Head of Finance

Job Description

This post is initially for a minimum of 6 months, but likely to extend and possibly made permanent.Start Date: No later than 19th AugustObjectivesFull operation responsibility for the finance department with line management of Finance & Payroll Coordinator and Accounts AssistantMain Accountabilities

• Budget Management: Create and manage the annual budget, working closely with department heads to ensure accurate and realistic financial plans. Prepare fee and salary increase options for recommendation to the Board of Governors.
• Financial Reporting: Prepare monthly Management Accounts for the Head and DFO. Prepare termly Management Accounts including variance analysis and KPI performance for the Board of Governors. Provide regular updates for budget holders.
• Strategic Forecasting: Update and review the five year forecast model.
• Risk Management: Identify and mitigate financial risks, ensuring compliance with relevant laws, regulations and bank covenants.
• Audit and Compliance: Manage the audit process and prepare and assist with the drafting of the statutory financial statements prepared by the external auditors prior to submission to the board of Governors to ensure accuracy and compliance. Maintain externalreporting requirements (Tax, Gift Aid, VAT, Pensions Regulator and HMRC )
• Strategic Initiatives: Participate in strategic planning discussions and contribute financial expertise to support the schools growth and development.
• VAT: Prepare for (and as necessary manage) the likely introduction of VAT on school fees.
• Team Leadership: Lead and mentor the finance team, fostering a culture of professionalism, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Finance Handbook: Maintain the Finance Handbook outlining current policy and practice for approval by the Finance & Operations Committee annually.
• Systems: Maintain the accounting systems on a daily basis and ensure the accurate recording and reporting of transactions, including posting of relevant journals, including prepayments and accruals. Manage the month-end process and ensure reporting is doneon a timely and accurate basis. Produce and update balance sheet reconciliations. Analyse and reconcile control accounts monthly
• Termly Billing: Prepare the termly invoices and be responsible for the prompt collection of fees and debtor management.
• Assets: Maintain the fixed asset register, ensure appropriate depreciation periods, identify and action disposals.
• Monthly Payroll: Management of monthly payroll for around 200 staff, including completion of the payroll journal. Auto-enrolment for pensions.
• Payment authorisation: Review and authorise weekly supplier payments.
• Month end: Coordinate the month end process, prepare journals, reconcile the trial balance and close all ledgers.
• Complete surveys for the Office of National Statistics and benchmarking surveys (Baines Cutler etc)
• Bank: Liaise with relationship manager, provide periodic updates, manage bank accounts and mandates.
• Member of Finance & Operations Committee (in attendance), Estates Committee and Risk Committee.
• Supporting the work of the Head/DFO as required.

Person Specification ExperienceThe successful candidate must have a proven and successful background in finance. Experience of working in an independent school or charity is desirable and the ideal candidate will have the following characteristics:

• Excellent organisation skills with the ability to understand and manage detailed information
• Experienced in managing a small specialist team
• Previous payroll experience
• Current working knowledge of VAT regulations
• Experience in using iFinance is desirable
• Track record of working successfully with a diverse range of stakeholders
• Computer literate and a confident user of IT for communications, financial and management purposes, data analysis and financial modelling; a working knowledge of iFinance and ISAMS would be an advantage.

Qualifications & Personal Attributes

• CIMA/ ACCA/ACA qualified
• A strong understanding of all financial and commercial matters
• Excellent stakeholder management at all levels
• A high degree of personal integrity; trustworthy and reliable, being able to deal with confidential information on a routine basis in a discrete manner
• Positive attitude to innovation and willingness to drive change
• Well organized; able to manage multiple work streams; prioritise tasks effectively and maintain momentum; ability to create a working environment in which people work hard and enjoy being part of the team
• Commitment to high standards and pays close attention to detail without losing sight of the big picture
• Personal strength of character through transparency, integrity and fairness. Has a strong sense of personal accountability
• A capacity for strategic thinking but also a strong grasp for detail.

Crosfields School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. For further information, please see here Guidance on the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 .As a result of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, employers now have to verify that new recruits who are not British nationals are eligible to work in this country. Therefore, any applicant who is offered an interview will asked to provide officialdocumentation to verify their ID, address and right to work in the UK. It is also normal practice for the School to ask for original qualifications and professional membership documents to be presented at interview as detailed on the application form.Crosfields School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers, online checks and the Disclosure and BarringService. Further information on our recruitment processes can be found on our website: Crosfields School Recruitment Policy.