Finance Manager

Fidelis; Greater London; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Fidelis College seeks an experienced Finance Manager to lead its finance function and help ensure that resources are used effectively to support the College's educational priorities. Reporting directly to the Head of College and serving on the Extended Leadership Team, you will combine practical financial management with the opportunity to influence planning and decision making.

You will provide clear advice to senior leaders and trustees, working closely with colleagues across data, finance,

Qualifications

• Qualified accountant with ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CIPFA or equivalent, with active membership and CPD.
• Experience in independent schools, academies, charities or other educational settings.

Responsibilities

• Lead fee billing cycle from pupil records through invoicing, collection and reconciliation.
• Prepare monthly management accounts, budgets, forecasts, and cash flow reports; explain performance to senior leaders.
• Coordinate annual accounts with external auditors and VAT advisers.
• Strengthen financial systems and processes; develop finance staff and oversee procurement controls.
• Oversee capital projects and College activities with delegated leads for other functions.
• Support safeguarding, Student Services and other college operations with financial oversight.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Management accounts

Budgeting

Forecasting

Credit control

External audit

VAT accounting

Education

ACA/ACCA/CIMA/CIPFA qualification

AAT Level 4

Tools

iSAMS

iFinance

iBilling

AccountsIQ

Google Drive

Job description

Fidelis College seeks an experienced Finance Manager to lead its finance function and help ensure that resources are used effectively to support the College's educational priorities.

Reporting directly to the Head of College and serving on the Extended Leadership Team, you will combine practical financial management with the opportunity to influence planning and decision making. You will provide clear advice to senior leaders and trustees, working closely with colleagues across data, finance, HR, payroll, admissions, safeguarding and Student Services.

The role

Accurate billing, robust controls, complete reconciliations and reliable reporting are central to this appointment. You will manage the fee billing cycle from verified pupil records through invoicing, parent enquiries, collection and reconciliation. Your responsibilities will include the financial administration of bursaries, scholarships and approved fee concessions.

You will prepare monthly management accounts, budgets, forecasts and cash flow reports, explaining performance and identifying risks and required action. You will also lead the annual accounts process and coordinate work with external auditors, accountants and VAT advisers.

Alongside these responsibilities, you will strengthen financial systems and processes, develop allocated finance staff and support procurement controls and financial oversight of capital projects and College activities. This is a finance leadership post, not a general operational management role: estates, Student Services, fundraising delivery and safeguarding retain their designated leads.

We seek a meticulous and practical finance professional who takes responsibility for accuracy, investigates discrepancies and turns financial information into clear advice. You will bring substantial experience of management accounts, budgeting, forecasting, school fee billing and credit control, together with experience of external audit and VAT accounting. Experience within an independent school, academy, charity or other educational setting is essential.

You will normally be a qualified account and hold ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or an equivalent recognised professional qualification, with current professional membership and continuing professional development. Applicants holding AAT Level 4, supported by substantial experience of managing a comparable finance function and demonstrable competence across the role, may also be considered.

Advanced Excel and Google Sheets skills, confident and secure use of Google Drive, and practical expertise in iSAMS, iFinance, iBilling and AccountsIQ are essential. You will be comfortable working across pupil, billing and accounting records, maintaining reliable information and resolving inconsistencies between systems.

Clear communication, professional judgement and discretion are equally important. You will work constructively with colleagues, handle sensitive financial discussions with parents courteously, and support the College's Catholic ethos through integrity, service and responsible stewardship.

The postholder is expected to uphold the Nolan Principles of public life.

1. Do you hold ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or another recognised equivalent professional finance qualification, with current professional membership and evidence of continuing professional development?
2. Do you have substantial experience working in an independent school, academy, charity or other educational setting?
3. Do you have substantial practical experience of management accounts, budgeting, forecasting, school fee billing, credit control, external audit and VAT accounting?
4. Do you have practical experience using iSAMS, iFinance, iBilling and AccountsIQ, including reconciling information and resolving inconsistencies between pupil, billing and accounting records?
5. Do you have advanced Excel and Google Sheets skills, with confident and secure use of Google Drive?