Director of Finance & Operations

Herts & Essex Multi Academy Trust, Bishop's Stortford, CM23 5NJ

24 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  January 2027

• Closing date

  12 October 2026 at 9am

• Date listed

  18 September 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Administration, HR, data and finance
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Part time, full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full time equivalent salary: £80,000.00 Annually (FTE) Up to £80,000 dependent upon qualifications and experience
• Additional allowances:

  Up to £80,000 dependent upon qualifications and experience

Director of Finance & Operations job summary

About the role

Are you an ambitious and strategic finance professional looking for the opportunity to shape the future of a growing Multi-Academy Trust?

HEMAT is an established and highly regarded Multi-Academy Trust based in Bishop's Stortford, comprising two successful schools that are firmly rooted in their local communities. With exciting plans for future growth, we are seeking an exceptional Director of Finance and Operations to join our Executive Team and play a pivotal role in the next stage of our development.

Rooted in our local community and driven by a commitment to inclusion, our mission is to unlock the extraordinary potential of every child. We believe every child should be known, valued, cared for and challenged to achieve their very best. Through collaboration and a shared commitment to excellence, we are building a Trust that provides exceptional opportunities for all children while serving the needs of our local communities.

The role:

The Director of Finance and Operations role is central to the future success of HEMAT. Working alongside the CEO and Executive Team, the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in strengthening and developing the Trust's finance, estates and operational functions, ensuring the organisation is financially sustainable, operationally effective and well positioned for future growth.

This is a particularly exciting opportunity because you will be joining the Trust at a key point in its journey. As HEMAT grows, there is clear potential for the role to evolve into a Chief Financial Officer position, leading an expanding finance function across a larger family of schools. You will therefore have the opportunity to help shape not only the organisation's future but also the future scope of the role itself.

What we are looking for:

We are looking to appoint a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent) with significant senior leadership experience in finance. You will bring strong strategic planning skills, expertise in governance, audit and risk management, and a track record of leading teams and delivering organisational improvement. Experience within a Multi-Academy Trust or education setting would be advantageous but is not essential.

We offer:

• The opportunity to join an ambitious and growing Trust at a formative stage of its development.

• A key strategic leadership role with genuine influence over the future direction of the organisation.

• The chance to work alongside committed Trustees and senior leaders who are passionate about education and community impact.

• Excellent professional development opportunities as the Trust grows.

• A collaborative and supportive working environment.

• Flexibility - whilst the role will be based at Herts & Essex High School, we are happy to discuss working from home some days and/ or part time arrangements (min 0.8FTE).

If you are excited by the opportunity to help build the operational and financial foundations of a growing Trust and want to make a lasting difference to the lives of children and young people, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Executive Headteacher, Richard Paul:

E. Richard.Paul@hertsandessex.herts.sch.uk T. 01279 654 127.

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 school accepts applications through their own website, where you may also find more information about this job.

CVs will not be accepted for this application.

About Herts & Essex Multi Academy Trust

• Type: Multi-academy trust
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/herts-essex-multi-academy-trust

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