Finance Manager

Suffolk County Council; Ipswich; On-site; GBP 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious independent school in Ipswich is seeking a Finance Manager to oversee financial operations, manage audits, and lead a team. The ideal candidate will be a qualified CCAB accountant with strong leadership skills and financial management experience. This is a permanent position offering £50,000 per annum with generous benefits including paid holidays and pension contributions.

Benefits

30 days paid holiday

Defined contribution pension scheme

Free meals during term time

Access to swimming pool and fitness gym

Smarthealth wellbeing app

Cycle to Work Scheme

Qualifications

• Strong leadership skills and proven experience in financial management.
• Knowledge of audit and compliance requirements.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing all aspects of the school's financial processes.
• Managing the annual audit process and ensuring compliance.
• Line managing the Senior Finance Assistant.

Skills

Leadership skills

Knowledge of financial systems

Audit knowledge

Financial management

Education

Qualified or near-qualified CCAB accountant

Job description

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Job Description

• Ipswich School
• Address: Henley Road, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 3SG
• Salary: £50,000 per annum
• Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday - Friday, 8am - 5pm
• Contract: Permanent, required as soon as possible
• Reference: 7857

Ipswich School have an exciting opportunity to join their Finance Team as the Finance Manager.

Founded during the fourteenth century, Ipswich School is one of the foremost independent schools in East Anglia. It circa 1,000 pupils aged between 3 months and 19 and is co-educational throughout. The most recent Inspection of the Senior School rated it as 'Excellent' in all categories, a judgement of which we are very proud. The school operates a 5-day week, with representative sports played during the week and on Saturdays.

Our trading arm, Ipswich School Enterprises Ltd, incorporates all our revenue generating activities (including lettings, room and facility hire, private functions, sporting events and school holiday camps) which fall outside school fee income.

About the Finance Department

The Director of Finance and Operations and her teams are responsible for the non-academic operation of the school. The Finance Department is a very busy department in the school, and we operate throughout the year. You will join a team of six staff providing financial and administrative support to the Director of Finance and Operations and the School's Senior Management teams.

About the role

We are seeking a Finance Manager to join our Finance department. This is a role that is essential to the strategic and operational financial management of the school.

As a key member of the Operational Management Team, you will report directly to the Director of Finance and Operations and be responsible for the day-to-day financial operations.

Your duties will include:

• overseeing all aspects of the school's financial processes, including the preparation of budgets and forecasts, as well as the production of monthly management accounts and statutory accounts
• responsibility for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the school's financial records, managing the annual audit process, and ensuring full compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements
• being a leader in the department, responsible for line managing the Senior Finance Assistant and developing the team.

You will be a qualified or near-qualified CCAB accountant with strong leadership skills, knowledge of financial systems, audit, and compliance requirements and proven experience in financial management.

Hours of work and benefits:

• This is a permanent post (subject to satisfactory completion of a probationary period lasting 6 months).
• You will work throughout the year on Mondays - Fridays for a minimum of 37.5 hours per week. Please note the normal core working hours in the Finance team are Mondays - Fridays between 8am - 5pm.
• You will be entitled to 30 days' paid holiday per year, plus public holidays.
• After 3 months' service and/or in line with workplace pension legislation, you will be entitled to join a defined contribution pension scheme, with 10% employer contributions, and you will receive 3x death in service life cover.
• If there are pupil vacancies and you have a child or children who are eligible to attend the school who have satisfied the entry criteria as set out in the School's Admissions Policy, and have been awarded a place, you could be entitled to generous fee remission.
• Salaries are paid monthly in arrears by BACS on the last working day of each month throughout the year.
• Free lunch is provided in the school dining hall during term time when the kitchen is in operation.
• Staff can use the school's swimming pool and fitness gym (in compliance with appropriate rules and regulations).
• You will have access to Smarthealth, the school's wellbeing app for staff which offers 24/7 GP access and mental health support.
• We also offer a Cycle to Work Scheme.

For more information and how to apply

To find out more about us, please visit our website.

Please contact the HR Team by either calling 01473 408300 or by emailing [e-mail].

Please find an application form on the vacancies page of our website and return by email to [e-mail].

Alternatively, please submit your application by post by marking the envelope Private and Confidential and send to: The Director of HR, Ipswich School, 25 Henley Road, Ipswich, IP1 3SG.

Closing date: 12pm, 6 October 2025.

Interview date: Week commencing, 9 October 2025.

Candidates may be contacted or invited to interview prior to the closing date, and we may close this vacancy early if suitable candidates apply. Therefore, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Please advise us of any special requirements you may have if you are called for interview. If your special requirements mean that you need to submit this application in a different format, please contact us

Ipswich School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

About the Team

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