Head of Finance

£54,394 - £61,534 | Hybrid | South Devon

Company Overview: Cathedral Appointments is proud to be partnering with a values-led multi-academy trust in South Devon to recruit a Head of Finance. Supporting multiple schools and a large community of pupils and staff, the Trust is driven by a clear vision to deliver ambitious, high-quality and inclusive education. With a collaborative central team and a strong culture rooted in courage, compassion, collaboration and commitment, this is an organisation where financial leadership directly contributes to meaningful outcomes for children and young people.

Role Overview: As Head of Finance, you will play a pivotal strategic role in ensuring financial stability, sustainability and strong governance across the Trust. Leading the finance function, you will combine operational excellence with strategic insight, providing robust financial planning, accurate reporting and expert advice to senior leaders and Trustees. This is a highly visible leadership position where your expertise will help shape long-term financial strategy and maximise the impact of resources across multiple schools.

Responsibilities for the Head of Finance:

• Lead and develop the Finance Team, driving high performance, accountability and continuous improvement.
• Oversee financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and consolidated management reporting for the Trust.
• Support the Director of Finance in producing annual budgets and medium-term forecasts for all academies.
• Produce, monitor and report on the Trust’s cash flow.
• Ensure robust financial controls, compliance with regulatory and audit requirements, and accurate statutory returns.
• Ensure regular and timely reconciliation of all balance sheet control accounts.
• Partner with senior leaders and Headteachers, providing clear financial insight to support strategic decision-making.

Requirements for the Head of Finance:

• Qualified CCAB accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent), or close to qualification.
• Proven experience in a complex, hands‑on accounting role, ideally within the public sector, education or a regulated environment.
• Strong track record of leading teams, managing audit processes and driving compliance improvements.
• Excellent financial analysis, reporting and stakeholder engagement skills, with the ability to communicate complex information clearly.

Benefits:

• Leadership scale salary of £54,394 – £61,534.
• Generous Local Government Pension Scheme with circa 17% employer contribution.
• 26 days’ annual leave plus public holidays and Christmas closure days.
• Ongoing professional development and career progression opportunities.
• The opportunity to contribute to a purpose-driven organisation where your work has tangible impact.

If you are an experienced finance leader seeking a strategic role with genuine purpose, we would love to hear from you.

Note on Sponsorship: We regret to inform you that at this time, we are unable to offer sponsorship for work authorisation for this role. Therefore, candidates must possess valid authorisation to work in the UK without requiring visa sponsorship.

Recruitment Consultant: Matt Wicks

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