Finance Manager – Schools

Are you a Finance Manager with a point of difference? We want to speak with you if you’re someone who isn’t satisfied with the status quo. Are you passionate about continuous improvement?

Employment, skills, and education have been outlined as a key priority for Hackney Council, ensuring they support schools and help young people find careers. To help support this Hackney is recruiting for a Finance Manager to provide support to Hackney Education and Hackney Schools alike.

The council’s performance in its schools and setting has been strong. Performing consistently well above the national average and placing in the top quartile ranking against all other local authorities in England.

Their mission is to improve the life chances of every child, young person and learner in Hackney making Hackney the most forward looking education system in the UK, where schools, settings and partners provide an exciting environment which ensures inclusion and success for everyone.

Hackney Education is ambitious and committed to continuous improvement through a 3-year Improvement Plan with five priorities focusing on achievement, safeguarding and wellbeing, school places for every child, enabling high performance and lastly supporting parents and carers.

What will you do?

You will lead a team, responsible for providing strategic high level financial advice and support to senior management and Headteachers including the Schools Forum. It is important that you look to empower the budget holders and take an approach to allow them to be self-sufficient whilst maintaining support.

If you’re successful you will also have overall responsibility for the strategic management of the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) budget and its financial management, including financial strategies, revenue and capital budgets, the accounts, financial systems, and financial information to Members and third parties.

You will work directly with schools, the DfE and other financial stakeholders to oversee and quality assure all Schools Finance related processes.

What will the role require?

You will be a qualified accountant with a proven track record of working within the education / school’s sector – Business partnering with either a school, schools or a multi academy trust.

We are looking to talk to commercially savvy individuals with a mindset to look for opportunities and to add value.

You will be responsible for a team of six so you not only have strong financial leadership qualities you will also have good team management capabilities.

Given the context of the role and dealing with a number of key stakeholders from the schools you will naturally be excellent at communicating and influencing but also be a robust character, comfortable with being challenged.

For more information on the opportunity please contact Will Ryan at Ivy Rock on 07909030965 or Willryan@ivyrockpartners.com

The closing date is Monday 2^nd October. To apply please send through your CV and a supporting statement. The supporting statement should be no more than 2 pages and should say why you are interested in the role and highlight your relevant experience.

If you need any help with updating your CV or putting together a covering letter, please do let us know.