Financial Controller

This is a fixed term contract to cover the parental leave of the current Ark Schools Financial Controller. The ideal candidate will be available to start in August 2025 to ensure a detailed handover with the current Financial Controller. Our financial year-end if 31 August with the external audit scheduled for October 2025. The candidate will therefore be responsible for delivering the statutory reporting and external audit for the Trust in preparation for the filing deadline of 31 December 2025.

Alongside statutory reporting, the role is responsible for financial processing, compliance and reporting of financial accounting data across our 39 academies within Ark Schools and its related entities, ensuring the financial systems and controls are in place. They will also be responsible for the day-to-day treasury management, cash flow forecasting including the monitoring of major capital projects.

The Financial Controller will report into Ark Schools Finance Director. This role is currently operating hybrid working in our West London Office on a fixed term basis working full time.

1^st round interviews will be taking place in person w/c 30^th June.

Key Responsibilities:

• Leading and motivating the central finance team of eight, with line management, including training and regular appraisals of 3-4 direct reports
• Responsible for providing up-to-date financial information and technical advice to Finance Director, Ark Schools management team and the wider academies network
• Responsible for the co-ordination of the year-end audit files and preparation of statutory accounts for the Group and subsidiary entities in accordance with Charities SORP, Companies Act and FRS. Liaise with auditors to ensure timetable and deadlines are met
• Central compliance management meeting reporting requirements to the ESFA/DFE. Keep good knowledge of the different funding streams and mechanisms for monitoring grant expenditure. i.e. Annex G
• Full ownership of all central Balance sheets. Responsible for all control account reconciliations, the Trial Balance, and reconciliations of restricted and endowment funds
• Plan and manage the trusts VAT liabilities, overseeing the preparation of all VAT returns, inspections, and compliance for two entities. Provide advice as necessary
• Responsible for the day-to-day management of the Trust’s cash flow and treasury, including strategic cash investments
• To support the Finance Director in maintaining and developing an environment of robust financial control as the network develops
• Working with the Head of Finance Systems and Financial Accounting, oversee and advise on the set-up and maintenance of all finance systems (Iris PS Financials/Concur/IMP)
• Ensure appropriate stewardship and accountability for public and charitable funding received

Key Requirements:

• Right to work in the UK
• Educated to degree level or equivalent
• CCAB Accountancy qualification with at least 3 years post-qualified experience
• A record of recent and relevant Continued Professional Development
• Experience in building effective teams, developing staff and managing external business relationships
• Strong, hands on, statutory accounts experience. You will be expected to consolidate 39 academies to a statutory level for the year-ended 31 August 2025, and lead the external audit scheduled for October 2025. The Department for Education (DfE) statutory filing deadline is 31 December 2025
• Knowledge of the latest Charities SORP and Companies Act. Knowledge of the Academy Trust Handbook and Academies Accounts Direction 2025 is desirable
• Audit and VAT experience with the latter ideally in a charity context
• Understanding and experience of the challenges presented by working across a large multi-site organisation with some devolved financial functions and autonomy. Ideally experience of working within another Multi Academy Trust, Local Authority or DfE
• Ability to use Excel at an advanced level including the use of macros etc. You will be an excel superuser
• High attention to detail, proactive, confident, enthusiastic with a ‘can do’ attitude, well organised, methodical with the ability to multi-task and prioritise workload to meet tight deadlines
• Flexible team player and ability use own initiative to work with minimum supervision is essential
• Excellent written and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with staff at all levels
• Ability to effectively present financial information at the appropriate level

Strong and supportive manager, capable of getting the best out of a team

• Our hybrid working model aims to offer the best of both worlds, striking the right balance between in-person collaboration and remote working. You will work a minimum of two days per week in our state-of-the-art office in West London allowing you to connect with colleagues, with the flexibility to work remotely, or in the office over the remaining days
• In addition to our current hybrid working arrangements, employees can request to work fully remotely for up to 10 working days a year, whether this be in the UK or abroad
• Our flexitime policy allows you to work your hours around our core hours of 10.00 - 16.00, helping you prioritise your work-life balance and personal commitments
• 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

Ark is an education charity that exists to make sure that all children, regardless of their background, have access to a great education and real choices in life. Our network of 39 schools reaches traditionally underserved communities in Birmingham, Hastings, London and Portsmouth. We educate 30,000 pupils and have nearly 3,000 teaching staff across our network. We also incubate and scale innovative ventures, which we roll out beyond our network of schools for the benefit of teachers, pupils and the education system as a whole. Current Ventures include Ark Curriculum Plus, which equips teachers with the subject expertise needed to ensure students succeed, and Ark Start, a growing chain of nurseries offering affordable, high-quality early years education.

Recently, Ark moved to new offices at EdCity – a unique not-for-profit development in West London, in partnership with Hammersmith & Fulham council. EdCity is designed to bring mission-aligned organisations together to focus on improving the lives of children, especially through education. It offers leased offices, a range of venues for training and events, and an innovation hub for the education sector to connect, collaborate and learn together.