Chief Financial Officer

Minerva Learning Trust, Sheffield, S9 1XU

31 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  As soon as possible

• Closing date

  24 November 2025 at 9am

• Date listed

  23 October 2025

Job details

• Job role:
  • Administration, HR, data and finance
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £80,561 - £87,092
• Pay scale: EL1 - EL5

What skills and experience we're looking for

We are seeking a strategic, experienced and inspirational finance leader who can operate confidently at the interface of education, governance and operational delivery. The ideal candidate will bring a balance of technical expertise, leadership gravitas and a clear moral purpose rooted in educational equity.

You will be a qualified accountant (e.g. ACCA, ACA, CIMA or equivalent) with experience leading complex finance functions. You should have overseen statutory compliance, internal and external audit regimes, procurement, financial reporting and risk management, and be fluent in the regulatory framework affecting academy trusts (e.g. the Academy Trust Handbook, Charities Commission and Companies House requirements). The candidate must be confident in producing and presenting year-end accounts, financial statements, budget monitoring reports, and detailed variance analyses to a Board of Trustees.

You will have a proven track record of strategic financial planning: translating long-term vision and educational priorities into coherent, sustainable financial models. You should be adept at scenario modelling, forecasting, sensitivity analysis and reserves management, able to anticipate financial pressures and propose mitigations. Experience with leading procurement, contract negotiations, cost control and commercial strategies is essential, as is a capability in managing capital investment, site or estates finance, and aligning resources to school improvement plans.

Beyond the technical, this role demands strong leadership of people and systems. You will have led (or supervised) teams through change, embedding robust processes, driving consistency and fostering professional growth. You should bring experience of mentoring or coaching staff, delegating and developing talent, and cultivating a culture of accountability, integrity and service across the finance function. A proven ability to lead across boundaries; working with school leaders, trust central staff, governors, external partners and regulators is critical.

You should bring strong communication skills: able to present complex financial data in clear, compelling ways to non-finance audiences, and to guide decision-making across the Trust. You must be comfortable engaging with the CEO, executive team and trustees, contributing insight, challenge and business partnering to strategic discussions. You should also have the political sensitivity and relational agility to navigate diverse stakeholder groups, including school leaders, local communities and external agencies.

Above all, we seek a values-driven individual: someone whose leadership is underpinned by integrity, moral clarity, and a commitment to equity in education. You will genuinely believe that every child deserves opportunity, regardless of background, and you will bring passion for aligning financial rigour with educational impact. We want someone who is adaptable, resilient, creative in problem-solving, and willing to stretch beyond comfort zones in service of the Trust’s mission.

In short, the CFO we seek will be a strategic partner, a financial steward, an organisational architect and a servant leader, one who ensures that Minerva Learning Trust can grow and flourish sustainably, with its finances enabling, not constraining, educational ambition in Sheffield, Derbyshire and beyond.

What the school offers its staff

As one of the senior leaders at Minerva Learning Trust, the Chief Finance Officer (CFO) will shape the financial health, strategic direction and long-term sustainability of a growing and ambitious multi-academy trust. Reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer and sitting on the Executive Team, the CFO is integral to both day-to-day financial operations and high-level strategic decision-making. In partnership with the CEO, the CFO will help define and deliver the Trust’s vision, ensuring that resources are allocated effectively in support of educational excellence and community impact.

Minerva Learning Trust currently operates across Sheffield and Derbyshire, and following its recent merger with Cavendish Learning Trust, now comprises a portfolio of 10 schools. The Trust embraces values ofInclusion, Independence, Respect, and Success, and strives to ensure that no child’s background predetermines their future. Within the ever-evolving MAT landscape, the CFO will lead the finance and procurement functions, establish robust financial controls, and ensure legal, regulatory, and audit compliance across the Trust and its schools.

With oversight for the Finance Director and members of the finance team, the CFO will be responsible for strategic financial planning, risk management, and quality assurance of all financial services. They will ensure medium-term financial plans are sound, budgets are aligned to school development priorities, and that Trust-wide systems deliver value for money. The CFO will guide internal scrutiny and audit activity, lead external audit interactions, and respond proactively to financial risks, irregularities or challenges. They will also oversee procurement, contract management, asset disposal, reserves strategy, and capital investment decisions in support of sustainable growth and scale.

Beyond pure finance, the CFO will act as a strategic advisor to the CEO, executive team, trust board and school leaders. They will contribute to the Trust’s growth agenda, including onboarding new schools, due diligence, and structuring financial models for expansion. They will help translate the Trust’s strategy into operational plans, secure funding, and monitor performance across multiple schools, ensuring alignment with Trust priorities. Internally, the CFO will lead and develop a culture of professional excellence within the finance function, modelling continuous improvement, coaching staff and embedding systems of quality assurance, compliance and innovation.

The successful CFO will need to combine technical financial acumen with strategic vision, political nuance, clarity of communication and a genuine passion for raising educational opportunity. They will steward the Trust’s finances in a context of change, ensuring that resources remain focused on improving outcomes and safeguarding the long-term viability of Minerva’s mission in the Sheffield and Derbyshire region and beyond.

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

The Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare and safety of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment, further information can be found in our child protection and safeguarding policy on our statutory information page on our website
Minerva Learning Trust. The successful candidate will be required to complete an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. In line with KCSIE, the trust/school will be carrying out online searches on shortlisted candidates as part of their due diligence.

Applying for the job

Apply for the job by following the link below.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Minerva Learning Trust

• Type: Multi-academy trust
• Email address: eddiec@peridotpartners.co.uk
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/minerva-learning-trust

Minerva Learning Trust is an expanding Sheffield based multi-academy Trust with a vision of
providing outstanding education for all the students within our schools. The Trust is passionate that
all students should see their time at school as happy and fulfilling with their potential developed to
the utmost. High Storrs School joined the Trust in March 2018.

Arranging a visit to Minerva Learning Trust

To arrange a visit and increase the chance of a successful application email eddiec@peridotpartners.co.uk.

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