Senior Finance Business Partner

Senior Finance Consultant

Location: Kent (with travel to client sites)Salary: £42,500 - £60,000pa (DOE)Hours: Full-time, 37.5 hours per weekContract: Permanent

Are you an enthusiastic senior finance professional with experience of working in schools, academies and multi-academy trusts?

Are you a driven senior finance professional who would love to work with the education sector?

We are working with an education finance specialists who provide -quality high financial support, software and consultancy services to schools, academies and multi-academy trusts.

Our client works with schools, academies and multi-academy trusts in Kent, Surrey and Sussex so there are several current opportunities to join them. They act almost like extended finance team members providing tools, training and support to help schools run effective, compliant financial operations.

Salaries are competitive and regularly reviewed, you will receive support to obtain your CIPFA qualification and there is a good range of benefits.

Responsibilities

• Prepare monthly management accounts, ensuring accuracy and clarity for senior leadership.
• Manage school budgets and forecasts, supporting strategic financial planning.
• Assist clients and auditors with financial statements and the full year-end audit process.
• Report to senior management or trustees, providing clear financial insights and recommendations.
• Advise clients on best practice in line with the Academies Financial Handbook.
• Train school finance staff on financial software systems.
• Provide absence cover for Finance Controller or CFO-level roles when required.
• Schedule and manage client work to ensure all deadlines and requirements are met.

Skills and Experience

• Experience working in financial administration, management accounts or school/academy finance - highly desirable
• Experience using educationfinancial software - highly desirable
• Strong communication skills, with confidence dealing with clients face-to-face, even in challenging situations.
• Excellent organisational and planning ability, including managing diaries, schedules, and workload independently.
• High accuracy and attention to detail, especially when preparing management accounts and financial documents.
• Ability to build professional relationships, collaborate effectively, and support networking within the education finance sector
• Positive, proactive attitude with a strong work ethic and willingness to learn - every day is a school day!
• Self-motivated, capable of working remotely while travelling regularly to client sites.
• Committed to professional development, including ongoing study.

Benefits

• Excellent career progression prospects.
• Individual progression and training plans.
• Half yearly team days out.
• Regular training.
• Healthcare plan.
• Study package and support where relevant.
• Pension scheme.
• 29 days holiday plus bank holidays.
• Occasional remote working.
• Opportunity to take part in company charity events.
• Opportunity to take part in social events outside of work organised by events committee.
• Full UK driving licence / own transport / readiness to use public transport and willingness to travel across Kent is essential.
• Mileage reimbursed at HMRC rates.

If you are interested in this role, please apply now.

Our client is closed between Christmas and the new year, using 5 days annual leave over this period is mandatory, however after 1 year of service you qualify for an additional 3 days leave.