At a Glance
- Tasks: Manage financial processes and support strategic decision-making in schools.
- Company: Join Ark Schools, a leader in education finance.
- Benefits: Generous leave, pension contributions, and professional development opportunities.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for career growth and learning.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the financial health of schools in your community.
- Qualifications: Part-qualified or fully qualified accountant with strong numeracy skills.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
About The Role
Reports to
Regional Senior Finance Manager
Location
West London supporting within Ark’s North London Finance region
Contract
Permanent
Pattern
Full Time (37.5 hours per week)
This is an exciting opportunity to join Ark Schools’ Regional Finance team, supporting Ark’s academies in West London.
As a Regional Finance Manager, you will be an integral part of the team responsible for ensuring the high-quality financial service within the academies.
You will report to and work closely with the Regional Senior Finance Manager and will also work with the relevant Principals and Operations Leads in the school(s) you support.
You will manage the monthly financial processes, ensuring compliance, accuracy and timeliness, leading financial planning and partnering with the Principal and other senior staff to ensure effective strategic decision making.
Key Responsibilities
- Partner with the Principals and other senior staff to ensure effective financial management, adherence to budget and strategic decision making.
- Take responsibility for supporting a high-performance team culture and building a continual improvement/learning mindset.
Supporting the management of the finance staff, including arranging appropriate training and development.
- Drive forward change and initiatives which promote regularity, propriety, value for money and best standards, and ensure best practice is implemented across the region.
- Ensure timely production and issue of financial reports, cash flow forecasts, and returns as required, including ad hoc review and projects.
- Prepare the management accounts and related analysis, posting of month-end journals, ensuring bank and control account reconciliations are carried out monthly in line with the Ark month‑end pack.
- Prepare the annual budget and reforecasts for approval by Ark.
- Key Requirements
- Right to work in the UK.
- Experienced part‑qualified accountant or fully qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA or ACA).
- A high level of numeracy, demonstrated through relevant qualifications or experience.
- Experience of running effective administrative and financial systems, ideally within a school environment.
- High level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel and the wider MS Office suite.
- High level of proficiency with Sage intact (accounting system), Concur (invoicing system) and IMP (budgeting system).
- Experience using financial databases and confidence and interest in learning new technologies.
- Line management experience (desirable).
- Experience in managing and negotiating contracts, tenders and agreements (desirable).
- Understanding of relevant legislation, policies and procedures and the ability to apply this understanding to real situations.
- Knowledge and understanding of the education sector (desirable).
- Strong organisational and time‑management skills and the ability to delegate appropriately.
- Ability to manage and maintain effective working relationships with parents, governors, community members and other stakeholders.
- High standards and a keen eye for detail.
Benefits
- 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3‑years’ service.
This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees.
This entitlement excludes bank holidays.
- Full office closure between Christmas and New Year.
- As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to.
Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year.
- Access to high‑quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face‑to‑face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform.
- Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest‑free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests.
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