Head of Finance

Head of Finance Pay scale: £90,000-£120,000 As a member of the leadership team and the board, the Head of Finance will be required to provide a key leadership contribution to Navigators delivering on its strategic ambition. Within this context, the Head of Finance will provide exceptional leadership and operate as a trusted advisor on all financial and strategic matters including supporting and enabling business growth initiatives, ensuring the organisation's financial capabilities keep pace with its expansion targets. This will require the establishment of a professional, high‑performing finance function that delivers financial integrity, clarity, and discipline to underpin operational performance and sustainable growth. Acting as a trusted advisor to the Owner and senior leadership team, this role requires an experienced, independent‑minded leader with the gravitas to uphold sound financial principles and influence strategic decision‑making. The Head of Finance will build financial control, lead and develop a small but capable internal team, and set a clear standard for best practice across the organization. Combining strong governance with a collaborative approach, the successful candidate will bring structure, insight, and transparency while respecting and working within a values‑driven, founder‑led culture. This role will anchor the business financially, enabling Navigators to grow from strong foundations and achieve long‑term success. We recognise that great people may not tick every box. If you can demonstrate strength in the core areas and the ability to deliver the outcomes outlined above, we encourage you to apply. Key Responsibilities Strategic, Financial Leadership & Governance As a strategic partner to the MD and business owner, shape long‑term financial planning to support Navigators' growth and transformation. Drive revenue diversification by developing new models and expanding income sources from existing and new partnerships. Lead high‑level strategic discussions with the leadership team on financial and resource planning, forecasting and scenario analysis to ensure ongoing financial improvement and sustainability and support student growth, programme expansion and infrastructure development. Lead strategic oversight of capital planning and major development projects. Optimise the use of Navigators' physical, contracts and intellectual assets to enhance impact. Build and lead a high‑performing finance function grounded in integrity, independence, and professionalism. Serve as the financial conscience of the business, ensuring decisions align with proper standards and commercial reality. Provide objective challenge and strategic guidance to the Owner and senior team. Financial Reporting & Control Lead risk management, identifying key financial and operational risks and implementing mitigation strategies. Ensure robust contract and supplier management including procurement contracts, funding agreements and service level arrangements. Oversee accurate, timely preparation of management accounts, statutory accounts, and regulatory submissions. Standardise reporting formats, account structures, and classifications to ensure clarity and consistency. Maintain robust internal controls and compliance with UK GAAP/SME standards. Manage relationships with auditors and external advisors. Cashflow, Working Capital & Treasury Design and implement reliable cash forecasting and management systems. Establish and enforce a clear, disciplined dividend and drawings policy. Strengthen debtor management, collections, and supplier payment processes. Maintain forward cash visibility to support business continuity and investment planning. Budgeting, Planning & Financial Analysis Lead annual budgeting and reforecasting cycles, embedding financial accountability across departments. Introduce structured performance analysis and variance reporting to inform management actions. Build the internal analytical capability to deliver commercially focused insights and management information. Management Information (MI) Develop relevant, actionable MI integrating both financial and operational metrics (e.g. student numbers, growth tracker, programme performance). Present clear and consistent insights to the senior leadership and Board. Continuously refine MI to reflect business evolution and strategic priorities. Transaction & Investment Support Ensure financial systems and documentation are organised and compliant to meet due diligence standards. Lead financial workstreams in potential transactions, liaising with external advisors and stakeholders. Develop and apply appraisal frameworks for new business initiatives and strategic investments, in view of the next scalability phase. Stakeholder Engagement Foster collaborative and transparent relationships with government departments, funding agencies, audit and regulatory bodies. Communicate complex financial clearly to diverse audiences including government body members and the Board. Team Development & Leadership Strengthen and upskill the existing finance team, instilling best practice and accountability. Recruit additional capacity (e.g. Financial Analyst) as the function evolves. Foster collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement within the team and across departments. Manage a small finance team, providing clear direction, support, and performance oversight to ensure operational excellence. Skills And Abilities Strategic Financial Leadership – Ability to design and lead a robust finance function, embedding governance, accountability, and best practice. Commercial Acumen – Skilled in balancing financial control