Chief Finance Officer

The Academies For Character And Excellence, Totnes, TQ9 5TZ

44 days remaining to apply

• Job start date

  1 January 2026

• Closing date

  8 September 2025 at 9am

• Date listed

  24 July 2025

Job details

• Job role:
  • Administration, HR, data and finance
  • Other support roles
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Pay scale: L21 £81,441 rising to L26 £92,052pa + Benefits

What skills and experience we're looking for

As Chief Finance Officer, you will work across the business functions and will be the Chief Executive Officer’s strategic partner in maximising value creation. You will help shape strategy, undertaking financial decisions and communicating with key stakeholders – all while leading a multi-talented and technologically savvy finance team. You will be responsible for building credibility for the strategic direction of the Trust. The CFO and finance team will model good financial and team-building practices for teams across the Trust.

Another critical aspect of the CFO role is dealing with risk. Managing risks linked to the strategy remains core to the role. Working closely with the CEO on the Trust direction of travel and the overall strategic plan towards achieving the vision is critical to this role. It is important to understand the educational sector, the challenges with funding and bring an open-minded creative approach to working within this landscape. As well as working with the CEO, collaborative partnerships with the Executive Team will ensure success in this role.

Key Responsibilities:

Financial Accountability: Support the CEO in the formulation, monitoring and evaluation of the business plan and financial strategy that ensures viability of the Trust.

Oversee the monthly preparation of compliant and timely Management Accounts, highlighting issues that require attention by Trustees and recommending actions.

Ensure the CEO and Board are kept abreast of all legislative changes and proposals that could affect the business, financial and resources management of the Trust.

Prepare for approval by the Board annual estimates of income and expenditure and monitor and report performance against budgets.

Advise the Board on investment and financial policy, prepare appraisals for particular projects, and develop a business plan and long-term financial strategy for the future development of the Trust.

Advise the Board on the impact of changes to national funding and opportunities for grants and other funding.

Provide financial leadership to major business change projects, investment and capital expenditure.

Identify and present potential income generation projects to the Board, upon approval providing hands-on leadership to deliver approved projects.

Operate all bank and deposit accounts, ensuring that a full reconciliation is undertaken at least once a month, and to review and manage the Trust's investments in line with the Trust's investment policy.

Maintain both the asset register and the risk register and provide regular reports to the Board and its committees, the CEO and Executive Team.

Ensure annual accounts are audited satisfactorily and filed in a timely manner.

Ensure all areas of Trust governance are adhered to and the Trust is compliant.

Ensure that there is an effective process of benchmarking expenditure and the use of resources to inform evaluation of operational practice and strategic planning.

Ensure that resources are employed in the most efficient and effective way to support the aims of the Trust.

Be responsible for the leadership, induction, performance management and continued professional development of the Finance Team.

Budget planning and management:

Support the CEO to ensure viability of the Trust and appropriate resourcing of education provision.

Oversee the annual production of a three-year budget plan in line with the financial strategy and reserves policy.

Oversee budget management arrangements across the Trust.

Prepare a monthly summary of income and expenditure, and forecast out-turn across the Trust, highlighting risks and opportunities, for discussion with CEO and reporting to Trustees.

Management of income and expenditure:

Ensure that resources are employed in the most efficient and effective way to support the aims of the Trust.

Ensure arrangements for ordering of goods and supplies and approval of invoices for payment are in line with Trust policies and procurement strategy. Ensure that the correct procedures are in place for the timely recovery of VAT.

Oversee credit control, ensuring that any outstanding sums are received as swiftly as possible. Oversee banking arrangements and controls.

Support with securing funding for capital works and in the monitoring and oversight of capital budgets.

Internal control:

Lead on the development and implementation of Trust finance policies, ensuring compliance with all relevant statutory procedures and reporting requirements, and lead on the effective management of financial risk.

Promote best practice and ensure compliance with the financial processes and procedures set out in the Trust Finance Policy, the Academy Trust Handbook and audit recommendations.

Undertake thorough financial due diligence on any school considering joining the Trust to assess the financial viability of the school and the level of risk, and oversee onboarding in respect of financial management and accounts.

External: Oversee the preparation, approval and submission of annual accounts and statutory returns.

