Salary: 60k

Hours: 37.5 hours pw full time - 2 days WFH, 3 days office if required

Benefits: 33 days hols (inc bank holidays), free city centre parking, pension, lunch provided, cycle to work scheme, access to concerts and events in the School and Cathedral

Longer-term: the possibility of a permanent Bursar role

Aspire Jobs are delighted to be working in an exclusive partnership with Salisbury Cathedral School to help recruit an interim Head of Finance to join their team.

Salisbury Cathedral School is a day and preparatory school for boys and girls aged 3-13. Closely aligned to Salisbury Cathedral, there is a real focus on music, including educating the child choristers from the Cathedral.

Their values are vitally important; running like a golden thread through every aspect of daily life at the school, they bring together their whole approach to the education, personal development and well-being of each child.

They are the mechanism by which they deliver their Mission: 'To develop the whole child, preparing them to make a positive influence in the world.

The Head of Finance will directly manage a very strong finance assistant and other operational teams. The School is keen to exploit opportunities for revenue generation so a strategic, forward-thinking, creative individual will be essential.

This is not a role for someone who is looking to take a step back. This needs a dynamic, forward-thinking individual.

The culture of the school is remarkable. It s all about community and working together to deliver on tight deadlines and financials. Naturally it has a caring/nurturing feel and all the support staff are dependent on each other.

The successful person will:

• Demonstrate sound commercial acumen and strategic thinking
• Ideally have an Accountancy degree
• Be AAT qualified or part qualified or able to demonstrate a similar level of competence achieved through significant experience
• Ideally have worked within an Accountancy practice, but they will also look at those who are QBE and who come from industry
• Be a real team player with great interpersonal skills and staff management experience
• Have outstanding organisational skills and strong attention to detail
• Demonstrate sound IT experience including strong Excel skills, ideally with Sage Line 50 experience
• Be able to self-manage and prioritise

Financial Management

• Attending meetings of the Board of Governors, Finance and General Purpose (F&GP) Committee and SLT when required
• Advising on general financial policy within the school and its trading companies
• Advising on taxation matters generally, including VAT, Business Rates and Council Tax
• Advising Head and F&GP re cash and balance sheet management
• Advising on the level of tuition fees and additional charges in the next academic year
• Managing the annual budgeting and forecasting process; preparing annual estimates of income and expenditure, including the preparation of departmental budgets within the school, and presenting them for the approval of the Governing Body, through the FGP, each year
• Liaising on financial matters with the Chapter Clerk, Cathedral Accountant and other Cathedral departments inherently connected with the School
• Managing the school's banking relationship and ensuring that banking covenants are met
• Monitoring income and expenditure in relation to budget by the use of a monthly management accounting system, preparing monthly management accounts and presenting regular reports to the FGP and Governing Body.
• Ensuring that liabilities are appropriately recorded, and that close control is maintained over the creditor ledger and payments
• Maintaining a rolling five-year financial forecast and linked cashflow projection keeping the accounts of the school and preparing annual Statements of Financial Activity (SOFA) and Balance Sheets in accordance with the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP)
• Drafting the Annual Report and preparing annual accounts for Governor scrutiny
• Ensuring that the Company and Charity Annual Reports, Accounts and all other periodic returns are completed and filed on time

Accounts processes

• Overseeing preparation of pupils' bills and the collection of all fees and extras. Manage fee debtors in accordance with delegated powers
• Overseeing the administration of SCS scholarships, bursaries and chorister funding, and liaison with parents and 3 rd party funders
• Authorising and overseeing payment of all salaries and wages, including PAYE, Superannuation and National Insurance Contributions. Ensuring compliance with regulations for benefits in kind
• Administering pension schemes for all staff
• Overseeing all purchasing for the school to ensure that all expenditure is approved and properly accounted for
• Overseeing the purchase, leasing and hiring of school property
• Overseeing the management of the School Uniform Shop

Statutory obligations and risk management

• Ensuring VAT and Tax compliance where applicable
• Ensuring the School has adequate insurance cover at all times to include employer's liability, buildings and contents, third party liability, personal accident, travel, business interruption and other relevant cover.
• Arranging via the school surveyors for buildings and contents to be revalued every five years.

People management

• Performance management
• Coaching
• Supervision
• Quality management
• Developing standards
• Foster teamwork
• Give feedback

PLEASE NOTE ANY CVs SENT DIRECTLY TO SALISBURY CATHEDRAL SCHOOL WILL BE FORWARDED TO ASPIRE JOBS