Regional Finance Manager

This is an exciting opportunity to join Ark Schools’ Regional Finance team, supporting Ark’s academies in West London.

As Finance Manager, you will be an integral part of the team responsible for ensuring high standards of financial integrity within the academies.

You will work closely with (and report to) the Senior Finance Manager and will also work with the relevant Principal(s) and Operations Lead(s) in the school(s) you support. For your home schools, you will manage the monthly financial processes, ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Academies Financial Handbook, leading financial planning and partnering with the Principal and other senior staff to ensure effective strategic decision making. You will then provide support to other schools as directed by the Senior Finance Manager.

The Regional Finance Manager will report into Senior Finance Manager. This role is currently located West London Cluster, North London Region (home schools will be Ark Burlington Danes in White City and King Solomon Academy in Paddington). This is a permanent contract working full time (37.5 Hours per week).

Interviews will be arranged as suitable candidates are identified, so early application is strongly advised.

Key Responsibilities: 

• Ensure timely production and issue of financial reports, cash flow forecasts, and returns as required, including ad hoc review and projects
• Prepare the management accounts and related analysis, posting of month-end journals, ensuring bank and control account reconciliations are carried out monthly in line with the Ark month-end pack
• Prepare the annual budget and reforecasts for approval by Ark
• Take responsibility for the academy’s accounting procedures, ensuring all policies and procedures are adhered to within the academy, including review of academy payment runs and payroll
• Take responsibility for and line management of the school’s finance support staff, including arranging appropriate training and development, conducting induction, probation and performance management reviews
• Partner with the Principal and other senior staff to ensure effective financial management, adherence to budget and strategic decision making
• Drive forward change and initiatives which promote regularity, propriety, value for money and best standards, and ensuring best practice is implemented across the region

Key Requirements:

• Experienced part-qualified accountant or fully qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA or ACA)
• Right to work in the UK
• Ensure timely production and issue of financial reports, cash flow forecasts, and returns as required, including ad hoc review and projects
• Prepare the management accounts and related analysis, posting of month-end journals, ensuring bank and control account reconciliations are carried out monthly in line with the Ark month-end pack
• Prepare the annual budget and reforecasts for approval by Ark
• Take responsibility for the academy’s accounting procedures, ensuring all policies and procedures are adhered to within the academy, including review of academy payment runs and payroll
• Partner with the Principal and other senior staff to ensure effective financial management, adherence to budget and strategic decision making
• Genuine passion for and a belief in the potential of every student
• Deep commitment to Ark’s mission of providing an excellent education to every student, regardless of background
• Strong organisational and time-management skills and the ability to delegate appropriately
• Ability to skilfully manage and maintain effective working relationships with parents, governors, community members, and other stakeholders

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years’ service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year
  
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

We’re an international charity, transforming lives through education. We exist to give every young person, regardless of their background, a great education and real choices in life. In the UK, we’re a network of 39 schools, educating around 30,000 pupils in areas where we can make the biggest difference and we’re recognised as one of the highest achieving academy groups in the country. We want to change the lives of children everywhere, not just in our own schools. So, we create and incubate Ventures designed not only to help pupils in Ark schools, but also to improve education systems.

You’ll be joining a group of like-minded, ambitious individuals who work collaboratively and are all committed to our core mission, that every child has the potential to succeed. Having just celebrated our 20^th anniversary, we are shaping our goals for the next 20 and there has never been a more exciting time to join us.