Finance Manager

Finance Manager

£47,000 – 50,000 per annum | Hybrid
Permanent | Full-time | 40 hours per week

Lead. Influence. Make a real impact.

This is an opportunity to step into a pivotal Finance Manager role where you’ll lead a central finance function supporting a portfolio of academies, play a key role in strengthening financial control, and directly contribute to improving educational outcomes.

Reporting to the Financial Controller, you’ll combine people leadership, technical finance expertise, and stakeholder engagement, helping to drive consistency, efficiency and high-quality financial service across the Trust.

What you’ll gain

• A genuinely purpose-driven role supporting education and communities
• The chance to lead and develop a growing finance team
• Broad exposure across OPEX, CAPEX, budgeting, controls and compliance
• A collaborative working environment with scope to shape and improve processes
• Strong work-life balance within a supportive not-for-profit organisation

What you’ll do

• Lead and manage a team of Finance Assistants, providing day-to-day direction, coaching and performance oversight.
• Oversee the accurate and timely raising, processing and management of OPEX and CAPEX orders across their academies.
• Ensure finance operations are delivered in line with agreed SLAs, maintaining a high standard of service to academies.
• Support the Financial Controller with balance sheet oversight, controls and technical accounting.
• Act as a key point of contact for academy stakeholders, building strong relationships and improving confidence in the centralised finance model.
• Identify opportunities to drive efficiencies, improve processes and strengthen controls within the finance function.
• Support peak activity periods, including budgeting cycles and audit preparation, as required.

What you’ll need

• Strong experience within a finance or management accounting role, ideally with exposure to team leadership.
• A solid understanding of financial controls, balance sheets and transactional finance processes.
• The confidence and communication skills to lead, influence and build relationships across a diverse organisation.
• A proactive, hands-on approach with the ability to balance operational detail and bigger-picture thinking.
• Part-qualified (finalist) or fully qualified accountant (ACCA / CIMA or equivalent), or equivalent experience.