Head of Finance

Nexus Education Schools Trust, Beckenham, BR3 1RF

23 days remaining to apply

• Start date details

  1st September 2026

• Closing date

  7 May 2026 at 12:59am

• Date listed

  14 April 2026

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: £64,846.00 Annually (Actual)

Head of Finance job summary

Nexus Education Schools Trust (NEST) are seeking an experienced Head of Finance to join our central finance team to support with the Trust’s strategic and operational decision making. Reporting to the CFO, you will oversee day to day financial management across the schools in our Trust, ensuring strong financial controls, accurate reporting and regulatory compliance.

As a senior member of the finance team, you will be part of an experienced team, and have the opportunity to develop our finance processes and systems and play a key role in our service to the schools in our Trust.

Key Responsibilities

Financial Management and Reporting

Lead the month end reporting timetable across the Trust ensuring the production of accurate and timely monthly management accounts, at school, hub and Trust level.

Work with the school finance leads and headteachers to monitor and challenge individual school’s financial performance, taking appropriate action to address financial risks where necessary.

Ensure the Trust’s and Schools’ income and expenditure and balance sheet are accurate through the Trust’s financial software, and ensure control accounts are reconciled on a monthly basis.

Act as an approver on accounts payable and payroll bacs runs.

Prepare financial information and reports required for Local Committee Meetings.

Lead the management of the Trust’s financial software ensuring the chart of accounts is up to date, and lead the management of users with the correct permissions and security. Provide and coordinate the training needs and consider future system development.

Lead the management of the Trust’s online banking system, ensuring that users are up to date with the correct permission and access controls.

Budgeting and financial planning/forecasting

Lead the half termly budgeting process ensuring the production of accurate and timely budget updates and forecasts through out the year.

Support school finance leads to ensure production of annual budgets and half termly budget updates are accurate and follow trust assumptions.

Lead the management of the Trust’s budgeting software ensuring Trust assumptions are consistent and up to date, lead the management of users with the correct permissions. Provide and coordinate the training needs of users.

Contribute to the development and implementation of the Trust’s financial strategy, providing financial analysis and guidance on activities, setting financial objectives and monitoring performance.

Provide cover and support for Finance Leads as necessary

Compliance

Support the CFO in preparing for internal and external audits, helping to produce supporting audit schedules, and liaise with auditors as required. Ensure any recommendations from audits are followed up and processes amended as required.

Maintain and operate a robust framework of financial controls and processes which adhere to the Trust’s financial policies and the Academies Trust Handbook.

Improve and innovate processes using technology whilst ensuring appropriate documentation is produced and maintained.

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 Nexus Education Schools Trust

• Type: Multi-academy trust
• Website: Nexus Education Schools Trust website
• See more jobs: teaching-vacancies.service.gov.uk/organisations/nexus-education-schools-trust

Multi Academy Trust based in South London

Head office location

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