Chief Financial Officer

The Great Schools Trust; Warrington; Hybrid; GBP 103,000 - 111,000; Full time

Job summary

The Great Schools Trust is seeking a Chief Financial Officer to lead the Trust's financial strategy. The role is permanent, full-time, 37 hours, with hybrid working and travel across the Trust academies.

The CFO will provide strategic financial leadership, work with the CEO and trustees, and ensure resources align with the Trust's mission and priorities. Negotiable start date and broad exposure to governance.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic, values-led financial leadership across the Trust.
• Lead and develop the finance function, supporting long-term sustainability.
• Strengthen financial planning and assurance and help leaders make evidence-informed decisions.
• Align resources with the Trust's mission, values and priorities.

Job description

Chief Financial Officer

Great Schools Trust

Contract: Permanent, full-time, 37 hours, all year round
Location: Hybrid, with a minimum of three days per week at King's Leadership Academy Warrington and regular travel across Trust academies
Salary: £103,030 - £110,892 FTE
Start: Negotiable

This is an important executive appointment for Great Schools Trust.

We are seeking a Chief Financial Officer who can provide strategic, values-led financial leadership across our Trust. This is a demanding full-time role that requires technical excellence, strong professional judgment, and a clear commitment to stewarding public money.

At GST, financial decisions are educational decisions. They shape what we can sustain, where we can invest and how confidently we can plan for the future. We are looking for someone who can help us turn financial information into insight, strengthen financial planning and assurance and support leaders to make wise, evidence-informed decisions.

The successful candidate will work closely with the CEO, Executive Team, trustees, academy leaders and central colleagues. You will lead and develop the finance function, support long-term sustainability and ensure our resources are aligned with the Trust's mission, values and priorities.

We have taken considerable care to produce a thorough recruitment guide for this role, which gives much fuller detail about the Trust, the context, the culture and the breadth of the CFO position. We ask all prospective candidates to read this carefully before applying. The guide is attached and can also be accessed here: CFO Recruitment Guide

Our current CFO remains in post until the end of December 2026 and would be happy to meet prospective candidates to provide insight into the role and the Trust. Depending on the level of interest, we may also arrange group briefing calls with members of the Executive Team.

For an informal conversation or to arrange a visit, please contact:

Hayley Fenlon at [e-mail]