Regional Finance Manager

• Partner with the Principals and other senior staff to ensure effective financial management, adherence to budget and strategic decision making  
• Take responsibility for supporting a high-performance team culture and building a continual improvement/learning mindset. Supporting the management of the finance staff, including arranging appropriate training and development  
• Drive forward change and initiatives which promote regularity, propriety, value for money and best standards, and ensure best practice is implemented across the region  
• Ensure timely production and issue of financial reports, cash flow forecasts, and returns as required, including ad hoc review and projects  
• Prepare the management accounts and related analysis, posting of month-end journals, ensuring bank and control account reconciliations are carried out monthly in line with the Ark month-end pack  
• Prepare the annual budget and reforecasts for approval by Ark  

• Right to work in the UK
• Experienced part-qualified accountant or fully qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA or ACA)
• A high level of numeracy, demonstrated through relevant qualifications or experience
• Experience of running effective administrative and financial systems, ideally within a school environment
• High level of proficiency with Microsoft Excel and the wider MS Office suite
• High level of proficiency with Sage intact (accounting system), Concur (invoicing system) and IMP (budgeting system)  
• Experience using financial databases and confidence and interest in learning new technologies
• Line management experience (desirable)
• Experience in managing and negotiating contracts, tenders and agreements (desirable)
• Understanding of relevant legislation, policies and procedures and the ability to apply this understanding to real situations
• Knowledge and understanding of the education sector (desirable)
• Strong organisational and time-management skills and the ability to delegate appropriately
• Ability to manage and maintain effective working relationships with parents, governors, community members and other stakeholders
• High standards and a keen eye for detail 

• 27 days annual leave plus bank holidays, rising with each year of service up to 30 days after 3-years’ service. This entitlement is pro rata for part time employees. This entitlement excludes bank holidays
• Full office closure between Christmas and New Year
  
• As an Ark employee, you will have the opportunity to be part of the TPT (The Pension Trust) scheme, our workplace pension scheme where we make an 11% contribution; you are not required to contribute towards this scheme unless you choose to. Depending on your role you may also be entitled to LGPS which is a defined benefit scheme where you contribute a percentage based on how much you earn (as do we) in exchange for a guaranteed amount in your pension pot every year
• Access to high-quality professional learning throughout your career, offering both face-to-face sessions and a bespoke online learning platform
• Access to Ark Rewards scheme offering savings from over 3,000 major retailers, interest-free loans available for season tickets or a bike, gym discounts offering up to 40% off your local gym and free eye tests

Ark is an education charity that exists to make sure that all children, regardless of their background, have access to a great education and real choices in life. Our network of 39 schools reaches traditionally underserved communities in Birmingham, Hastings, London and Portsmouth. We educate 30,000 pupils and have nearly 3,000 teaching staff across our network. We also incubate and scale innovative ventures, which we roll out beyond our network of schools for the benefit of teachers, pupils and the education system as a whole. Current Ventures include Ark Curriculum Plus, which equips teachers with the subject expertise needed to ensure students succeed, and Ark Start, a growing chain of nurseries offering affordable, high-quality early years education.

Recently, Ark moved to new offices at EdCity – a unique not-for-profit development in West London, in partnership with Hammersmith & Fulham council. EdCity is designed to bring mission-aligned organisations together to focus on improving the lives of children, especially through education. It offers leased offices, a range of venues for training and events, and an innovation hub for the education sector to connect, collaborate and learn together.