Head of Finance and Operations

We are excited to be supporting a successful and growing group of companies within the education sector in seeking to appoint an outstanding Head of Finance and Operations to contribute to the development and delivery of a number of schools strategic objectives in the South of England.

You will have responsibility for providing strategic and operational leadership on all financial, HR and IT matters and providing leadership to a small, dedicated finance team.

Key responsibilities:

Prepare and deliver financial and business reports in line with internal and external reporting requirements.

Act as a key business partner to the rest of the senior team, monitoring financial performance through key KPIs and conducting variance analysis whilst providing actionable insights by identifying the causes of deviations from budget or forecast and communicating them to senior management.

Ensure effective communication channels with the Corporate team.

Identify areas for cost savings and operational efficiencies, providing actionable recommendations.

Lead the preparation of annual budgets and rolling forecasts, ensuring alignment with strategic objectives.

Manage large capital projects ensuring delivery against budgeted costs.

Drive improvements in financial processes and reporting tools to enhance accuracy and efficiency.

Lead or support ad-hoc financial projects aimed at identifying opportunities for revenue growth, cost reduction, and process improvement. This includes evaluating potential legal risks, operational changes, and compliance enhancements.

Drive HR policies and processes.

Lead and provide guidance on all IT matters.

You will be:

ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified accountant with post-qualification experience.

Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex financial data to non-financial stakeholders

Advanced proficiency in financial analysis and modelling

Ability to work collaboratively within a Group structure

Proven track record in a multi-site or operationally complex business.

Strong commercial acumen with experience supporting senior leadership teams.

Exceptional analytical skills and the ability to simplify complex financial data.

Proficient in financial modelling and advanced Excel.

Confident communicator who can influence and challenge non-finance stakeholders effectively.

Proactive, solutions-oriented mindset.

Highly organised with strong attention to detail and a hands-on style.

If you are looking for a role where you can bring energy, resilience and ambition to help guide the schools through their development within a successful group, then we would be pleased to hear from you. Please note applications are encouraged from candidates from a broad range of sectors.

Please note this role is office based.