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- Tasks: Lead a finance team supporting schools with budgeting and financial advice.
- Company: Join Gloucestershire County Council, a supportive and inclusive employer.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and career development opportunities.
- Other info: Hybrid working options available for a balanced work-life experience.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in education finance while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Experience in finance, ideally within schools or public sector.
The predicted salary is between 48226 - 51356 £ per year.
This is a Gloucestershire County Council job.
Job Location: Shire Hall, Block 1, 1st Floor Shire Hall - County Wide
Salary: £48,226 - £51,356 per annum
Hours per Week: 37.00
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 15/05/2026
This post is not open to job share.
About the team/role
The Area Finance Manager role sits within Gloucestershire County Council’s Traded School Finance Service. The post holder will lead an established team providing financial advice and support to schools and academies across Gloucestershire.
Key elements of the role include:
- Strategic leadership of school finance services (budget planning, year-end, systems, risk management)
- Oversight of a commercially sustainable traded service, including service quality and market growth
- Quality-assuring finance training for Headteachers, Governors, and school staff
- Line management, staff development, and continuous service improvement
- Working with senior leaders and contributing to oversight of schools causing concern
- Maintaining strong customer relationships and championing excellent customer experience
About you
Gloucestershire County Council is seeking:
- An experienced finance professional, ideally with school or public-sector finance background
- Proven ability to lead and develop teams
- Strong technical finance knowledge combined with commercial awareness
- Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills
- A values-driven approach aligned with public service and education outcomes
About Us
For all your hard work, you will receive the following:
- Flexible and agile working opportunities
- 25.5 days annual leave rising to 30.5 days after 5 years continuous service
- Plus, an option to purchase 10 days of additional leave per year (pro-rata for part-time staff)
- Family friendly employer offering benefits to help support you and your family
- Career development and qualification opportunities
- Supportive and positive working environment with regular, robust supervision
- Excellent Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- Access to our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) that provides free, confidential, counselling and advice for employees, available 24 hours a day, online and by telephone
- An in-house Occupational Health service
- Employee discount scheme
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Green Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme (Eligibility criteria and T&Cs apply)
- Links to employee networks such as Prism (LGBT+) network and the Young Employees Network
How to apply
This is a permanent position working term time only with a requirement to work an additional 3 weeks throughout the year (42 weeks in total).
Please submit your application and personal statement today by clicking the “Apply Now” Button.
For an informal discussion about the role please contact Allana Whelan.
Additional Information
If you are an Internal applicant and consider yourself to have a disability as per the Equality Act (2010), please declare this in an email, as this is NOT currently covered in the application due to a technical error. By providing this information, you can choose to be considered for a guaranteed interview under our Disability Confident pledge if you meet all essential criteria. It also enables the recruiting manager to arrange any reasonable adjustments you may need during the process.
The council is not currently able to offer sponsorship in this role. Candidates will need to have right to work that enables them to commit to at least 6 months' employment. Right to work is not transferable from a sponsored role held with another employer.
We want to be an employer of choice, attracting and retaining excellent people to work for us, so that we can best serve all of Gloucestershire’s diverse communities. Our promise to you is that we will provide an inclusive and supportive working environment that enables you to bring your whole self to work and realise your full potential.
It is a legal requirement, under the Immigration Act 2016, that anyone appointed to a ‘customer facing role’ must be able to demonstrate an ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence in fluent English.
Hybrid working arrangements are available for the majority of our roles, giving teams the opportunity to work in a way that suits them, balancing service need and individual choice, with a mix of both remote and office working.
Area Finance Manager, Permanent in Barnwood employer: Gloucestershire County Council
Contact Detail:
Gloucestershire County Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Area Finance Manager, Permanent in Barnwood
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the finance sector, especially those who have experience with schools or public services. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about job openings or even a referral.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching Gloucestershire County Council and its Traded School Finance Service. Knowing their values and recent projects will help you tailor your answers and show you're genuinely interested in the role.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience aligns with the key elements of the Area Finance Manager role. Highlight your leadership skills and how you've successfully managed teams in the past.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, it shows you’re serious about joining our team at Gloucestershire County Council.
We think you need these skills to ace Area Finance Manager, Permanent in Barnwood
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Personal Statement: Make sure your personal statement is tailored to the Area Finance Manager role. Highlight your experience in school or public-sector finance and how it aligns with the responsibilities outlined in the job description.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since this role involves leading a team, don’t forget to showcase your leadership skills. Share specific examples of how you've developed teams or improved service quality in your previous roles.
Emphasise Stakeholder Management: Strong stakeholder management is key for this position. Be sure to mention any relevant experiences where you’ve built relationships with senior leaders or other stakeholders, demonstrating your ability to maintain strong customer relationships.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website by clicking the 'Apply Now' button. This ensures your application is processed smoothly and allows us to get to know you better!
How to prepare for a job interview at Gloucestershire County Council
✨Know Your Numbers
As an Area Finance Manager, you'll need to demonstrate strong technical finance knowledge. Brush up on key financial concepts relevant to school finance, such as budget planning and risk management. Be ready to discuss how you've applied these in previous roles.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
This role involves leading a team, so be prepared to share examples of your leadership experience. Think about times when you've developed staff or improved service quality. Highlight your ability to motivate and guide a team towards achieving goals.
✨Build Relationships
Stakeholder management is crucial in this position. Prepare to talk about how you've built and maintained strong relationships with various stakeholders, such as Headteachers and Governors. Use specific examples to illustrate your approach to excellent customer experience.
✨Align with Values
Gloucestershire County Council values a commitment to public service and education outcomes. Reflect on your own values and be ready to discuss how they align with the council's mission. This will show that you're not just a fit for the role, but also for the organisation's culture.