Head of Finance

We have an exciting opportunity to lead Bradford College's Finance & Procurement function as Head of Finance.

The Head of Finance is accountable for the overall provision of Finance, Payroll and Procurement functions across Bradford College.

The Head of Finance is responsible for setting and achieving targets in relation to systems, for the development and growth of all technical areas of the college and the compliance with financial reporting regulations.

Responsibilities include:

• Supports the design and implementation of the Finance plan across the College
• Responsible for the co-ordination and consolidation of budgeting and the 3-year financial plan, as part of the business planning process
• Ensures the provision of an efficient and effective internal control framework including financial regulations, payroll, policies and procedures
• Implements tight governance and control and continuously improves all financial and payroll processes
• Supports the design and implementation of the Procurement strategy across the College
• Leads procurement activity and ensures statutory and financial obligations are met and efficiencies achieved in line with the Value for Money (VfM) strategy, public sector (MPM, managing public money) and procurement regulations.
• Leads all financial transaction processing in relation to College assets and liabilities including ledgers, cash receipts and payments, bank accounts, debt recovery, credit control and payroll
• Ensures all income and expenditure (capital & revenue) is properly controlled and reported
• Treasury management to ensure adequate working capital is in place and where there is excess cash it is invested appropriately
• Defines the Finance departmental budget and meets and exceeds all targets
• Implements a centralised procurement and purchasing service designed to maximise the value of strategic sourcing and deliver added value
• Responsible for fixed asset management, project support and business process re-engineering
• Leads tendering and contract negotiations to ensure the effective supervision and monitoring of third-party suppliers
• Provides financial information to underpin decision making across the College, and provides required statutory returns to stakeholders (DfE, Bank, HMRC etc.)
• Production of monthly management accounts and quarterly financial forecasts

For the full job description and person specification, please

The Ideal Candidate

Our ideal candidate will be learner and quality-focused with a commitment to our vision of working together to transform lives. You should be able to contribute to our journey to Outstanding, creating a positive working and study environment, and, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion should be embedded within your core values.

We particularly encourage applications from candidates who identify as Black, Asian or from an ethnic minority background, as these groups are currently underrepresented within our management roles.

Education & Training

• CCAB qualified Accountant or similar
• GCSE 4 – 9 or equivalent level 2 qualification in Maths or be prepared to pass a test before the interview to demonstrate level 2 ability and then if appointed achieve within an agreed timescale
• GCSE 4 - 9 or equivalent level 2 qualification in English or be prepared to pass a test before the interview to demonstrate level 2 ability and then if appointed achieve within an agreed timescale

Experience

• Post qualification experience in a similar sized organisation
• Experience of developing and administering appropriate financial systems
• Experience of production of management accounts for senior management
• Experience of budget setting and financial planning
• Experience of procurement
• Experience of contract negotiations and supplier management
• Experience of working with internal and external auditors

For an informal discussion about the role, please email

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early depending on the level of interest and number of applications so early application is advised.

RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

We kindly request that recruitment agencies do not forward any unsolicited CVs in relation to any of our advertised roles or speculatively. If we require support with any of our vacancies we will get in touch with agencies directly.

• We do not recognise submissions of unsolicited or speculative CV applications from recruitment agencies.
• We shall not be liable for any fee /commission in the event we employ a candidate that may have been submitted as an unsolicited/speculative application from an uninstructed recruitment agency.

Bradford College

At Bradford College, our ambition is to transform the lives of our learners, help them to aim higher and support them to achieve their goals.

Located in the heart of Bradford, we offer a wide range of courses at varying levels, with something to suit everyone. Undergraduate to postgraduate and professional qualifications to distance learning and short community courses.

We aim to attract and retain knowledgeable, passionate and focused individuals who can inspire, motivate and support both learners and colleagues. With a can-do attitude and desire for continuous self-improvement, you could make a difference in the lives of everyone at Bradford College.

Benefits of working at Bradford College:

• Generous annual leave entitlement – equivalent to 30 days of holidays, plus bank holidays
• Additional college closure days, including 2-week Christmas closure
• Local government pension scheme, with a generous 18% employer contribution
• Annual salary reviews
• Career progression opportunities – 54% of all vacancies are filled internally
• Free sports and gym facilities
• Free wellbeing initiatives and access to our exclusive staff indoor and outdoor wellbeing space
• Confidential employee assistance service and on-site mental health first aiders
• Access to Bradford College benefits hub, offering retail, travel, leisure and dining discounts and cashback
• Discounts on greener travel – cycle to work scheme & local MetroCard and Northern Rail discounts
• Access to hair and beauty treatments in our student-led Signature Spa
• On-site dining facilities, including our award-winning Grove restaurant
• A host of training development opportunities
• Fantastic campus facilities, a short walk to public transport links in the heart of the City of Culture 2025

• The opportunity to work for an organisation that is truly committed to creating a better future for all through education and training.

• If you have the drive to further develop your skills and abilities, you will be given the support and opportunities you need to enhance your career. This includes access to in-house training and CPD, professional and academic qualifications and mentoring.

Bradford College is committed to supporting and promoting diversity and inclusion amongst our staff and student body. We promote applications across all sections of the community, recognising the benefits a diverse workforce can bring and therefore particularly encourage applications from groups which are underrepresented in our workforce.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of young people and vulnerable adults and expect staff and volunteers to share this commitment. In line with our statutory safeguarding requirements detailed in Keeping Children Safe in Education legislation, this role is subject to an enhanced DBS check, employment references, health screening and social media search.

Please be aware it is a criminal offence to apply for this post if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity in connection to children and vulnerable adults.