, with responsibility for the strategic and operational leadership of finance across the Trust and for ensuring its long-term financial sustainability, resilience and growth.

Working closely with the CEO, Board of Trustees and senior leadership team, the CFO will provide expert financial, commercial and risk leadership, ensuring strong governance and compliance while enabling schools to make the best possible use of their resources.

The role
The CFO will take a lead role in shaping the Trust''s financial strategy and supporting its continued development. This will include responsibility for 3-5 year financial planning, annual budgets, forecasting, deficit recovery planning and Integrated Curriculum and Financial Planning (ICFP).

You will provide trusted advice to the CEO and Board on financial strategy, reserves, investment, capital financing and financial risk, while ensuring robust financial controls and governance across all academies.

The role will also involve working closely with senior colleagues across estates, HR, procurement and IT, ensuring that financial considerations are embedded across the Trust''s wider operations.

Key responsibilities

• Provide strategic financial leadership and act as a trusted adviser to the CEO and Board.
• Lead medium-term financial planning, forecasting and the annual budget process across the Trust.
• Oversee ICFP and ensure staffing and curriculum structures are financially sustainable.
• Ensure robust financial governance, internal controls and risk management.
• Lead statutory accounts, DfE financial returns, external audit and internal scrutiny.
• Ensure compliance with the Academy Trust Handbook, DfE requirements, Charities SORP and company law.
• Lead and develop the central finance team.
• Oversee management accounts, financial reporting, treasury management and cash-flow forecasting.
• Lead the Trust''s procurement strategy and ensure value for money.
• Work closely with school leaders to strengthen financial literacy, budget ownership and decision-making.
• Represent the Trust with auditors, banks, professional advisers and other external stakeholders.
• Contribute to Trust-wide strategy, policy development and future growth opportunities.

About you

• You will be a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA) with substantial senior finance leadership experience, gained within a complex, Multi-Academy Trust.
• You will have a proven track record of managing budgets in excess of -15m and strong knowledge of academy or charity accounting, the Academy Trust Handbook and DfE reporting requirements. Experience of statutory accounts and external audit is essential.
• We are looking for a commercially minded and highly credible finance leader who can combine strategic thinking with strong operational delivery. You will be confident communicating complex financial information to non-finance audiences and building effective relationships with Trustees, Headteachers, senior leaders and external stakeholders.
• Experience of ICFP, MAT growth or mergers, estates, procurement or wider corporate services.