Head of Finance Business Partnering in Sutton

Location: Copthall House, 9 The Pavement, Grove Road, Sutton, Surrey, SM1 1DA

Working Pattern: 8.45 am – 4.30 pm M-Th, 8.45 am – 4.15 pm F, 36 hrs per week, all year round

Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust (OHC&AT) is a family of specialist education providers for pupils and students from nursery to further education. We operate across academies and college centres in London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. Supporting our academies and college, OHC&AT also operates learning support services, such as nursing and therapy, and a central business support team which includes HR, finance and IT.

Pupils and students within the OHC&AT family have a wide range of learning abilities and additional needs. These include autistic spectrum disorder; speech, language and communication difficulties; social, emotional and mental health needs; profound and multiple learning disabilities; and physical disabilities including multi-sensory impairment and complex health conditions.

We are seeking a proactive and experienced Head of Finance Business Partnering to join our dynamic Finance team. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone who is looking to grow their career in Financial Management whilst making a real difference to the lives of our pupils and students.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deputise for the Assistant Director of Finance when required.
• Responsible for a portfolio of schools that show high risk.
• Lead a team of academy Senior Finance Business Partners, reviewing management accounts for all schools on a monthly basis.
• Line manage staff to include all duties required to induct, recruit, continuously develop, support and manage them effectively.
• Establish, challenge, and review bench-marking tools to compare OHCAT academies with others in the trust and also within the wider academy sector.
• Lead on continuous improvement on Debtors reporting.
• Ensure completion consolidated budget for the academic year to include I&E, balance sheet, cashflow statements, commentary and dashboards for presentation to Risk and Review meetings.
• Make visits to the academies and other sites as needed to ensure the smooth running of the team and functions.

Key Requirements:

• Qualified or part-qualified accountant (CCAB, AAT or equivalent) with significant accounting experience, including financial management and control, budget setting, financial monitoring, and a clear understanding of accounting processes.
• Strong leadership and people-management skills, with experience managing teams, building capability in staff and senior stakeholders, and developing effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organisational skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with senior postholders, provide excellent customer service, work collaboratively, and manage confidential information with discretion.
• Highly competent in financial and administrative systems, including Excel, Microsoft packages, and Resource or similar financial management systems, with the ability to use initiative, manage workloads, meet deadlines, and maintain accuracy under pressure.
• Knowledge and commitment to the education sector, including current educational issues, with a flexible and adaptable approach and a commitment to Equality and Diversity, Safeguarding, and Health and Safety.

Find out what makes OHC&AT a truly rewarding place to work – visit our ‘Work for Us’ page to learn more about opportunities across the Trust and the difference our staff make every day.

Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential.

As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities.

It is an exciting time to be part of OHC&AT and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment.

We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of students, staff and partners.

Closing Date: Midnight on 01/09/2026

Interviews will take place on: Week commencing 07/09/2026

To help us manage applications effectively, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient suitable applications are received.

Safeguarding Statement: Orchard Hill College & Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Appointments made will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. In line with the statutory guidance in Keeping Children Safe in Education, the Trust will request and review references and carry out online searches on shortlisted candidates prior to interview as part of our safer recruitment process. Any concerns raised will be followed up with the applicant before a recruitment decision is made.