Group Executive Director of Finance in Orpington

Orpington Full-Time On-site

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Closing Date: Monday 19th October 2026.

About the role

Recruiting an exceptional Group Chief Financial Officer to provide strategic financial leadership across a diverse and ambitious education group. Reporting to the Group CFO, you will lead financial planning, budgeting, reporting, payroll, pensions and treasury functions, ensuring strong governance, compliance and financial sustainability across the College, Multi Academy Trust, Foundation and subsidiary entities.

You will drive operational excellence within the finance function, deliver insightful management information to senior leaders and boards, and support long-term growth and performance. This is an outstanding opportunity for a commercially minded finance leader who can combine strategic vision with strong financial control and stakeholder engagement.

What you will do

To ensure the financial performance of each group entity is in accordance with annual budgets and forecasts.
To ensure that the liquidity position of each entity within the group is managed effectively.
To manage the Finance department including setting targets, achieving all deadlines, monitoring and managing individual and department performance.
To ensure that the group financial operation and any other area of responsibility allocated to this role, meets all regulatory requirements and that returns or reports, internal and external are completed to stipulated deadlines and meet or exceed the requirements placed on the Group entities by any relevant body or authority.
Preparation of monthly reports including KPI’s, management accounts and financial forecasts for all group entities at cost centre level in consultation with budget holders. This includes the preparation of daily and monthly cash flow forecasts.
To ensure the Group’s accounting systems are effective, accurate, up-to-date and properly administered and an effective system of financial control is in operation.
To produce all relevant and statutory financial returns for submission to the, DfE, GLA, and Charities Commission.
Use financial management information, especially benchmarking tools, to identify areas of relative spending, assess trends and directly advise the Group Chief Financial Officer accordingly.
Manage the groups VAT rating assessment and VAT liabilities, including the submission of all VAT returns and advise on the financial implications of charitable status with respect to the current and any future tax legislation.
Liaise with auditors and plan all external financial audit arrangements. Implement the audit requirements of the group. Monitor and report progress on recommendations.
To ensure the financial systems and practices meet all internal and external audit requirements, achieve clean audits and ensure that the financial operation of the group satisfies all necessary and relevant accounting conventions and standards.
Responsibility for authoring and updating all financial policies, and for the continuous improvement of the Finance department and services it provides across the group. The post holder will also contribute to the overall strategy of the group
To participate as a member of the Senior Leadership Team in the determination and oversight of the overall strategic direction and leadership of the Group entities.
To lead on the preparation of annual budget, delivery plans, and Three Year Financial Plans for submission to the Group Chief Financial Officer.
To prepare annual accounts and consolidated financial statements for each entity within the group in accordance and compliance with the relevant SORP for each entity, and in compliance with, DfE, OfS and other funding body requirements for submission to the Group Chief Financial Officer.
To take a proactive approach in anticipating the information needs of the Group in supporting decision making at all levels in the organisation and to produce timely and accurate reports for the Senior Leadership Team, legal Boards and Committees.
To attend Board meetings and sub committees as required.
To maintain a clear understanding of the funding methodology and its implications for the Group and provide proactive, clear strategic and operational advice and guidance to managers and staff.

Working arrangements

This is a full-time role, 37 hours per week, hybrid working with a base primarily at Orpington with travel to other London South East Colleges and London South East Academies Trust sites as required.

Salary: Competitive based on previous financial, accounting and audit experience and some out of hours working.

Why join us

You will play a pivotal role at the heart of a values-led education group spanning Further and Higher Education, Schools within a Multi Academy Trust and a Charity Foundation. You will work closely with all senior leaders across the Elevare Civic Education Group to shape strategy, governance and stakeholder engagement across our communities.

About You

About Us

Elevare Civic Education Group

Elevare Civic Education Group is an umbrella organisation that comprises our Group Organisations, London South East Colleges, London South East Academies Trust and Elevare Education Foundation. The Group rationale is borne from a shared mission, vision and values. It seeks to optimise governance alignment through a Group Strategy and provide efficiencies across the organisations.

Built on charitable principles and a co-incidence of interest, the Group ethos is founded upon high-quality teaching and learning, the development of curriculum models ﬁtting each school and cohort, and a core and bespoke school improvement strategy which focuses on our shared strength. The strategic and operational working relationships between the College, Trust and Foundation have been established to optimize collaboration and integration - and to reflect both the next stage of our journey and our growing civic mission. Collectively the Group annual income is c£150m, delivering education to c15,000 students and employing over 2000 staff.

Elevare meaning to elevate or uplift, captures our mission to raise aspirations and opportunities, while Civic signals our responsibility and commitment to being an anchor institution, at the heart of our communities.

Working at the heart of the operations of the Elevare Civic Education Group, the postholder, is a key and important officer who enables and supports strategic leadership across the Elevare Civic Education Group.

Benefits

We offer a highly competitive benefits package, including excellent annual leave and a generous pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme.

Additional benefits include:

Access to an Employee Assistance Programme
Cycle to work scheme
Annual season ticket loan
Access to the Discounts for Teachers portal
Free Wi-Fi access in over 10,000 locations worldwide through Eduroam
Access to our on-site gym at Bromley campus and discount at other local gyms
Discounts in our in-house restaurants and on hair and beauty treatments

Equal Opportunities

London South East Colleges is fully committed to equality of opportunity and to creating a diverse, inclusive and respectful working environment, free from discrimination and harassment. We welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of race, nationality, ethnic origin, religion or belief, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, age, parental status or marital or partnership status.

As a Disability Confident Committed employer, we guarantee an interview to applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role.

If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you through the application or interview process, please contact People Services at [email protected].

In line with Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) guidance, we carry out social media checks on shortlisted candidates to assess suitability for working with children and young people. Our full Safeguarding policy can be found here.

Because we work with children and vulnerable adults, all roles are exempt from Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check and, where relevant, a Children’s and/or Adult’s Barred List check. Any offer of employment may be withdrawn if these checks are unsatisfactory. Self-disclosure is required as part of the recruitment process, and failure to disclose relevant information or provide a DBS certificate is likely to result in withdrawal of an offer. Our DBS policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders is available on request.

All appointments are also subject to verification of the right to work in the UK, in line with Home Office requirements. Original documentation will be required prior to commencement of employment.