Chief Financial Officer

The Fernwood School is a thriving and dynamic secondary school committed to delivering high-quality education in a nurturing environment. We are seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to join our senior leadership team and help drive the financial success and strategic development of the school. This newly created position offers you the unique opportunity to build and develop our in-house finance team from the ground up, ensuring the school’s financial health and long-term sustainability.

The Role:
As the Chief Financial Officer, you will oversee all aspects of the school’s financial management, ensuring that our resources are utilised efficiently to support the school in delivering its improvement plan. You will provide strategic financial leadership, drive budgeting and forecasting processes, and ensure financial compliance. This is a new, exciting opportunity for a skilled financial professional to shape and develop a small finance team and make a significant impact in the educational sector.

About Us:
The Fernwood School is a Secondary school with 1,532 pupils, located in Nottingham. We are proud of our ethos of ‘High Achievement with Care and Discipline for All’. Our teaching profession is dedicated, innovative, and talented, treated with respect and afforded autonomy in the classroom. Our pupils are wonderful, well-behaved, and have high aspirations. 

We hold a recent Ofsted outstanding judgement and have achieved Leading Edge Status, with a strong Progress 8 score – the highest in Nottingham City in 2024. Our staff and governors work professionally and collaboratively for the benefit of the young people we serve. The successful candidate will join a team of effective, hardworking professionals, committed to providing an outstanding education for all students. 

About You:

The ideal candidate will be a qualified finance professional with extensive experience in financial management, ideally in the education sector or a similar environment. Possessing strong leadership skills, with a proven track record of developing and implementing financial strategies to ensure long-term sustainability. You will have excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage with senior stakeholders and communicate complex financial information effectively. With an understanding of funding streams, grant management, and financial efficiency measures, to shape the financial future of The Fernwood School. 

Why Join Us?

·           A new position – help build the finance function from scratch and play a key role in the development of the school

·           Competitive salary and benefits package

·           32 days annual leave plus bank holidays

·           Be part of a school with a strong reputation and high standards

·           A supportive and collaborative work environment with a dedicated and talented team

·           Access to professional development and career growth opportunities

·           Access to 24 hours a day confidential employee assistance programme

·           Subsidised yoga classes

·           Cycle to work scheme

Diversity and Inclusion:
Fernwood School is committed to creating a diverse workforce. We’ll consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, religion, belief, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, pregnancy, maternity, age, disability, marriage, or civil partnership.

If you are ready to take on this exciting opportunity, we would love to hear from you.

Safeguarding:

The Fernwood School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. The successful candidate will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Services check along with other relevant employment checks. In addition, this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and a Self-Disclosure is required for all applicants shortlisted for interview. Online searches will be carried out on all shortlisted applicants as part of due diligence checks.

How To Apply:

If you are ready to take on a new challenge and make a lasting impact, we want to hear from you! Apply today and become part of a school that values innovation, collaboration, and excellence.

Please return your completed application form, together with your letter of application (no more than 2 sides of A4, font size 11) explaining how your skills, qualities and experience would enable you to be successful in the role to the Headteacher, Mr C Gell, and HR Manager, Mrs H Wallis.

Further details of the school are available on our website www.fernwoodschool.org.uk.