Finance Partner

Lionheart Educational Trust; Leicester Forest East; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

15% employer pension contribution

Health care/salary sacrifice

Electric/Hybrid car scheme

Electrical equipment

Gym memberships

Parking

Job summary

Lionheart Educational Trust is seeking a Financial Manager to lead monthly and annual financial reporting, balance sheet reconciliations, and robust budget control across the Trust’s schools.

You will partner with Heads of Schools and the Senior Finance Team to forecast key drivers, manage debtors, assist audits, and provide training to budget holders, ensuring compliance and robust financial planning.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and review monthly and annual finance reports, alongside balance sheet reconciliations
• Ensure spend is in line with compliance and regulatory requirements
• Ensure forecast reflects key business drivers and risks
• Support Heads of Schools with spending decisions, aligning the Trust goals and values
• Deliver training and other support to new and existing budget holders
• Work with Senior Finance Team to support sound management of budgets, alongside review of ICFPs and income funding
• Prepare annual budgets for schools under the portfolio, working alongside Heads of schools to ensure budgets are accurate and robust
• Provide financial advice for Heads, Leadership Teams and other budget holders to make informed financial decisions
• Provide financial input into new products and projects
• Influence stakeholders and challenge decisions to ensure the best outcome for pupils
• To ensure effective and efficient delivery of financial support services within the school/college, complying with relevant financial procedures, policies and systems
• Act as a trusted advisor to stakeholders and provide financial insight to influence decision making
• Ensure financial integrity and compliance with policies
• Identify and mitigate financial risks and control gaps
• Collaborate with accounting teams to ensure accurate reporting
• Support and be involved with internal and external audit requests
• Ad hoc tasks and projects as requested by the Senior finance
• Effective management and reporting of debtors within the relevant schools
• Ensure safe custody of all cash within post holder's schools

Job description

Financial management & Reporting

• Prepare and review monthly and annual finance reports, alongside balance sheet reconciliations
• Ensure spend is in line with compliance and regulatory requirements
• Ensure forecast reflects key business drivers and risks
• Support Heads of Schools with spending decisions, aligning the Trust goals and values
• Deliver training and other support to new and existing budget holders
• Work with Senior Finance Team to support sound management of budgets, alongside review of ICFPs and income funding
• Prepare annual budgets for schools under the portfolio, working alongside Heads of schools to ensure budgets are accurate and robust

Business partnering & strategy

• Provide financial advice for Heads, Leadership Teams and other budget holders to make informed financial decisions
• Provide financial input into new products and projects
• Influence stakeholders and challenge decisions to ensure the best outcome for pupils
• To ensure effective and efficient delivery of financial support services within the school/college, complying with relevant financial procedures, policies and systems
• Act as a trusted advisor to stakeholders and provide financial insight to influence decision making

Governance and risk management

• Ensure financial integrity and compliance with policies
• Identify and mitigate financial risks and control gaps
• Collaborate with accounting teams to ensure accurate reporting

Other financial aspects

• Support and be involved with internal and external audit requests
• Ad hoc tasks and projects as requested by the Senior finance
• Effective management and reporting of debtors within the relevant schools
• Ensure safe custody of all cash within post holder's schools

This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing Trust with staff benefits including 15% employer pension contribution, Health Care/Salary Sacrifice Schemes for purchasing bikes, electric and hybrid car scheme, electrical equipment, gym memberships, parking and more!