Strategic Finance Manager

PURPOSE

• To give strategic vision and leadership to all aspects of finance.

• To lead, operate, maintain and develop the financial procedures and systems of the school.

• Together with the Senior Leadership Team and Governors, ensuring that legal requirements with regard to finance are maintained.

• To manage the school finance team.

• To play a central role in advising the Senior Leadership Team and Governors on finance matters.

• To liaise with the Diocesan Education Service, Local Authority and other external bodies as appropriate.

• To ensure that the School remains financially viable and can be run in an efficient and effective manner.

DUTIES FINANCIAL

• Ensure the school has appropriate financial systems in place.

• Ensure that financial transactions are carried out in an appropriate manner and provide assurance that the financial regulations of the ESFA and the Academy are observed.

• To prepare, in conjunction with the Headteacher, Senior Management Team, the School’s annual budget. To manage, monitor and report accordingly to the Board’s Finance Committee.

• To prepare regular management accounts to monitor income and expenditure against the budget.

• To carry out regular budget monitoring and forecasting and investigate any variances arising.

• To prepare year end schedules, including the reporting of adjustments for accruals and prepayments.

• Support staff responsible for delegated budgets with procedures and systems which enable them to effectively monitor these budgets and to provide training, advice and updates as appropriate.

• To ensure that computerised records, written documentation and general information are maintained and secured.

• To develop and implement appropriate admin/finance systems to support the aims of the School.

• To carry out financial analysis on all income and expenditure streams ensuring the accounts are used as a mechanism for informing the wider process of the budgetary cycle of consultation, decision making, monitoring and review.

• To take responsibility for initiating and managing audit procedures as required.

• To attend and report to Trust Board committee meetings for Finance and any other committees as required.

• To monitor and control capital expenditure on buildings and grounds, in liaison with the Estates Manager

• To manage the School’s bank accounts.

• To manage the School’s cash flow.

• To oversee staff financial and payroll data.

• To respond to requests for financial information from external bodies. 

• To prepare schedules for lease payments.

• Advise the Governors and Headteacher on the resourcing needs of the School including the cost of new initiatives and the scope for efficiencies.

• Promote fair competition through quotations and tenders to ensure that goods and services are secured in the most economic, efficient and effective way.

• To ensure the proper function of the ordering system and linkage with the budget.

• To ensure the comprehensive Fixed Asset register meets external audit and continuity plan.

• Recognise and explore all new funding/income opportunities and ensure funding/income is maximised to enable the School to achieve both short and long term strategies.

• To lead the Finance Team ensuring the effective running of finance procedures.

• To take delegated responsibility for financial decisions following appropriate discussions with the Headteacher.

• Lead on the annual statutory audit of the Academy’s accounts and ensure the approvals process for timely submission of annual statutory accounts, VAT returns and EFA submissions

GENERAL

• To support the ethos of the school.

• To support the School’s commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children in the Academy.

• To undertake such duties and work hours as agreed with the Headteacher and carry out duties as may be required from time to time as detailed by the Headteacher.

• To contribute to the review, updating, writing and implementation of finance policies.

• To carry out duties of the post in accordance with relevant legislation as well as Governing Body policy.

• To supervise the annual audit of equipment, furnishings and furniture, keep records, and ensure all records are in good order.

• To secure adequate, appropriate and securely maintained insurance cover, for all aspects of the school business.

• To ensure that confidentiality is maintained in line with agreed policies and protocols.

• To take responsibility for personal professional development, keeping up to date with research and developments related to school efficiency.