with business growth objectives, providing objective challenge and strategic insight to senior stakeholders. Technical Expertise – Strong knowledge of UK GAAP/SME standards, statutory reporting, and compliance requirements. Analytical Capability – Advanced skills in budgeting, forecasting, variance analysis, and developing actionable management information (MI) that integrates financial and operational metrics. Cashflow & Treasury Management – Proven ability to implement disciplined cash forecasting, working capital optimisation, and treasury controls. Transaction Readiness – Experience preparing businesses for sale or investment, including due diligence and financial workstream leadership. Systems & Process Improvement – Ability to standardise reporting structures, strengthen internal controls, and continuously refine processes for clarity and efficiency. Leadership & Team Development – Skilled in managing and mentoring a small finance team, fostering collaboration, transparency, and continuous improvement. Stakeholder Engagement – Strong interpersonal and communication skills to influence and build trust across a founder‑led, values‑driven culture. Resilience & Adaptability – Capacity to operate effectively in a dynamic environment, maintaining composure and clarity under pressure. Experience And Qualifications Recognised professional accountancy qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, ICAS; CIPFA strongly preferred given our public‑sector interface). Proven senior finance leadership in a founder‑led/private organisation delivering services to public‑sector education customers (schools and local authorities). Demonstrable success building finance structure and governance from a low base — establishing robust policies, controls, and management information; closing audit actions and embedding best practice. Strong technical accounting and reporting expertise under UK GAAP/FRS 102, including monthly management accounts, statutory accounts, and high‑quality MI that informs decision‑making. Commercial modelling capability: designing unit‑based pricing and activity‑driven models (not averages) to reflect variable student referral journeys; budgeting, forecasting, scenario/sensitivity analysis, and programme/site profitability. Cashflow, working capital and treasury control: disciplined forecasting, debtor/creditor management, reserves planning, and forward cash visibility to support business continuity and growth. HMRC compliance: VAT (including education‑related complexities such as exemptions/partial exemption), PAYE and payroll oversight, accurate submissions, reconciliations, and audit readiness. Governance and risk management: safeguarding financial integrity, risk identification and mitigation, and ensuring decisions align with proper standards and commercial reality. Public‑sector funding and regulatory understanding: practical knowledge of LA/school procurement, contracting, invoicing cycles, and audit expectations; able to communicate requirements clearly and meet them consistently. Systems and process improvement: standardising chart of accounts and reporting structures, strengthening internal controls, and leveraging finance/ERP tools plus Excel/BI to deliver timely, actionable insights. Stakeholder influence and communication: integrity, confidence and gravitas to challenge and support senior leaders; ability to explain complex financials to non‑finance colleagues and external partners (schools/LAs, auditors). Behaviours And Attitudes Empathy: Actively listen and understand the perspectives of colleagues and stakeholders, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. Integrity: Uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct and financial governance, ensuring decisions are principled and transparent. Resilience: Maintain composure and focus under pressure, adapting positively to challenges and driving solutions with confidence. Trust: Build strong, credible relationships through reliability, consistency, and delivering on commitments. Authenticity: Communicate openly and honestly, bringing a genuine approach to leadership and collaboration. Commitment: Demonstrate dedication to the organisation’s mission and long‑term success, going above and beyond to achieve goals. Honesty: Provide clear, accurate information and constructive feedback, even when conversations are challenging. Respect: Treat all individuals with fairness and dignity, valuing diverse viewpoints and promoting a culture of mutual regard. Declarations We aim to create and maintain a safe environment and community where all young people and adults feel safe, secure and valued. We work hard to create strong relationships and show a commitment to safeguarding all young people. Our work is classified as Regulated Activity as defined in the Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups Act 2006 (SVGA). This role will include regular contact with Children 121 or group setting. This includes those that could be classified as vulnerable and both an understanding of and experience in adhering to UK safeguarding legislation is required. Further information relating to our Safeguarding, Child Protection, Ex‑offender or Safer Recruitment policies are available upon request. All applications are assessed on an individual basis in relation to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. This post will require the successful candidate to complete our Disclosure Barring Service, Vulnerable Child and Adult register checks as well as reference checks. We may also carry out additional online searches such as social media as part of the selection process. #J-18808-Ljbffr