School Business Manager (CFO)

Teaching Vacancies; Grimsby; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Local government pension scheme

Job summary

Waltham Leas Primary Academy is seeking an experienced senior finance leader to oversee strategic financial planning and statutory reporting across the academy trust. You will drive multi-year budgeting, manage annual accounts and ESFA submissions, and ensure governance of financial controls.

The role requires strong knowledge of ATH, Charity regulations, and high proficiency in Excel and accounting software, with experience in payroll and pension submissions.

Qualifications

• Qualifications: Level 4+ SBM Qualification or degree in Finance/Accounting/Business; full or partial finance qualification or CFO-level academy finance experience.
• Experience: Senior financial management and multi-year budget modelling in an Academy Trust or Charity sector, with statutory accounting and external audit leadership.
• Technical & regulatory: ATH, ESFA frameworks, Charity Commission regulations; high proficiency in Excel and financial software.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi-year financial forecasting and annual budget modelling.
• Oversee statutory ESFA financial returns and ATH compliance.
• Manage statutory annual audited accounts under Charity SORP (FRS 102).
• Oversee HR/payroll processes, pensions submissions, and payroll.

Skills

Strategic finance

Budget modelling

Financial management

Regulatory compliance

Leadership

Education

Level 4+ SBM Qualification

Finance/Accounting/Business degree

AAT 4 / ACCA / CIMA / CIPFA / ACA or equivalent

CFO-level academy finance experience

Tools

Access Education Finance

Access Budgets

Excel

Job description

What skills and experience we're looking for

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Finance & Charity Accounting: Lead multi-year financial forecasting, annual budget modeling, monthly management accounts, and statutory annual audited accounts under Charity SORP (FRS 102) and the Academies Accounts Direction.
• Statutory Compliance & ESFA Submissions: Oversee total financial probity, Academy Trust Handbook compliance, and the timely submission of all statutory ESFA financial returns using software systems like Access Education Finance & Access Budgets.
• Operations & Estates Leadership: Manage premises compliance, health & safety, procurement/contracts, risk management, and the Trust's IT and cyber security infrastructure.
• HR & Payroll Oversight: Oversee recruitment protocols, statutory pension submissions (TPS/LGPS), and monthly payroll processing.

Key Requirements

• Qualifications: Level 4+ SBM Qualification (CSBM/DSBM/Level 6 Diploma) Or a degree in Finance/Accounting/Business; full or partial finance qualification (AAT Level 4, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA, ACA) or equivalent CFO-level academy finance experience.
• Experience: Proven senior financial management and multi-year budget modeling experience within an Academy Trust (SAT/MAT) or the Charity Sector, including statutory accounting and external audit leadership.
• Technical & Regulatory Knowledge: Robust working knowledge of the Academy Trust Handbook (ATH), ESFA frameworks, Charity Commission regulations, and high proficiency in Excel and financial management software.

What the school offers its staff

We strive to ensure that Waltham Leas Primary Academy has a friendly, caring, family atmosphere. We offer a warm welcome to our safe, calm environment for children, staff and visitors on a daily basis.

Our school's vision, created by the whole school community encompasses our aspirations for all stakeholders.

Belong Grow Empower

The successful candidate will have access to the Local Government Pension Scheme, 1 Wellbeing day per year & you will be a member of SLT.

Commitment to safeguarding

Our organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff, volunteers and trustees to share this commitment. Our recruitment process follows the keeping children safe in education guidance. Offers of employment may be subject to the following checks (where relevant): childcare disqualification Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) medical online and social media prohibition from teaching right to work satisfactory references suitability to work with children You must tell us about any unspent conviction, cautions, reprimands or warnings under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975.