Start date: ASAP
Term: Fixed-term contract to January 2027, working full time (40 hours per week Monday-Friday)
Salary: £60,000 - £65,000
Location: Office-based in Exeter, Devon
Apply by: We reserve the right to close the role at any time, the latest being 9am, Tuesday 30 September 2025. Embracing our value of agility, we will be reviewing applications as soon as they are received. We recommend getting your application in as early as possible.
Are you passionate about driving financial excellence and using your expertise to create real impact? We're looking for an inspiring fixed-term finance leader to help shape the future of education and make a meaningful difference
What you'll do and how you will make a difference
As the Financial Controller at Sparx, you will play a key leadership role in the finance department, owning the end-to-end finance function, developing a high performing 4 person finance team, and embedding AI driven ways of working. You'll manage cash, streamline processes and uphold first class compliance standards in a fast moving, high transaction business where your work will support us in our goal to make a difference to the lives of millions of learners.
Key Responsibilities
* People management: Lead a four person team, coach each member through tailored development plans, and champion AI tools that elevate collective capability.
* Cash management: Own the drivers of cash flow, manage to agreed annual equity and debt funding commitments, and optimise working capital while monitoring large deferred revenue balances.
* Process control: Maintain, refine, and automate finance processes, deploying AI to shorten the month-end close and free time for value-added analysis.
* Management reporting: Ensure the delivery of on time, accurate monthly management accounts and support the production of the annual budget and rolling five year plan.
* Financial control: Safeguard FRS 102, tax, and internal policy compliance, maintaining rigorous balance sheet reconciliations and tight approval controls.
What you need
* Resilience, flexibility and pace: Enthusiastically embracing change and working in and contributing to a fast-paced environment.
* Influence & challenge: Confidently engage and influence non-financial colleagues.
* Analytical skills: Strong numerical and problem-solving abilities.
* Communication: Clear, articulate, and confident in presenting financial information, understanding what different stakeholders might need and tailoring appropriately.
* Supportive nature: A team player who's warm, encouraging and a pleasure to work with.
* Experience: A proven people leader who has coached small teams to high performance.
* Qualifications: Qualified accountant (CIMA/ACA/ACCA) with controller or senior finance manager experience.
Ready to unleash your passion and shape the future of education? Apply now and join our mission
About us
At Sparx Learning, we're on a mission to improve lives and the world through learning. We work with over 2,600 schools, 60,000 teachers, and 2.4 million students, building systems that enhance student confidence, skills, and attainment. Learn more about our history, impact, team, products and work environment here.
Our benefits
We believe in living life fully and offer a range of benefits, including generous annual leave, comprehensive medical and dental insurance, enhanced family leave and pay, plus so much more Click here to find out more
In person with flexibility
We believe in the power of in-person connection for collaboration and innovation, while also trusting you to manage your time with flexibility for life's demands. But, at Sparx, we love the energy, creativity and pace that comes from being together in person. Collaboration and connection drive our success, so we encourage everyone to be together in person as much as possible.
Next steps
There are up to three stages, taking place during September and October: a short video chat, a two-hour on-site interview with a practical task at our Exeter office, and a meeting with Colin, our CEO.