Director of Operation and Finance

Spa Education Trust, London, SE1 5RN

Deadline is tomorrow

• Start date details

  Immediate

• Closing date

  26 January 2026 at 8am

• Date listed

  9 January 2026

Job details

• Job role:
  • Other leadership roles
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Permanent
• Full-time equivalent salary: £76,416.00 - £86,766.00 Annually (FTE)

Director of Operation and Finance job summary

Main Purpose of the Role

The Director of perations and Finance will play a pivotal role in ensuring the smooth and effective running of the Trust’s business functions, supporting the provision of high-quality education for autistic children and young people. The postholder will lead and develop the small team of business professionals, providing strategic oversight and operational leadership in finance, estates, health and safety, compliance, HR, IT, and administration across the Trust’s schools. The role will ensure that robust systems and processes underpin the Trust’s educational mission, enabling teaching and education support staff to focus on pupil outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and management for all operational and financial activities across the Trust, ensuring compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Lead the Trust’s financial planning, budgeting, reporting and audit processes, working closely with the Executive Headteacher and Trustees to ensure sustainability and value for money.
• Through the Premises Manager, oversee the management and development of Trust facilities, including premises management, health and safety, capital projects, and site security.
• Through the HR Manager, oversee the management and development of the HR service, including the development of HR policies and practice that make the Spa Education Trust an employer of choice.
• Ensure the effective management of support services, including HR, IT, procurement, contracts, and administration.
• Advise the Executive Headteacher and Trustees on all operational and financial matters, providing timely and accurate reports to inform decision-making.
• Identify opportunities to maximise the Trust’s resources and take advantage of its location, including seeking new funding streams and developing partnerships.
• Lead, motivate, and develop the business support team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and high performance.
• Ensure robust risk management procedures are in place and maintained for all operational areas.
• Promote and uphold the values and ethos of the Spa Education Trust in all aspects of the role.

Relationships

• Work as a key member of the Trust’s central team, contributing to overall strategy and development.
• Liaise with external agencies, suppliers, local authorities, and other stakeholders to support Trust operations.
• Support and advise school leaders and staff in relation to operational and financial matters.

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 Spa Education Trust

• Type: Multi-academy trust
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/spa-education-trust

Head office location

Get a job alert when similar jobs are listed

Find more school jobs in London