Director of Finance and Corporate Services

Director of Finance and Corporate Services

Circa £70k - Dependent on qualifications and experience

Stoke on Trent

Director of Finance Area of Work:

Reporting directly to the COO, the post holder will, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, be responsible for the overall leadership and management of finance and corporate services to include:
•    Finance
•    Estates and Facilities
•    Administration and IT
•    Procurement and fundraising

Job Purpose of the Director of Finance

•    To work with the CEO, Board of Trustees and the COO to ensure that the MAT is compliant with all its financial legal and statutory duties.
•    To provide strategic leadership to the Trust on finance, audit, compliance and risk management.
•    To manage and lead all corporate services at a strategic and operational level whilst actively contributing to the overall management of the MAT as a member of the Central Leadership Team.
•    To develop and maintain a coherent, effective and efficient approach to financial management across the Trust.
•    To provide financial analysis and guidance on Trust plans, targets and activities.
•    To develop and maintain a coherent and effective strategy and approach on all matters relating to finance, payroll, ICT and site management as appropriate and ensure that the Trust makes best possible use of its resources.
•    To oversee any outsourced contracts eg for the provision of audit, HR and IT network management.
•    To ensure that the Trust and its individual schools maintain strong financial positions.
•    To ensure there is a culture of financial awareness throughout the organisation and ensuring resources are used effectively, efficiently and economically.  
•    To ensure the delivery of all facilities management services throughout the MAT and provide leadership to the service.
•    To promote and safeguard the welfare of staff, children and young people.

Key Duties/Responsibilities of the Director of Finance

Strategic Management:

•    To co-ordinate consolidated financial information and reporting across the Trust, providing financial support and advice to the Board of Trustees and all schools in the MAT in relation to the central and delegated budgets.
•    To work with the COO and school based staff to develop and implement financial systems and policies across the MAT in line with the Academies Financial Handbook and Company House requirements. 
•    To ensure implementation of robust systems of financial controls and checks.
•    To provide advice to principals and finance staff in each school within the MAT on budget setting, monitoring and financial processes as appropriate.
•    To develop and oversee the quality of management information, budgeting and forecasting processes across the MAT.
•    To contribute to the development of the financial strategy for the Trust, ensuring alignment with the Trust strategic plan.
•    To be responsible for the preparation to annual financial statements and be the key contact with the auditors.
•    To prepare the annual budgets and longer term financial forecasts for the academies and the central trust.
•    To assist in the preparation of the Trust consolidated budget.
•    To ensure the accuracy and timeliness production of the Trust’s consolidated and Academy financial reporting including management accounts, cash flow reports and a range of key performance indicators.
•    To advise the Trust on funding opportunities to ensure that capital grants and bids for other funds are properly submitted to ensure priorities are met and income is maximised.
•    To actively explore additional funding streams for the Trust, preparing bids as appropriate.
•    To develop procurement systems to maximise value for money across the Trust.
•    To ensure the accurate and timely completion of statutory financial statements and returns across the Trust.
•    To ensure the provision of adequate and appropriate Internal and External Audit functions and ensure that they provide appropriate support to the Audit Committee
•    To fulfil the role of Company Secretary for the Trust.
•    To establish a high level of credibility and manage strong working relationships within the organisation and  external partners eg ESFA, auditors, bankers, Companies House, pension providers.
•    To advise senior managers and trustees on the financial implications of school plans and proposals.
•    To support the COO on any academy conversion work for new schools joining the MAT, including due diligence checks and legal documentation
•    To oversee health and safety across the Trust with regards to statutory obligations for all the sites.
•    To take an active role in the provision of assurance to the Board in respect of compliance with the enquired standards for better health and safety and other regulatory requirements.
•    To develop a strategy for risk management and control, ensuring risk registers are maintained and that a disaster recovery plan is in place.
•    To maintain comprehensive risk assessment processes which identify and manage risks.
•    To provide leadership, oversight and support of income generation
•    To develop and lead the organisations IT strategy and implementation plan.
•    To work with the ICT team to create a long-term ICT plan that is affordable and makes maximum use of the facilities available to support quality-first teaching and learning.
•    To work with the school finance staff to ensure that administration and financial systems are aligned wherever possible to avoid duplication of work.

Resource Management:

•    To develop capital budgets and projects and play a leading part in capital project management
•    To develop and lead the estates strategy and Implementation plan.
•    Ensure all estate is fit for purpose and compliant with statutory requirements
•    To prepare the annual capital plan and the strategy for capital replacement for the Trust.
•    To ensure the correct valuation, maintenance and security of assets, including buildings and land.
•    To maintain an overview of all the Trust’s academy schools and providing best value options for key purchases.
•    To verse tenders for service contracts and cost effectiveness.
•    To provide guidance to the COO and staff with financial responsibilities over retention of quotes obtained for goods, works and services and other associated documentation such as minutes of meetings , recording of decisions and reports.
•    To support the negotiation and agreement of contract costs.
•    To identify opportunities for procurement and operational efficiencies, leading the process of implementing such opportunities across the Trust.
•    To be a catalyst for driving efficiencies across the Trust including leading on the year on year reduction in spend across key categories such as utilities, consumables, insurances, external support contracts and other discretionary spends.
•    To support the process for the development and evaluation of business cases for the establishment of new services or expansion of existing ones.
•    To line manage administration staff centrally employed by the Trust.
 

Communications:

•    To ensure that the Board of Trustees receive timely and accurate management information relating to finance, audit, compliance and risk management.
•    To ensure that the finance team within each academy seeks continuing improvement in its management and financial systems and receives timely, succinct and clear guidance to ensure that they are effective and efficient in the discharge of their duties.
•    Attend meetings within SBMAT and external events as required.
•    Prepare policy and review papers as required and requested.
•    Maintain a presence in national professional networks and through these and other means ensure a current overview of sector policies and developments.
•    To act as a champion for change and improvement, constantly enhancing quality.
 

Culture:

•    To be prepared to assist the COO in any ad hoc work as required and to represent the Trust as a key promotional ambassador.
•    To take on other duties as agreed with the CEO and Trust Board.
•    To take personal responsibility for your own health and safety and that of other employees of the Trust.
•    To maintain confidentiality of key data and information at all times.

The above mentioned duties are neither exclusive or exhaustive and the post holder may be required to carry out other relevant duties as directed by the CEO/COO as may be reasonably expected.
 

Full Director of Finance job Spec attached

Application Forms can be downloaded from:

http://sbmat.org/academies/vacancies/

Please return completed application forms to: office@sbmat.org