Academies Finance Manager

Coast and Vale Learning Trust; Tendring; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 40,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee Assistance Programme

Pension scheme

Free membership to Perkbox

Cycle to Work scheme

Discounted gym membership

Job summary

The Sigma Trust in North East Essex is seeking an Academies Finance Manager to lead financial administration across multiple academies and to provide timely professional financial guidance to the central team. This role demands strategic budget oversight and strict adherence to public sector financial frameworks.

You will manage budgets, monitor forecasts, prepare management accounts and ensure compliance with Department for Education frameworks and value-for-money guidelines.

Qualifications

• Experience at a senior finance level of direct management of budgets.
• Proven experience of budget preparation, setting and monitoring and financial forecasting.
• Proven experience of preparing and presenting financial and management accounts, reports and data.
• Knowledge and experience of operating accounting software systems.
• Experience of working in a school or academy.
• A Professional Accountancy Qualification would be desirable.

Responsibilities

• Financial Administration: Executing financial management procedures across multi-phase academies in strict accordance with Department for Education frameworks, expectations on public spending, and Trust policies.
• Budget Monitoring & Reporting: Partnering with the Finance Director and Head teachers to monitor budgets, support clear, accurate financial reporting and ensuring strong financial practices within the Trust academies.
• Financial Approvals and Restrictions: Reviewing and authorising purchases up to designated delegation limits while ensuring all expenditure complies strictly with educational purchasing regulations, ring fenced grant restrictions, and value for money guidelines.

Skills

Budget management

Budget forecasting

Management accounts

Finance reporting

Accounting software

School/academy experience

Education

Professional Accountancy Qualification

Tools

Accounting software

Job description

The Sigma Trust

Job Role: Academies Finance Manager

Hours: 37 hours per week, 52.14 weeks per year

Pay Range: Local Government Pay Scale 8 Points 25-28

Actual Salary: £37,563 - £40,444 per annum

Start Date: November/December 2026

The Sigma Trust is a local partnership of academies in North East Essex and we are currently looking for an outstanding individual to join our Central Team to provide professional timely financial guidance and support to the Sigma schools.

Some of your key responsibilities will include:

Financial Administration: Executing financial management procedures across multi-phase academies in strict accordance with Department for Education frameworks, expectations on public spending, and Trust policies.

Budget Monitoring & Reporting: Partnering with the Finance Director and Head teachers to monitor budgets, support clear, accurate financial reporting and ensuring strong financial practices within the Trust academies.

Financial Approvals and Restrictions: Reviewing and authorising purchases up to designated delegation limits while ensuring all expenditure complies strictly with educational purchasing regulations, ring fenced grant restrictions, and value for money guidelines.

(The full details can be found in the attached Job Outline and Person Specification).

We're looking for you if you have:

Experience at a senior finance level of direct management of budgets

Proven experience of budget preparation, setting and monitoring and financial forecasting

Proven experience of preparing and presenting financial and management accounts, reports and data

Knowledge and experience of operating accounting software systems

Experience of working in a school or academy

A Professional Accountancy Qualification would be desirable

Why work for The Sigma Trust, Sigma Central?

We can offer you:

A Competitive Salary

Robust school CPD training programme that enables you to flourish

Opportunities to work with colleagues across the Trust to share resources, ideas and build collaborative relationships

Employee benefits include:

Employee Assistance Programme

Pension scheme

Free membership to Perkbox

Cycle to Work scheme

Discounted gym membership at selected local gyms

Please note that an integration period applies to all new staff joining the Trust, to support introduction into the organisation.

Additional Information:

For additional information about the Trust and this school, please visit our website www.sigmatrust.org.uk

Commitment to Safeguarding & Diversity

The Sigma Trust is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children and young people that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to safer recruitment processes, including the disclosure of criminal records, online checks and other vetting checks. We ensure that we have a range of policies in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practice across our schools.

The Sigma Trust is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunities regardless of any protected characteristics. This is embedded in our vision ‘To Be Greater Than The Sum Of Its Parts’, where we believe we are strong and more successful working together, creating a workplace which celebrates diversity.

Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert early should we receive an overwhelming response. Candidates may be invited to interview prior to the closing date, so an early application is advised.

We are managing all current recruitment directly and kindly request that recruitment agencies do not contact us regarding open positions.