Chief Financial Officer

The Methodist Church in Britain; Kingswood; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 135,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free parking

Staff benefits

Home working

Job summary

The Methodist Church in Britain is seeking a senior financial leader to join the Executive Leadership Team of the Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust. The role focuses on setting financial and stewardship strategy across a family of schools, with travel across Wiltshire and Dorset and some home working.

You will advise the CEO and Trustees on major decisions, lead long-term planning and investment, and strengthen financial resilience while upholding governance standards and safeguarding checks.

Qualifications

• Recognised professional accountancy qualification with current membership, and/or CIPFA Level 7.
• Significant senior financial leadership experience in a large, complex or multi-site organisation.

Responsibilities

• Act as a strategic adviser to the CEO and Trustees on major decisions.
• Lead the Trust's financial and stewardship strategy across its schools.
• Lead long-term planning, investment and organisational growth.
• Strengthen financial resilience across the Trust.
• Maintain high standards of financial stewardship, governance and control.
• Turn complex financial information into clear strategic advice.
• Give independent and constructively challenging advice.
• Build strong relationships with trustees, school leaders and colleagues.
• Influence Trust-wide strategy.
• Modernise financial systems and processes.
• Develop high-performing teams and organisational capability.
• Help secure a sustainable future for the Trust's schools.

Skills

Strategic planning

Budgeting

Forecasting

Treasury

Risk

Audit

Financial governance

Independent advice

Collaborative leadership

Education

CIPFA Level 7

Professional accountancy qualification

Job description

This senior post sits on the Executive Leadership Team of the Diocese of Salisbury Academy Trust, a family of schools, and advises the CEO and Trustees directly on major decisions. The core of the work is setting financial and stewardship strategy across the schools, covering long-term planning, investment, treasury and governance. Work is largely office-based, with travel across Wiltshire and Dorset and some home working. Visa sponsorship is not available, and the start date is 1 March 2027.

What the job involves

• Act as a strategic adviser to the CEO and Trustees on major decisions
• Lead the Trust's financial and stewardship strategy across its schools
• Lead long-term planning, investment and organisational growth
• Strengthen financial resilience across the Trust
• Maintain high standards of financial stewardship, governance and control
• Turn complex financial information into clear strategic advice
• Give independent and constructively challenging advice
• Build strong relationships with trustees, school leaders and colleagues
• Influence Trust-wide strategy
• Modernise financial systems and processes
• Develop high-performing teams and organisational capability
• Help secure a sustainable future for the Trust's schools

What’s required

Qualifications

• Recognised professional accountancy qualification with current membership, and/or CIPFA Level 7

Experience

• Significant senior financial leadership experience in a large, complex or multi-site organisation

Skills & knowledge

• Strong expertise in strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, treasury, risk, audit and financial governance
• Ability to turn complex financial information into clear strategic advice
• Confidence to give clear, independent and appropriately challenging advice
• Collaborative leadership and ability to develop high-performing teams

Checks & eligibility

• Appropriate pre-employment checks, including safeguarding

Other

• Commitment to public service and the Trust's Christian vision, values and inclusive ethos
• Strategic insight, integrity and commitment to improving outcomes for children

Nice to have

• Experience within the academy or wider education sector

What’s offered

• Free parking
• Staff benefits, details on the Trust website
• Some home working