Head of finance business partnering

Head of Finance Business Partnering

Creative Education Trust is seeking an exceptional Head of Finance Business Partnering to lead the delivery and continuous development of a high-quality, insight-driven finance function across the Trust. In this pivotal role, you will work in close partnership with the Chief Financial Officer to shape and deliver financial strategy—leading on management accounts, financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, and the evolution of Integrated Curriculum and Financial Planning (ICFP). With a clear focus on enabling the Trust’s strategic priorities, you will ensure financial processes, systems, and analysis drive efficiency, innovation, and impact across our schools.

Through expert financial analysis and business partnering, you will empower the Executive Team and school leaders to make informed, data-driven decisions, while leading and developing a team of Senior Finance Business Partners. You will play a key role in strengthening financial management, improving reporting and benchmarking, and embedding best practice across the Trust, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and high performance.

Our Ideal candidate will have:

• Professional Expertise: Professionally qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA, ICAEW, CIPFA or equivalent) with substantial post‑qualification experience and a track record of delivering high-quality financial leadership.
• Complex Financial Reporting: Proven experience producing and presenting consolidated management accounts within complex, multi-site or decentralised organisations.
• Insight-Driven Decision Making: Strong background in developing clear, actionable financial analysis that supports stakeholder outcomes and strategic decision-making.
• People Leadership: Experienced in leading, motivating, and developing high-performing teams—building capability through coaching, training, and support.
• Sector Knowledge: Solid understanding of academy financial regulations, with a strong grasp of how multi-academy trusts and schools operate.
• Service Excellence: A customer-focused mindset, with a demonstrable ability to improve services, streamline processes, and add value across an organisation.
• Strategic Communication: An excellent communicator, able to translate complex financial data into clear, meaningful insights for a wide range of stakeholders.
• Relationship Building: Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trusted, collaborative relationships across senior leaders and school teams.
• Continuous Improvement: A proactive mindset with a passion for refining processes, driving efficiencies, and embedding best practice across a finance function.

About the Finance Department

The Finance Department is a collective of over 20 finance professionals and plays a pivotal role in strengthening Creative Education Trust’s ability to deliver exceptional opportunities for young people. As a strategic partner to schools, central teams and the Executive Board, the department provides insight, leadership and financial stewardship that ensure resources are used wisely and aligned with the Trust’s ambition for improvement and long‑term sustainability.

About Creative Education Trust

Creative Education Trust is a growing network of 17 schools, educating over 13,500 children and young people across England. Since 2010, we’ve worked in partnership with communities to deliver an education that inspires ambition, promotes equity, and unlocks opportunity for every learner. We believe every child has talent, every community has strength, and every school can be a place where excellence thrives.

Application details

Location: Home based, with regular trust-wide travel and occasional overnight stays as required.

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Full time

Start Date: ASAP

Application Closing Date: Wednesday 24th June 2026

Policy and Eligibility

All shortlisted candidates are subject to online checks prior to interview. The CET Recruitment Policy follows the guidance set out by Keeping Children Safe in Education, where all offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS Check, separate Barred List Check, References and, where appropriate, a Prohibition from teaching search.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974.

CET is committed to developing, maintaining, and supporting an inclusive culture and environment for the benefit of its employees and the communities it serves.