Chief Finance and Operations Officer

Rainhill High School; Knowsley; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Rainhill High School is seeking an experienced Chief Finance and Operations Officer to lead the non-teaching functions of the Trust, ensuring strong financial stewardship and regulatory compliance. The role shapes financial strategy, procurement, contracts, and tendering while guiding IT, HR, Admin, Estates, and compliance to support trust growth.

You will sit on the Leadership Team, contribute to strategic direction, empower teams, and translate educational aims into sustainable operations that

Qualifications

• Financial expertise to help navigate current challenges in the education sector.
• A passion for working in education and commitment to mission and vision.
• Ability to think strategically with understanding of the wider context beyond education.
• Ability to inspire confidence and think creatively.
• Commitment to lead through others and empower teams.
• Ability to problem-solve with good organisation and prioritisation skills.
• Commitment to place children at the centre of decision making.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Trust's non-teaching business and financial operations and ensure compliance with regulations.
• Oversee Finance, Admin, HR, IT and Estates & Compliance functions.
• Support commercial decision-making to enable delivery of the Trust's vision and strategy.
• Contribute to Trust-level decision making and future growth.

Skills

Strategic financial management

Procurement

Contract negotiations

Tendering

Leadership

Education sector experience

Job description

This is anexciting opportunity for an experienced and inspirational education business professionalto act as our Chief Finance and Operations Officer, with responsibility for the non-teaching business and financial operations of the Trust and for ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations and statutory requirements.

We are looking to build on existing financial systems,driving best practice through a range of areas including strategic financialmanagement, procurement, contract negotiations, and tendering. Taking overallresponsibility for the financial leadership and management of the Trust toensure financial sustainability as we endeavour to grow the Trust.

An experienced financeor accounting professional with outstanding leadership skills and a trackrecord of success at senior level, you should bring an enterprising approach tobusiness development, strategy and partnerships to help us achieve ourstrategic objectives, effectively leading the Trust’s finances and contributeto the strategic direction and future of our Trust. The CFOO will have a keyrole to play in the Leadership Team, contributing to Trust-level decisionmaking and strategies for future growth and development.

The successfulcandidate will be able to demonstrate that they have:

• Financial expertise to help us navigate thecurrent challenges being faced by the education sector.
• A passion for working in the educationsector and commitment to our mission and vision.
• The ability to think strategically as wellas have a good understanding of the wider context beyond education.
• The ability to inspire confidence and thinkcreatively.
• A commitment to lead through others andempower teams.
• The ability to problem-solve with goodorganisation and prioritisation skills.
• A commitment to always place our children atthe centre of decision making.

We believe ininvesting and supporting our staff to be the best that they can be, as well asgiving people ownership of their responsibilities and the autonomy to beproactive. This is a role in which you will get the opportunity to thrive.

We welcome applications from people within and beyond theeducation sector.

Purpose

The Chief Finance and OperationsOfficer is responsible for the non-teaching business and financial operationsof the Trust and for ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations andstatutory requirements.

They will lead and manage theTrust’s business functions including Finance, Admin, HR, IT and Estates &Compliance, and by supporting commercial decision-making will enable the Trustto work effectively towards the delivery of its vision, aims and agreed strategicdirection.