Job Description

• Upholding responsibility for the timely and accurate preparation of management accounts by the Shared Services Centre, ensuring all financial processes and procedures are carried out effectively and in accordance with applicable accounting standards and regulations.
• Ensuring the provision of sound financial advice to all academies to facilitate informed decision-making Trust-wide. The Financial Controller reports into the Head of Finance and will line manage the Finance Team.
• Line managing the Shared Service Finance team and work in collaboration with the Executive Business Managers across the Trust to ensure a robust budget setting and monitoring framework is in place.

• To continuously review and improve financial processes and systems to ensure the efficient and effective management of the Trust’s finances.
• To ensure the financial services provided by the Shared Services Centre to all academies, are in accordance with the Service Level Agreement.
• To manage and develop the Shared Services Centre finance team. This includes training, support and performance management.
• To maintain the Trust’s Financial Procedures Manual, ensuring all financial procedures are compliant with relevant accounting standards and industry regulations.
• To maintain a strong system of internal controls.
• To ensure the Trust’s financial policies are reviewed and updated annually.
• To be the system administrator for all finance software.
• To oversee the timely and accurate preparation of monthly management accounts for the Trust, including all Balance Sheet reconciliations, funds analysis and variance analysis.
• To enhance financial reporting across the company.
• To support in the timely and accurate submission of all regulatory returns.
• To administer the Trust’s online banking and ensure all payments are processed accurately and in accordance with policy.
• To maintain the cashflow forecast.
• To manage the budget of the Central function.
• To facilitate the external audit of the annual statutory accounts. To prepare the year end Trial Balance and schedules, and oversee the provision of all information requested by the external auditors.
• To support independent internal audits
• To lead on the completion of financial due diligence on prospective academies.
• The postholder will deputise for the Head of Finance in their absence.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities