Chief Finance Officer to start as soon as possible

Contract: 37 hours per week, 52 weeks per year 

Location: Rivermead Inclusive Trust Long Catlis Road, Rainham, Kent ME8 9TX

Would you like the opportunity to work with a relatively new Trust who has built its capacity and is on the next step of expansion? The vision for The Rivermead Inclusive Trust is to continue in leading excellence in, Inclusions, teaching and learning through collaboration and partnership. We value ourselves on the culture of our Trust, we are an Inclusive Trust and work towards achieving potential for all and raising aspirations across all our schools so learners achieve more than they think possible. The Trust consists of two Primary Schools, One Secondary Special School which has two partnerships with the local College as well as an expansion for those learners with mental health, we also run two short break provisions.

Do you have excellent accounting and financial management skills combined with an interest in the education sector? Are you a dynamic, passionate and progressive person? Do you have the skills and drive to lead a fantastic Finance team and develop them to be the best they can possibly be?

We are looking for an experienced and professional accountant to join our team to support with the development and delivery of services to single and multi-academy trusts as well as to maintained schools. The successful candidate will be working alongside the CEO and be accountable for the financial planning and oversight of the Trust and play a key role in Executive Leadership.

If so, then this could be the role for you! We would love to hear from you.

Main areas of responsibility

• To provide complex financial accountancy services to our portfolio of schools to include;
• the preparation of ESFA financial returns
• completion and submission of VAT returns
• reconciliation of accounts
• preparation of year end accounts and audit working papers
• To provide business partner services to schools including the preparation of monthly management accounts to include profit and loss reviews, balance sheet reports and cash flow forecasting
• To provide strategic financial planning support to schools, to include the preparation of annual budgets, support with ongoing budget planning and scenario planning
• Attendance at academy trust resource meetings as required to report on year end and management accounts
• To support the provision of assurance services to our schools, to include the planning and overseeing of the audit process and submission of reports within set deadlines
• To support schools converting to academy status, supporting the set-up of new finance systems and processes for the opening academy.
• Working as a critical friend and carrying out peer reviews of academy work completed by members of the Financial Services team, ensuring compliance with The Academies Financial Handbook.
• To support on project work, working with both maintained schools and academy trust, to improve financial reporting, processes and procedures
• Liaison with external organisations as appropriate including Audit Firms, Medway Council and the Education Standards & Funding Agency.
• Overseeing the monthly payroll procedure and reconciling appropriately.
• Ensuring compliance with The Academies Financial Handbook ensuring all policies and procedures reflect this.

Person specification

Knowledge of:

• Strong academic background
• Full or part-qualified accountant working towards an accounting qualification (Essential)
• Knowledge of Academy finances (Desirable)

Experience of:

• Production of financial accounts and working papers for year end
• Application of financial policies and procedures in your work
• Working with auditors.
• Preparation and monitoring of budgets (Essential)
• Using a variety of financial accounting systems, including HCSS (Desirable)
• Academies financial management (Desirable)

Skills and abilities:

• Ability to build effective relationships with senior management and other external stakeholders e.g. auditors.
• Ability to explain through instruction, guidance and training, complex financial information and best practice.
• Highly organised with the ability to plan and manage work to achieve results and meet deadlines.
• Ability to lead and deliver specific projects with little direct supervision
• Ability to provide high quality commentary and analysis of management accounts
• To demonstrate a passion and motivation to support schools of all types to achieve the very best for their learners.

If you are interested in this position please contact Karen Watkin (PA to CEO, HR Manager) to arrange a visit. Telephone: 01634 961080 Ext 305

Kindly note completion of an application form is essential.

Closing Date: 9^th December 2019 noon

Interview Day: 18^th December 2019