Type of Position: Chief Finance & Operations Officer

The SDBE Multi Academy Trust is a growing family of Church of England schools, rooted in strong values and a shared commitment to excellence. We currently serve 14 schools across London and the South-East, supporting over 3,000 children and more than 500 staff, with more schools due to join us in the years ahead.

Following the launch of our new five year strategic plan, we are looking for a dynamic and experienced Chief Finance and Operations Officer to deliver on our ambitious plans. This is a key leadership role in a stable, high performing Trust with a clear sense of direction and purpose.

You will be responsible for leading functions including finance, estates, ICT, compliance and risk, procurement, and payroll, ensuring that each is forward thinking, responsive and strategically aligned to our mission. In our Trust, we see our central teams as an extension of our school leadership teams, true partners in the work of school and business improvement. Our role is to empower our heads and their teams to be the very best they can be.

We are committed to building capacity through thoughtful, well-designed and proactive support that removes barriers, enabling leaders to focus their energy where it matters most: on teaching, learning and nurturing every child in our care. For these reasons, we will be expecting you to get to know our schools well, so that you can help them to determine the very best in financial performance.

You will be inheriting a finance function that has already been through a period of significant change and is now well positioned to provide high quality support. You will help shape the next stage, creating collaborative hubs, embedding excellence, and growing a culture of professional trust.

You will bring strong academy trust experience, alongside a proven ability to lead impactful business operations and build high performing teams. Most importantly, you will share our ambition to be dynamic and forward thinking in all areas of our work, shaping a Trust that is continually learning, developing and delivering for its schools and communities.

If you are excited by this challenge and ready to make a meaningful contribution, we would love to hear from you. To arrange a confidential conversation, please contact Mark Burnett, CEO at mark.burnett@sdbemat.org.

The duties may be amended from time to time, in consultation with the postholder, to reflect changing needs and circumstances. The SDBE Multi-Academy Trust is committed to actively addressing discrimination in all its forms. We strive to ensure that everyone in our community has fair and equal access to opportunities and an inclusive experience within employment. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities, particularly those currently underrepresented in our workforce. We are respectful and supportive of all individuals, regardless of race, age, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, caring responsibilities, disabilities, or cultural background.

The SDBE MAT is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to a satisfactory enhanced DBS check and references.