Deputy Head Of Finance

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Finance Department as Deputy Head of Finance, reporting to Head of Finance. You will be an integral and proactive member of the Finance Team and have responsibility for leading the finance business partnering function and team in this wide-ranging and fast-paced role.
We are seeking to appoint a Deputy Head of Finance to provide a comprehensive, high quality and professional financial management, accounting and advisory service to the Group (c.£45m turnover). Acting as the lead business partner and a key adviser to budget holders on financial issues, you will play a significant role in ensuring effective financial stewardship and seeking opportunities to improve systems and processes to enhance services provided to stakeholders. The Deputy Head of Finance is required to be proactive in managing our finances to support us to achieve its strategic objectives.
You will be CCAB (ICAEW / ACCA / CIPFA) or CIMA qualified, with significant and recent experience of providing a financial management service, ideally in education (e.g., FE, HE, MAT), public or third sector. However, relevant experience from all sectors, along with an appreciation of the challenges faced in the FE sector, are also welcomed.
You will have a strong background in management accounting, but also have proven technical financial accounting skills, and a track record of being a hands-on and effective manager. Experience in the production of the annual statutory accounts and liaising with external audit is desirable.
You will demonstrate outstanding communication, organisational and managerial skills, and be strongly committed to working with the College’s values and ethos. You must demonstrate the ability to lead a comprehensive financial management service and team and advise on financial matters affecting the business. You will have considerable drive, a proactive can-do attitude, and be positive about change and innovation, and be able to drive forward system and process improvements.
Our current working arrangements:
• 3-month probation, would be required to work full time in the office
• Following probation set Mon, Tues, Wed always in the office.
• Thursdays and Fridays would then be able to work from home dependant on business need. For example, if in the middle of forecasting or if Management accounts analysis fell on one of these days, would need to be in the office.
• A few pinch points in the year like forecasting and year-end accounts may be required to do longer days (Overtime), but would get the time back.
• Year-end falls in Aug (3-week period) have to be in the office full time