Leadership & Collaboration:

Attend the Finance, Audit and Risk Committee (FARC) and Trustee meetings as required.

Ensure that the financial position and procedures within the Trust support and are in harmony with the Trust vision and values and promote the best interests of each child.

Contribute to and demonstrate the overall ethos and aims of the Trust. Work collaboratively with the Trust Director of Operations to ensure the Trust has a strategy for using technology aligned with overall vision and plans, ensuring value for money and effective outcomes.

Collaborate with the Trust Director of Operations to ensure adequate resources for capital projects and support for capital funding and bidding to facilitate the Trust's long-term development and growth.

Leadership and management of the Trust Finance Team, including continued professional development and training.

Contribute to the strategic leadership of the Trust as a member of the Senior Executive/ Leadership Team.

Ensure core financial systems are secure, fit for purpose and provide value for money, with appropriate (internal and external) training for key staff and oversight of effective use.

Respond to queries from central and school colleagues and outside agencies.

Foster a collaborative work environment that encourages teamwork, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Act in a professional and confidential manner regarding all Trust and individual school information.

Work collaboratively with others and play an active part in the Trust Central Team.

Promote the image of the Trust in all contact with the local and wider community.

Financial Systems & Technology:

Oversee the implementation and maintenance of financial systems, ensuring they meet the Identify opportunities for automating financial processes and improving efficiency through technology. Ensure data accuracy and integrity in financial records and reporting.

Procurement:

Develop commercial practices and processes and ensure commercial risk controls are in place; make informed commercial decisions and recommendations, understanding the impact of these upon the Trust as a whole.

Communicate openly and effectively with stakeholders of all levels from across the Trust, translating complex commercial decisions into relatable concepts; promote an understanding of wider business needs and secure buyin; deliver high quality commercial agreements. Identify risks in our supply chain and collaboratively work on strategies to manage those risks through robust ongoing due diligence practices in alignment with existing guidance and processes.

Health and Safety:

As an employee of the Academies for Character and Excellence, you have a responsibility to prioritise the health and safety of yourself, your colleagues, and any individuals who may be affected by your work activities. In accordance with our commitment to maintaining a safe and healthy work environment, you are required to adhere to the Trust's health and safety responsibilities.

Safeguarding:

To be aware of, and follow, the Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy to ensure that children are safeguarded.

Safer recruitment: The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment. The post holder will be required to undertake a DBS Enhanced Disclosure.

Further information about Disclosure & Barring is available from www.homeoffice.gov.uk/dbs.

What the school offers its staff

The Academies for Character and Excellence is a charitable Trust with a mission of Achieving Excellence through Cultivating Character, Sharing Talents and Pursuing Innovation. Our Trust is an exciting and diverse mix of Church of England and Community Schools within Torbay, Devon and Somerset. We are growing a family of schools that prioritises working together in collaborative partnerships which are mutually supportive and share great practice. We truly value the distinctive character of our schools and believe they should be rooted in the communities which they serve.

The Trust is passionate about educating its pupils ensuring every child has an equity of opportunity through the rich holistic character education it provides. The values of the Trust, which are Community, Collaboration, Equity, Uncompromising Excellence and Integrity, are embedded in everyday practice both operationally at board level and also within our teams across the Trust. We are passionate about the innovative curriculum we offer and our collaborative approach to working. Our network of Teams enables our people to have opportunities to develop and flourish within their own field of expertise.

Further information about the job

The candidate will be required to undergo a full enhanced DBS check and must be eligible to work in the UK.

Visas cannot be sponsored.

If you're interested in teaching or training to teach in England as an international citizen, we can help you understand your next steps.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment.

Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance.

Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant):
childcare disqualification
Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS)
medical
online and social media
prohibition from teaching
right to work
satisfactory references
suitability to work with children

You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.

Applying for the job

This job requires you to download an application form, you will be able to upload the application once complete.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

Upload additional documents

If you need these documents in an accessible format, please contact the school.

Ace_CFO_Recruitment_Pack Final for advert.pdf - 2.63 MB (opens in new tab)

About The Academies For Character And Excellence

• Type: Multi-academy trust
• Website: The Academies For Character And Excellence website
• Email address: rozel.ridgway@acexcellence.co.uk
• Phone number: 07811779836
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/the-academies-for-character-and-excellence

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