Director of Finance

One of the top independent schools in the country has an opportunity for a Director of Finance.

We are seeking an exceptionally talented, dynamic and experienced individual who will be a strategic business partner to the executive leadership team, to deliver financial sustainability and to direct the financial resources of the School to optimum effectfor students, staff and board of governors.

You need to be agile and resourceful with an ability to work within a complex stakeholder environment, a track record in delivering financial sustainability across a multi-million-pound business and driving commercial growth. In our context, this will meanensuring that they have a sustainable infrastructure, finances and resources needed to unlock the academic and personal potential of the group.

You will need to be forward thinking and extremely comfortable working collaboratively with other senior leaders to drive the high performance of the organisation. We would expect that you have a real and genuine pride in excellence and an unwavering commitmentto achieving success. You will inherit a strong and high performing finance team and will be expected to drive effectiveness and efficiency across the service in the pursuit of excellence, maintain high professional standards and a positive customer experience.

Key responsibilities:

- Lead, manage and develop the finance strategy and financial function in partnership with the Executive, ensuring full compliance with the requirements for effective financial governance and prudent management of funds.
- Lead, manage and monitor Financial KPIs in line with sector-specific benchmarks and report variances to the Executive and Governing Body.
- Lead on the design, development and delivery of financial and budgetary policies, protocols and process to enable leaders to make informed and effective decisions based on real time financial information.
- Drive a culture of continuous improvement, embed best practice, promote shared learning and ensure robust quality assurance arrangements in place across the finance function.
- Financially lead and manage the capital investment, special projects and commercial finances of the group; drive growth, development and innovation; secure best value for money, aggregated benefits and efficiencies as a beacon of excellence in the sector.
- Lead the design, development and delivery of a clear and coherent commercial procurement strategy, focused on sourcing, category management and supplier management frameworks. working collaboratively with colleagues and external providers to ensure bestvalue for money.
- Lead, manage and deliver the commercial strategy, undertaking financial modelling and analysis of demand and need for products and services within the organisation, contributing to the development of a deliverable business model.

More detailed responsibilities:

- To manage the year end process, ensuring that year end timetable deadlines are met, and year end statutory accounts are free from material errors.
- To oversee the production of the annual statutory financial statements and consolidated accounts ensuring that all charity, legal and financial obligations are met.
- Overall responsibility for working capital management (cashflow forecasting, debtor management).
- Understanding the key income and cost drivers to allow budgets, forecasts and sensitivity analysis to be undertaken to inform decision making by the COO, Heads and the Governing Body.
- Reporting on key capital and infrastructure projects.
- Ensure that an appropriate professional development programme is provided, and appropriate job specific training is provided for all members of the team.
- Ensure annual staff development reviews are undertaken.
- Oversee established data protection and data management regimes (GDPR compliance etc).
- To oversee the management of financial and non-financial risk, driving through planned upgrades to proven risk management regime.