Senior Finance Business Partner

Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust (OHC&AT) is a family of specialist education providers for pupils and students from nursery to further education. We operate across academies and college centres in London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. Supporting our academies and college, OHC&AT also operates learning support services, such as nursing and therapy, and a central business support team which includes HR, finance and IT.

Pupils and students within the OHC&AT family have a wide range of learning abilities and additional needs. These include autistic spectrum disorder; speech, language and communication difficulties; social, emotional and mental health needs; profound and multiple learning disabilities; and physical disabilities including multi-sensory impairment and complex health conditions.

We are looking for a
Senior Finance Business Partner
to provide strategic financial leadership across several Academy Hubs within Orchard Hill College Academy Trust. You will oversee financial management, support trust-wide planning, and act as the lead finance partner for your schools, adding value to development plans and key financial decisions. You will also contribute to major projects, offering professional challenge to ensure strong and sustainable outcomes. If you are an experienced finance professional looking to make a meaningful impact, we'd love to hear from you.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide Strategic Financial Leadership - Act as the lead finance partner for Principals and School Leadership Teams, overseeing financial planning, forecasting, and monthly management accounts to support strong educational and financial outcomes.

• Lead Key Partnerships and Governance Support - Maintain effective relationships with Local Authorities, Local Governing Bodies, and school forums, ensuring accurate funding, strong representation, and proactive issue resolution.

• Manage School Development and Major Projects - Support and challenge strategic decision-making, lead on five-year development plans, estates financial planning, special projects, and grant management.

• Oversee Financial Operations and Compliance - Ensure effective use of financial systems (including Arbor), oversee key financial processes, ensure compliance with Finance Regulations, and support audits, statutory accounts, and cashflow.

• Lead and Develop Finance Teams - Line-manage Finance Business Partners and Finance Officers, support collaboration with HR and school operations teams, manage onboarding of new schools, and maintain high standards of confidentiality and policy compliance.

Key Requirements:

• Professional finance qualification or equivalent relevant experience.

• Proven experience in financial leadership or business partnering, ideally within education or a complex multi-site organisation.

• Strong analytical and strategic planning skills, with the ability to interpret financial data, influence decisions, and support long-term planning.

• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, able to work effectively with senior leaders, Principals, Local Authorities, and governing bodies.

• Experience managing and developing finance teams, with the ability to lead, motivate, and ensure high-quality financial operations and compliance.

• Willingness to travel to multiple academy sites as required

OHC&AT is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:

Rewards & Benefits:

• Pathways for progression within the trust, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment.

• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family.

• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)

• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme

• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)

• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)

Find out what makes OHC&AT a truly rewarding place to work - visit our 'Work for us' page to hear from our Chief Executive Officer, John Prior, and watch inspiring messages from students and parents about the difference our staff make every day.

Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential.

As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities.

It is an exciting time to be part of OHC&AT and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment.

We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of students, staff and partners.

Closing Date: 10th December 2025

Interviews will take place on: The week commencing 15th December 2025

Safeguarding Statement

Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Appointments made will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace for all.