Management Accountant in Bristol

Actual Annual Salary: £39,649 - £42,301 (CLF Grade F)

Contract Type: Permanent

Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week, Monday to Friday, All year-round

Additional Information: You will work through a blended model that includes home working and time spent at Federation House in Kingswood, with two days per week based at Federation House and periodic visits to academies across the trust as required.

Provisional Start Date: April 2026

Drive financial excellence and support impactful decision-making across our trust. We are seeking a skilled, proactive and detail-driven Management Accountant to deliver high-quality financial support, insight and analysis across our central team and academies. This is an exciting opportunity to join a collaborative and forward-thinking finance function, where your expertise will directly contribute to strong financial management, informed decision-making, and improved outcomes for staff and students across the Cabot Learning Federation.

In this role, you will work closely with Principals, senior leaders, academy staff and central colleagues, providing effective business partnering, robust month-end reporting and expert financial guidance. You will play a pivotal part in delivering accurate forecasting, insightful analysis and strong financial controls ensuring our academies can manage their resources efficiently, compliantly, and sustainably.

About The Role

• Build trusted, professional relationships with stakeholders at all levels, offering expert financial advice, guidance and challenge.
• Lead month-end processes, including reconciliations, prepayments, accruals, income deferrals, payroll reporting and balance sheet reviews.
• Produce clear, accessible financial reporting, translating complex financial information into meaningful insights that support effective decision-making.
• Support annual budget setting for multiple academies and monitor in-year performance, identifying risks, opportunities and key financial trends.
• Analyse expenditure including non-staffing spend to identify trends, cost-saving opportunities and efficiencies.
• Maintain and enhance financial controls, ensuring compliance with CLF Financial Regulations, ESFA requirements and GDPR legislation.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues in HR, IT, Estates and Operations, providing high-quality management information to support organisation-wide planning and understanding.
• Deliver training and guidance to academy and central staff on financial procedures and the use of financial systems.

About You

• Strong knowledge of finance regulations, month-end processes and annual budget preparation.
• An AAT qualification and/or newly qualified accountant status.
• Experience working with financial systems and maintaining accurate, reliable data.
• Excellent analytical skills with high levels of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills, with the confidence to work with a wide range of stakeholders.
• The ability to work independently, manage competing deadlines, lead on key financial processes and exercise sound judgement.
• Strong IT skills, particularly in Microsoft Excel and financial systems.
• A proactive, solution-focused approach, using initiative to drive improvements and deliver high-quality outcomes.
• High levels of discretion, professionalism and commitment to confidentiality.
• A commitment to continuous improvement, equality, safeguarding and the values of working within an education environment.

Applicants are advised to refer to the full requirements of the role in the attached job description and person specification prior to submitting an application.

Why work in CLFs Central Finance Team?

• The opportunity to influence financial decision-making across a diverse portfolio of academies.
• Varied, meaningful work that directly supports education outcomes.
• Opportunities to lead project work and contribute to process improvements.
• Flexible, hybrid working from home and our Kingswood, Bristol office.
• Career development pathways within the Central Team and the wider trust.
• A collaborative culture that values accuracy, insight, innovation and continuous improvement.

Why work at CLF?

We are a diverse and inclusive community of 36 academies across five cluster regions in the South West that is committed to excellence and making a positive impact. Our people bring unique perspectives, but we’re all driven by a shared moral purpose and a passion for making a positive impact, whether in a teaching, leadership or support role. We’re proud to foster a culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and make a meaningful difference to the lives of others. We are an equal opportunity employer and proud to serve a diverse student population and our communities. We strongly believe that representation matters and so encourage applications from under-represented and global majority groups including ethnicity, gender, transgender, age, disability, sexual orientation or religion. We aim to remove any barriers to employment, ensuring everyone can compete on equal terms. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.

What We Can Offer You

• Access to a generous pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Generous annual leave.
• A comprehensive induction and ongoing commitment to wellbeing and career progression, through a range of training, apprenticeships and in-role/wider-trust development opportunities.
• Well-being support through an Employee Assistance Programme.
• Health benefits, including wellness sessions, gym discounts, and flu jabs.
• A range of generous family leave options, including above industry average occupational maternity pay.
• Additional benefits like cycle to work scheme, on-site parking and many more.

Recruitment Timeline

• Closing Date: 17 March 2026 @11.59pm
• Shortlisting: 18 March 2026
• Interviews: 25 March 2026

As part of our commitment to Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE), we do not accept CVs. A full education and employment history must be provided through our application form. Please note we are not able to offer visa sponsorship for this role. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early, should we receive a high level of interest in the role. Therefore, candidates are advised to apply at their earliest convenience to avoid missing out. As a Disability Confident Committed Employer, we are dedicated to equity and inclusion and commit to interviewing applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria. We aim to provide an inclusive and accessible recruitment process, and support employees throughout their employment. If you have a disability, are neurodivergent, or require any adjustments to support you through the application or interview process please let us know how we can assist.

Safeguarding Statement

The Cabot Learning Federation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All roles across the trust have a varying level of responsibility for ensuring safeguarding practice, with some roles holding significant responsibility and involving working with children on a daily basis in regulated activity. Regardless of the level of responsibility and involvement in each role, we expect all staff, visiting professionals and volunteers to share this commitment. All successful candidates will undergo a comprehensive pre-employment checking process, including an enhanced DBS check (including a further check against the appropriate barred list), references from current and previous employers, health, right to work in the UK, child disqualification (where applicable), prohibition from teaching/management and online checks. You must also tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.