Chief Finance & Operations Officer required for a trust in Southwark

CHIEF FINANCE & OPERATIONS OFFICER, CFOO required for a trust in Southwark

Salary: Up to  £95,000 depending on experience

MAIN PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:
The Chief Finance & Operations Officer will provide strategic and operational leadership across the Trust’s core business services (including finance, procurement, ICT, estates, compliance, and risk) ensuring they are aligned with the Trust’s Christian vision, strategic priorities, and commitment to excellence.

They will contribute to and lead the delivery of the Trust’s strategic plan, working collaboratively with
colleagues to translate vision into action and ensure sustainable, high quality operations that support
school improvement.

The Chief Finance & Operations Officer will be responsible for ensuring all non-educational statutory and regulatory compliance obligations are met, including audit, financial reporting, data protection, risk management, and the requirements set out in the Academy Trust Handbook and Companies Act.

They will play a key role in shaping the future of the Trust, enabling strong governance, sound financial
stewardship, and the effective use of resources across all academies.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP AND GOVERNANCE a. Be an active member of the Senior Management Team, working closely with the Chief Executive Officer, People Lead, and Deputy CEO to steer the long-term development of the Trust.
b. Contribute to the development, delivery and monitoring of the Trust’s strategic plan, ensuring business functions are aligned to our ambitions and values.
Provide high-quality professional advice to the CEO, Trust Board, Local Governing
Bodies, and school leaders on matters relating to finance, estates, ICT, compliance, and governance.
c. Engage confidently with national and regional networks, forums and Trust partnerships, ensuring our organisation remains connected, informed and outward facing.
d. Lead on the preparation and presentation of reports and analysis for the Trust Board and its subcommittees, supporting strong and transparent governance.
e. Line manage the Finance Manager, ICT Lead, and the Estates Lead. In partnership with school leaders, oversee the performance of academy-based Finance and Operations leaders, ensuring consistency and high standards across the Trust.

2. FINANCIAL PLANNING AND OVERSIGHT
a. Provide strategic oversight of all financial planning and budget management
across the Trust, including revenue and capital funding, ensuring alignment with our
vision and educational goals.
b. Act as the Trust’s Chief Financial Officer, with responsibility for fulfilling all regulatory
and statutory financial duties as set out by the ESFA, Companies House, HMRC and
other bodies.
c. Lead the Finance Manager in the delivery of:
– Annual and multi-year Trust wide budget setting
– Periodic reforecasting and resource planning
– Timely, accurate, and compliant reporting
– External audit and preparation of year-end statutory accounts
d. Ensure robust financial policies and procedures are in place, understood, and consistently applied across all schools.
e. Monitor performance against budget, ensuring value for money, financial sustainability, and effective stewardship of public funds.

3. PROCUREMENT AND CONTRACT MANAGEMENT
a. Lead on procurement strategy and contract oversight, ensuring the Trust secures high quality services and achieves best value.
b. Oversee major tenders, framework arrangements and procurement activities in line with public procurement regulations and the Academy Trust Handbook.
c. Work closely with legal advisers to safeguard the Trust’s interests in any contractual arrangements, including joint ventures, service-level agreements, and supplier relationships.
d. Ensure Related Party Transactions are appropriately managed and transparently recorded.
e. Support Leads and school leaders in implementing and reviewing supplier KPIs to ensure service quality and financial performance.

4. ESTATES AND INFRASTRUCTURE
a. Work with the Estates Lead to deliver a strategic estates plan that supports school improvement and long term Trust development.
b. Ensure the Trust’s premises are safe, well-maintained, and compliant with statutory requirements, funding agreements, and lease conditions.

5. ICT AND DIGITAL STRATEGY
a. Develop and deliver a Trust wide digital and ICT strategy that is secure, future-focused, and aligned with the Trust’s educational and organisational priorities.
b. Ensure the effective implementation of this strategy across all schools, supporting both operational efficiency and high-quality teaching and learning.
c. Work closely with the ICT Lead to ensure infrastructure, systems and services are robust, scalable and fit for purpose.

Person Spec
Qualifications Essential
Degree and/or recognised professional qualifications relevant to role 
Qualified Accountant (ACCA or equivalent) 
A record of recent and relevant continuing professional development 

Leadership & Management
Experience of senior leadership and management in a successful institution 
Ability to plan strategically based on use of data, targets and benchmarking 
Experience of balancing strategic and operational dimensions of the role 
Experience leading staff