Financial Controller

Cabot Learning Federation, Bristol, BS15 4JT

14 days remaining to apply

• Job start date

  30 May 2025

• Closing date

  15 June 2025 at 11:59pm

• Date listed

  30 May 2025

Job details

• Job role:
  • Administration, HR, data and finance
• Visa sponsorship: Visas cannot be sponsored
• Working pattern: Full time
• Contract type: Fixed term
• Full-time equivalent salary: £53,602 - £59,167

Financial Controller job summary

Job Title: Financial Controller

Annual Salary: £53,602 - £59,167 (CLF L4 - L8). Based on 37 hours per week, all year round

Contract Type: Fixed-Term, All Year Round

Contract Length: Fixed until 31/05/2026 or upon the return of the substantive postholder

Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday, All year-round

Start Date: ASAP

Your opportunity to lead financial excellence and shape the future of education through strategic impact.

As part of our evolving financial strategy, we’re seeking a skilled and experienced Financial Controller to join us on a fixed-term basis for 12 months, or upon the return of the substantive postholder. This is a key opportunity to lead and shape the delivery of high-quality financial operations across our Trust. You’ll work closely with central teams and academies, bringing your expertise to a collaborative environment where your impact will be both immediate and meaningful.

About You

You will have:

• exceptional technical accounting knowledge and a strong understanding of statutory accounts production, VAT, and corporation tax, ideally within the education or charity sector.
• proven leadership experience, with the ability to manage and inspire a high-performing finance team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration.
• excellent organisational and project management skills, capable of overseeing complex financial operations, meeting tight deadlines, and delivering high-quality outputs in a fast-paced environment.
• strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the confidence to present financial data to a wide range of stakeholders and build effective relationships across internal teams and external partners.
• a strategic mindset, able to contribute to the development and implementation of financial strategies, monitor KPIs, and make informed decisions to improve financial performance and compliance.

Applicants are advised to refer to the full requirements of the role in the attached job description and person specification, prior to submitting an application.

Why work in CLFs Central Finance Team?

In this role, you’ll be a key leader in our Central Finance Team – driving the delivery of high-quality financial operations and supporting strategic decision-making across the Trust.

We offer:

• A unique opportunity to apply your financial expertise in a values-driven education environment, where your work directly supports schools and students.
• Leadership of core finance functions including statutory accounts, treasury, audit, and financial systems – with real scope to influence and improve processes.
• A collaborative, hybrid working model with flexibility to work from home, our Bristol office, and on-site at academies.
• The chance to work across a diverse portfolio of academies and central services, gaining insight into the financial operations of a large multi-academy trust.
• Opportunities for professional development and to contribute to shaping the future of finance within the education sector.

Why work at CLF?

We are a diverse and inclusive community of 35 academies across five cluster regions in the South West that is committed to excellence and making a positive impact. Our people bring unique perspectives, but we’re all driven by a shared moral purpose and a passion for making a positive impact, whether in a teaching, leadership or support role. We’re proud to foster a culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and make a meaningful difference to the lives of others.

We are an equal opportunity employer and proud to serve a diverse student population and our communities. We strongly believe that representation matters and so encourage applications from underrepresented and global majority groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion.

We aim to remove any barriers to employment, ensuring everyone can compete on equal terms. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.

What we can offer you:

• Access to a generous pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Generous annual leave.
• A comprehensive induction and ongoing commitment to wellbeing and career progression, through a range of training, apprenticeships and in-role/wider-trust development opportunities.
• Well-being support through an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Health benefits, including wellness sessions, gym discounts, and flu jabs.
• A range of generous family leave options, including above industry average occupational maternity pay.
• Additional benefits like cycle to work scheme, on-site parking plus many more!

Recruitment timeline:

• Closing Date: 15 June 2025 @11.59pm
• Shortlisting: 16 June 2025
• Interviews: 2 stage interview process – First day 23/06/2025 with second day on 25/06/2025

As part of our commitment to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), we do not accept CVs – a full education and employment history must be provided through our application form.

Skilled Worker visas cannot be sponsored through this role, as it does not meet the requirements set out by government.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, should we receive a high level of interest in the role. Therefore, candidates are advised to apply at their earliest convenience to avoid missing out. 

Commitment to safeguarding

The Cabot Learning Federation are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

The successful applicant will, in accordance with statutory guidance, be subject to a comprehensive pre-employment checking process including references from current and previous employers, health, right to work in the UK and a child disqualification check. The checks will also include an enhanced DBS check and a further check against the appropriate barred list.

Applying for the job

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

CVs are not accepted.

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.

About Cabot Learning Federation

• Type: Multi-academy trust
• Website: Cabot Learning Federation website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/cabot-learning-federation

Cabot Learning Federation (CLF) is a diverse West Country multi-academy trust which is home to 35 schools operating in five clusters in Bristol, Gloucestershire, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset and Somerset.

The CLF is unique due to its tight geographical concentration, the diversity of the communities it serves, and the variety of educational provisions it offers. We are one of the largest and most respected trusts in the South West and hold national as well as regional recognition due to the breadth and influence of strong practice in our trust.

Our collaborative culture, driven by a strong moral purpose, is key to our success. We believe strong collaboration can drive school improvement and embed excellence in our academies. Our team is united with the common goal of delivering outstanding educational experiences and promoting the life chances of the young people in our academies now and in the future.

Following a recent period of growth, we are proud to serve circa 18,000 pupils who all attend one of our 10 secondary academies, 17 primary academies, an all-through provision, a studio school, a discrete post-16 provision, three special schools and two alternative provisions spanning the age ranges.

The CLF is an equal opportunity employer and is proud to serve a diverse student population and their communities. We actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion. To ensure our leadership team is fully representative of the people we serve, we are encouraging applications for this role from global majority communities.

We are proud to be part of a diverse region and celebrate the richness of cultures, faiths and backgrounds of our students. We aim to develop a curriculum that is responsive to our pupils’ needs and reflects their diverse interests and backgrounds.

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