JOB DESCRIPTION POST TITLE: Trust Finance Manager GRADE: 10 11 ( 36,379 to 47,480) HOURS: WEEKS: LOCATION: LINE MANAGER: 37 hours per week 2 weeks Head Office, Southampton Chief Financial Officer PURPOSE OF THE JOB: To assist the Chief Financial Officer in managing all aspects of finance across the Trust To prepare all consolidated reports for the Trust To complete all DfE, ESFA and other returns To deliver best value procurement & income generation strategies To provide a high level of service to internal stakeholders To ensure the Trust s financial strategy is implemented effectively KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: STRATEGIC: To assist the CFO in preparing long-term strategic budget planning information To manage all Trust financial software and to ensure that robust processes & procedures are in place To maintain financial records that meet legal and tax requirements To assist the CFO in preparing budgets for Hamwic Education Trust To prepare consolidated budgets To prepare consolidated monthly management accounts (including forecasts) To complete all returns due to the DfE and ESFA To prepare annual financial statements To provide information to auditors during external audit To ensure that the Trust complies with all requirements of the Academies Financial Handbook, Company & Charity law and the statutory requirements laid out by the Secretary of State for Education To complete monthly VAT returns To complete all other statutory returns To deliver best value procurement strategies To develop income generation strategies To assist the CFO with fraud management across the Trust To assist the CFO with capital development across the Trust To assist the CFO with risk management across the Trust To effectively use financial and non-financial information to benchmark performance 1
MANAGEMENT: To provide support to academies in all areas of finance To provide training to key stakeholders in schools To be responsible to setting up new locations on the financial software To keep up to date with financial developments across the education sector To oversee banking administration across the Trust OPERATIONAL: To complete BACS runs To manage contracts across the Trust To tender for supplies & services in accordance with the Trust s finance policy To manage accounting systems & records and to provide financial information as required To complete monthly reconciliations on all Trust control accounts To complete monthly management accounts for Hamwic Education Trust To complete monthly cash flow forecasts To assist the CFO in arranging insurance for academies To assist the CFO in the conversion process of new academies To assist in the internal audit of academies To be responsible for the provision of information to independent internal auditors GENERAL: To assist the Chief Financial Officer in any aspects of financial management across the Trust To use relevant computer systems to input accurate details, manage data, run reports and make returns as required To process transactions as appropriate To process inter-school & other journals To ensure that support is provided to the academies and that items of a sensitive and confidential nature are dealt with appropriately To provide relevant reports to stakeholders as required OTHER DUTIES: At an appropriate level, according to the job role, grade and training received, all employees in the Trust are expected to: Support the aims, values, mission and ethos of the Trust and participate in a team approach to all aspects Attend and contribute to staff meetings and identify areas of personal practice and experience to develop Take appropriate responsibility for safeguarding and be aware of confidential issues and maintain as appropriate To be aware of health and safety issues and act in accordance with the Trust s Health and Safety Policy To liaise with Trust staff, contractors and outside agencies/organisations as appropriate The post holder may be expected to carry out duties other than those given in the job description where the level of responsibility is similar and he/she has appropriate qualifications or received appropriate training to carry out these duties. 2
PERSON SPECIFICATION POST: HIGH LEVEL TRUST FINANCE MANAGER KNOWLEDGE Qualifications Degree or equivalent experience Formal accountancy qualification (ACA/ACCA/CIMA) To demonstrate the necessary levels of academic and business achievement to undertake a senior financial management role Essential Evidence of continued professional development To demonstrate a commitment to professional development Essential Knowledge/Experience At least 3 years experience of at least middle management gained preferably, although not necessarily, within the academy sector To demonstrate the ability to lead in an area where there could be a significant financial impact or implication to the Trust Highly desirable 4 Demonstrable expertise in the completion of financial reports (i.e. management accounts, VAT returns, etc.) To ensure accurate reports are prepared and submitted in a timely manner Experience of effective procurement and tendering To ensure best value strategies are implemented and savings generated across the Trust Experience of income generation To develop income generation strategies Desirable 3 3
POST: HIGH LEVEL TRUST FINANCE MANAGER MENTAL SKILLS Ability to analyse and interpret a range of complex information INTERPERSONAL & COMMUNICATION SKILLS Ability to communicate information and ideas effectively to a wide range of audiences, through excellent written and oral communication skills To run reports, analyse data and present information to a wide range of stakeholders To develop and maintain effective working relationships with all stakeholders TECHNOLOGICAL SKILLS Highly developed ICT skills (including excel) INITIATIVE & INDEPENDENCE To operate a variety of computer systems and to produce reports, correspondence and documentation Ability to work on own initiative and to organise/prioritise own workload and that of the team To work independently and to make decisions PHYSICAL DEMANDS Limited 4
POST: HIGH LEVEL TRUST FINANCE MANAGER MENTAL DEMANDS Ability to concentrate on detailed work for long periods of time To analyse complex data, produce financial information and work on detailed reports Ability to deal with conflicting priorities and cope with considerable pressure To manage interruptions and conflicting demands and to meet deadlines EMOTIONAL DEMANDS Occasional RESPONSIBILITY FOR PEOPLE Understanding of key safeguarding issues and procedures To ensure correct reporting and monitoring of any safeguarding issues arising across the academy; To maintain appropriate levels of confidentiality and data security in respect of personal / pupil / colleague information; Good understanding now RESPONSIBILITY FOR SUPERVISION Training ability To train, demonstrate, guide and support others in the use of finance systems, processes and procedures Essential
POST: HIGH LEVEL TRUST FINANCE MANAGER FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY Ensuring financials processes & procedures are adhered to RESPONSIBILITY FOR PHYSICAL RESOURCES Ability/experience in using computer systems and general office systems (MS Word, Excel etc.) To ensure correct financial procedures are adhered to across the Trust To design and produce documentation and correspondence; maintain financial systems and records; run reports and analyse data 4 6