The Finance Director is responsible for the effective leadership and management of the organisation's finance function, ensuring the proper administration of the College’s and its subsidiaries’ financial affairs in accordance with charity law, ISBA guidance, and recognised standards of good governance. Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer (who holds overall CFO accountability), the Finance Director supports the Head and Governing Body (Council) in fulfilling their duties as charity trustees, ensuring that resources are applied solely in furtherance of the companies charitable objects, that risks are appropriately managed, and that robust systems of financial control are maintained across the organisations and its subsidiary entities.
Person Specification
Experience
(Essential)
Significant senior-level finance leadership experience within a complex organisation. Demonstrate experience in financial planning, budgeting, and multi-year forecasting. Preparation of statutory accounts and management of external audits. Operating and maintaining robust systems of internal financial control. Experience of working closely with a senior executive (e.g,. COO, CFO, CEO) and supporting board or committee-level decision making. Proven experience in leading and developing a finance team.
(Desirable)
Experience within the independent schools sector, education, charity, or not-for-profit environment. Experience in managing or overseeing subsidiary companies and group structures. Experience of working with governors or trustees acting as charity trustees. Experience in capital projects, estate investment, or large-scale infrastructure programmes.
Qualifications
(Essential)
Qualified Accountant - ACA, CIMA, ACCA. Evidence of ongoing commitment to continuing professional development.
(Desirable)
Additional qualification or formal training in charity finance, governance, or risk management. Membership of, or familiarity with, ISBA and its guidance.
Personal & Professional
(Essential)
Highly developed analytical skills, with the ability to interpret complex financial information and present it clearly to non-financial audiences. Ability to balance financial rigour with educational and organisational priorities. Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities and deadlines. High level of professional judgement, discretion and integrity. Effective leadership and people-management skills, with the ability to motivate, develop and hold others to account. confident and sensitive customer service skills. Strong commitment to the ethos, values and charitable purpose of an independent school. Collaborative and collegiate working style, with the confidence to provide professional challenge where required.
(Desirable)
Ability to contribute to strategic and commercial discussions beyond core finance. Experience in change management, systems improvement or process transformation