Chief Finance Officer (CFO)

Hours of Work: 37 hours per week (flexible and/or hybrid working welcome)

Salary: £62,661 – £66,916 (PO18, NJC scale points 52 – 55)*

*pay award pending - in national negotiation, due April 2024

Appointment: Permanent

Closing Date: 9.00am on 8th May 2024

We are seeking to appoint an experienced finance professional, who will provide leadership and management on all aspects of finance and will play a pivotal role in providing clear financial and commercial strategy and direction for the Trust, acting as the CFO in line with the Academy Trust Handbook. The successful candidate will have a proven track record of senior leadership, strategic financial capability and team leadership. Based at the central office in Swallownest, Sheffield, the successful candidate will work as part of ACET’s central team, reporting to the CEO and Board of Trustees, in a collaborative and supportive working environment.

Benefits include hybrid and/or flexible working, 33 days annual leave rising to 36 days after five years’ service (plus Bank Holidays), free onsite parking and ability to join the local government pension scheme. We are keen to find the right person for this role, and will support and invest in appropriate CPD for the successful candidate.

The ideal candidate will be commercially astute and have excellent communication and negotiation skills. Knowledge and/or experience of the education sector is essential, and ideally, the successful candidate will have a track record of improvement of school/academy budgets. We are looking for someone who is adept at building strong, positive relationships with a variety of stakeholders and can foster respect and trust easily. Future growth of the trust could lead to further career development for the post-holder.

If you would like an informal chat about the role before applying, please email vacancies@astoncetrust.org with your contact details and we will be in touch.

Application Details

Please complete an application form and return by email to vacancies@astoncetrust.org by the specified closing date to apply for the post. Early applications are encouraged, as we may close the advertisement earlier than the planned date if sufficient high-quality applications are received.

Safeguarding

ACET is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All applicants should read our safeguarding Policy and Safer Recruitment Policy, which are available on the ‘policy’ section of our academy websites.

It is an offence to seek employment in regulated activity if you are barred from working with children. This post will involve regular contact with children, and therefore is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Applicants are therefore not entitled to withhold information about convictions, cautions or bind-over orders which for any other purposes are “spent” under the provisions of the Act. Any information that is “protected” under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 will not appear on a DBS certificate and does not need to be declared. Guidance on this can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/new-guidance-on-the-rehabilitation-of-offenders-act-1974

Successful candidates will be subject to a DBS check at the appropriate level. Shortlisted candidates will be asked to complete a self-declaration related to their criminal record or any information that would make them unsuitable to work with children. Additional checks in relation to the Childcare Disqualification Regulations will be undertaken for successful candidates to junior academies. If you have lived or worked outside of the UK, additional information may be required from you to satisfy safer recruitment checks.

Equality

ACET is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity throughout the recruitment process. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, and your application will be assessed purely on your ability to do the job.

We undertake to make any ‘reasonable adjustments’ to a job or workplace to counteract any disadvantages a disabled person may face. Where required, we will make reasonable adjustments to the selection process for an applicant with a disability.

Please note if you have not received a reply within three weeks, your application has been unsuccessful.