Director of Finance and Resources - Further Information

Reporting to: CEO and Executive Headteacher, Headteachers and the Trustees of Divergent Partnership Trust Responsible for: Finance and Resources Team, IT and Site Location: Wrotham School Academy and School Contract: Full-time, Permanent Salary: £55,000 per annum. (NB: This will be reviewed following further growth of the Trust) Child Protection Level: Enhanced Appointment is conditional on a DBS check

Organisation and Context: Wrotham Academy is a convertor academy which established itself as a MAT in 2013. Wrotham School is a highly successful 11-18 academy and an approved academy sponsor. The Trust has been supporting Aylesford School since September 2016, and the issue of Academy Order means the school will join the Trust. The Trustees have ambitions to build a small to medium local MAT in which aims to support the development and improvement of local schools for local communities.

The Director of Finance and Resources will have responsibility across the MAT and will be responsible for leading changes required to ensure effective controls are in place, and that financial leadership supports the strategic and operational aims of the Trust. Furthermore, the post holder will be a key player in the conversion of Aylesford School to join Wrotham Trust.

As schools and academies move into financially challenging times you will need to be determined, pragmatic, creative and committed to ensuring that as leaders we work together to ensure that despite the challenges our students will still receive the education they deserve.

Role Purpose: The Director of Finance and Resources plays a vital role in the the Trust. The post holder will: • Sit on the Board of Trustees and/or an interim Strategic Board so as to support the Trustees, Executive Headteacher and Leadership Team members with organisational strategy, financial information and interpretation to assist decision making across the organisation. • Provide strong financial stewardship, leading on all financial aspects of the organisation including budgets and controls, internal financial procedures and processes, management and statutory accounting and audit, procedures/internal controls on Finance/IT/Site both at organisational and strategic level. • Develop annual and medium term plans for specific areas of responsibility; managing the performance and support of all direct reports, ensuring effective delivery of Finance/IT/Site. • Represent the Trust and Local Governing Body at PFI Operational meetings when appropriate.  Work to identoify additional income streams for the Trust and to maximise existing ones.

Wrotham School, Road, , Kent, TN15 7RD T: 03000 658320 www.wrothamschool.com www.divergent.org.uk

 Work to identify savings in the Trust and at Aylesford School.

The role extends beyond Finance to encompass responsibility for IT and premises/office services.

Director of Finance and Resources

Key tasks and responsibilities: 1. Finance • Leads budgeting and forecasting processes to determine the resources available to the organisation, ensure they are allocated to organisational priorities and ensures an appropriate level of reserves are maintained • Developing, managing and ensuring compliance with all internal financial systems, processes and controls • Provide financial stewardship to the organisation, identify deviations from plans and budgets at an early stage and contribute to planning appropriate organisational responses • Maintains appropriate accounting records and processes to meet all statutory and funder requirements and ensure that financial information is timely, accurate and complete • Planning and co-ordinating the preparation of the organisation’s budgets, cash flow and forecasts and monitoring performance against these • Producing monthly management reports and appropriately designed reports for Trustees, the Executive Headteacher and Leadership Team • Preparing and planning for the annual audit, liaising with auditors and producing the consolidated annual accounts • Identify and quantify financial risks faced by the Trust and lead conversations at LT and Board to develop mitigation strategies. Ensure that business planning takes proper account of significant risks and ensure that the Trust’s governance structure is given the information necessary for discussions on risk • Forecast and manage cash flow and reserve movements across the organisation • Works closely with colleagues to assess financial capacities of potential member academies to the Trust, ensuring due diligence is undertaken. • Actively promotes cost effective strategies to ensure the best use of the Trust’s resources. • Liaise with external stakeholders including banks, auditors, lawyers, regulatory authorities and 3rd party service providers

2. IT • Ensuring GDPR and data protection confidentiality agreements in place with suppliers • Develop ICT to improve operational efficiency and address operational problems within all areas of the Trust • Taking responsibility for the IT facilities of the organisation in conjunction with third party suppliers • Analyse existing software and ensure the system is integrated where feasible/practical – make recommendations for changes;

Wrotham School, Borough Green Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 7RD T: 03000 658320 www.wrothamschool.com www.divergent.org.uk

4. Premises/Office Services • Ensuring the smooth running and high quality of office and premises services • Ensuring that office and premises services reflect value for money and procurement policies are followed • Acting as liaison point with PFI contract holders where they exist in the Trust

5. Governance • Acting as Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer for the Trust and ensuring that appropriate financial procedures are followed by Trustees and staff • Attending all Board and relevant Finance & Audit Committee meetings • Ensuring the Trust meets all statutory and regulatory compliance duties • Ensuring key organisational policies are updated and disseminated

Experience: The successful candidate may not be currently working in the education sector, but is likely to have much of the following experience: • Be a professionally qualified Accountant (UK or abroad) with significant experience at senior level • Been responsible for financial reporting and be used to explaining and interpreting financial information for non-specialists in an organisation; • Reviewing, setting and managing budgets, producing management accounts and forecasts • Experience of developing financial strategy/ business planning • Ideally, you will have managed a project to install a new accounting system and common charts of accounts • You will have a good understanding of HR strategy and administration • Strong understanding of the Academies Finance Handbook or a willingness and ability to gain this • Have experience of leading and managing finance for a secondary Academy • Have experience of leading and managing finance during the process of establishing a secondary academy or converting a secondary school to an academy • Been used to interacting with senior decision makers and Board members on strategy and organisational development and contributing clear financial messages • Experience of working with varied stakeholders to support an academy conversion process • Experience of supporting an organisation quickly out of a deficit position and

Wrotham School, Borough Green Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 7RD T: 03000 658320 www.wrothamschool.com www.divergent.org.uk

into a surplus • Have had responsibility for, or have detailed knowledge of, other services such as IT and premises • Have significant experience of accruals based accounting and an understanding of cash based accounting • Have significant experience of negotiating best value contracts and services from external providers, and provide evidence of this • Have significant experience of managing budgets and the associated recording and reporting procedures for budgets in excess of £5 million • Have experience of working in financial management in the private sector • Have experience of project managing building works

Personal qualities: The Trust is looking for an individual with a range of leadership, technical and communication skills. The successful candidate is likely to have demonstrable skills in the following areas:

• Strong communication skills both written and verbal, blended with a confident and personable manner, as well as a sense of humour (including in times of adversity) • An analytical ability to quickly understand new or evolving situations, and to develop strategies to deal with such situations / solutions focussed • Able to work flexibly, under pressure and to meet demanding deadlines, with the ability to prioritise and manage conflicting demands • Ability to think strategically yet still be prepared to be hands-on • High energy levels, resilience and tenacity • You will have a high level analytical and interpretative problem solving ability • You will need mental agility to manage a diverse workload and the ability to prioritise tasks at times of high pressure

Wrotham School, Borough Green Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, TN15 7RD T: 03000 658320 www.wrothamschool.com www.divergent.org.uk