Chief Finance and Operations Officer
Help shape the future of GLF Schools as its Chief Finance and Operations Officer as you lead the Trust's financial strategy, operations and systems and long-term planning.
Location: Banstead, Surrey (with regular travel and flexibility to work from other sites within the organisation)
About GLF Schools
GLF Schools is one of the most established and respected multi‑academy trusts in the South East, educating nearly 20,000 children and young people across Surrey, West Sussex, Oxfordshire, Bracknell Forest, Hampshire, and the London Boroughs of Croydon and Wandsworth. Our growing family of 43 schools is united by a shared commitment to ensuring that every child can grow, learn and flourish.
Financially, we are secure and well‑positioned for the future. While some schools face the pressures common across the sector, our overall position is robust, supported by investment in new systems, strengthened central capacity and a clear focus on long‑term sustainability.
With a refreshed executive team in place, we are ready to build a more integrated, strategic and confident organisation — one that uses its scale to deliver excellence for pupils, staff and communities.
About the role
The Chief Finance and Operations Officer will help shape GLF’s future. This is a broad, influential and highly senior executive appointment, responsible for leading the Trust’s financial strategy, operations and systems and long‑term organisational planning. The CFOO will work closely with the CEO, Chief Education Officer and Trustees to ensure that GLF remains financially resilient, operationally strong and strategically aligned as we continue to grow and succeed.
Although the CFOO does not hold direct line management of IT, Estates or People, they will provide strategic leadership and direction to these functions, ensuring they operate as a coherent, efficient and aligned part of the Trust’s wider operating model. This role sits above and across all enabling functions, shaping how they work together, strengthening Trust‑wide coherence and driving innovation and continuous improvement at scale.
Financial leadership is at the heart of the role. You will provide strategic oversight of a professional finance service, ensuring robust systems, strong internal controls and effective compliance frameworks. You will set financial direction and priorities, while delegating operational delivery to the Finance Director. You will ensure the effective delivery of the full financial cycle, including annual audited accounts, statutory returns, Trust‑wide budget setting, in‑year monitoring, due diligence and internal audit. You will also establish a clear financial risk and tolerance framework aligned to Trust strategy, ensuring that investment decisions, reserves management and long‑term planning reflect our goals.
Who we are looking for
We are seeking an exceptional leader who combines financial and operational excellence with authenticity, integrity and a values‑driven approach.
The successful candidate will be financially qualified and bring significant senior leadership experience in a complex, multi‑site organisation, along with the strategic maturity required to help shape a Trust that is evolving quickly and ambitiously.
We are looking for someone who can operate confidently at executive level while remaining grounded, relational and visible across the organisation.
Above all, we are looking for someone who cares deeply about the impact of their work. You will understand that strong financial and operational foundations are essential to enabling great teaching and learning and you will be motivated by the opportunity to make that difference across 43 schools and beyond.
This is a role for someone who wants to shape a Trust with ambition, integrity and a clear sense of purpose.
