School Finance Manager

·         0.6 permanent contract (the equivalent of 3 days a week, with flexibility to spread the hours across the week to suit the right candidate)

·         RG5 P27 – RG6 P30 (£37,035 - £39,513 FTE) £19,263.36 - £20,552.26 actual dependant on skills and experience

·         Accountancy qualifications (CIMA, ACCA, AC or equivalent) are essential, with significant experience of UK school finances a must

·         Required for June 2025 onwards

We are seeking a brilliant, ambitious and friendly Finance Manager to join our large and established team.

This role is integral in supporting our aspirational and ‘good’ school to continue to improve, as we look to always provide the very best for our diverse children and families. Building great relationships, a belief in every child’s potential and a strong commitment to our embedded values and ethos are essential for the right candidate.

Working closely with the Headteacher and senior team, an HR and Finance Assistant and the Site Manager, you will be firmly focused on ensuring the school’s finances are well-managed, and provide financial advice and support so that pupils’ needs are met with the allocated budgets.  The ability to work under pressure, be accurate and provide crucial and timely financial insight and consistently demonstrate a keen attention to detail is key.  You will be extremely reliable, able to adapt to new situations quickly and enjoy working alongside a dedicated team, thriving on building productive relationships and keeping children at the heart of your decision making.  This post differs from a traditional school Bursar role, and focusses on the higher-level financial planning and management required to support the Headteacher in the strategic leadership of the school.

Joining our school family means you’ll need to be:

• An enthusiastic member of staff who is forward thinking and able to adapt quickly and easily.

• Someone who puts children at the heart of all you do and a positive role model.

• Experienced in a educational setting and with budgeting software and school financial principles.

• Dynamic and fast-paced, finding effective solutions at every turn whilst considering others’ points of view.

• A team player with the ability to work well both individually, as part of a phase and as a whole staff, with the ability to line-manage an assistant.

• A kind and caring person, who enjoys contributing to a ‘greater good’ by working in a school serving a wide variety of pupils including those are disadvantaged.

• An excellent English speaker and writer, with relevant accountancy qualifications.

 • Efficient and effective in your working practices and able to prioritise well

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to build productive relationships with colleagues.

• High expectations and be dedicated to raising standards.

• Outstanding drive and attention to detail.

• The ability to operate and contribute at a strategic level and take in account the views of leaders and the changing needs of the children who we serve.

• The drive to work closely as part of a fantastic, cohesive and supportive leadership team.

In return, our team can offer:

• An optimistic and close-knit senior leadership team with a track record of improving schools and managing school finances extremely well.

• A firmly established ethos of caring for one another in our school family.

• A strong senior leadership team who will guide and nurture you in your role.

• The opportunity to work with a wider professional team of unique schools, all brilliantly supported by a Trust who strongly value the individual school’s character, ethos and approaches.

• A beautiful and spacious school environment.

• Secure car parking and a staff wellbeing package

Please visit our school website at www.newtown.reading.sch.uk 

Visits and tours are warmly welcomed; please come along to find out more about our lovely school and meet some of the senior leadership team who will happily chat about the opportunities available. Please contact us at workwithus@newtown.reading.sch.uk for more information.

Applications will be considered and interviews arranged upon receipt.

New Town Primary School, as a member of the Oxford Diocesan Schools Trust, is committed to safeguarding children and young people.  All post holders in regulated activity are subject to appropriate vetting procedures and a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Enhanced check. Online checks will also be carried out to comply with KCSIE.