Post: [260514] Director of Finance

Location: Fully Remote

Salary: Circa £100,000 per annum

Contract Type: Permanent, Full-time

Contract Hours: 37.5 Hours per week, Monday to Friday

For more information about the role, please view our Applicant Pack -Director of Finance Applicant Pack

About the Role

We are seeking an exceptional and strategic leader to join Reach South Academy Trust as our Director of Finance and Chief Financial Officer. This is a pivotal Executive Leadership Team role at a defining point in the Trust’s growth, combining system-wide financial leadership with executive accountability for governance and assurance.

This role offers the opportunity to shape the long-term sustainability, integrity and impact of a large and ambitious Trust. As CFO, you will lead the Trust’s financial strategy, ensuring that resources are deployed with maximum effectiveness to support high-quality education and improved outcomes for every pupil.

Alongside your financial leadership responsibilities, you will act as Executive Lead for Governance, ensuring that the Trust operates within a robust, transparent, and compliant framework that provides strong assurance to the Board, regulators, and stakeholders.

Working in close partnership with the CEO, Trustees, and Executive colleagues, you will play a central role in shaping organisational strategy and enabling sustainable growth across an increasingly complex and evolving educational landscape.

This role sits at the heart of the Trust’s executive leadership, supporting a regional structure that enhances responsiveness while maintaining strong central oversight. The Director of Finance will be instrumental in embedding scalable systems, driving value for money, and ensuring that financial and governance excellence underpin everything we do.

With the Trust continuing to expand, now serving over 8,000 pupils across 21 schools and growing, this role offers a rare opportunity to influence system-wide change at scale, shaping the financial future of an organisation committed to inclusion, social mobility, and excellence in education.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

·         Lead a sustainable, forward-looking financial strategy aligned to Trust priorities

• Contribute as a key member of the Executive Leadership Team, shaping organisational direction and decision-making
• Provide authoritative financial and governance advice to the CEO, Board of Trustees, and senior stakeholders

Finance and Value for Money

• Oversee all aspects of financial management, including budgeting, forecasting, and performance monitoring across the Trust

·         Ensure robust financial controls, compliance and audit

• Lead long-term financial planning, capital strategy, and the optimisation of resources to maximise impact

Governance and Assurance

• Hold executive responsibility for governance frameworks, statutory compliance, and Board assurance
• Ensure high-quality, timely, and transparent reporting to Trustees and regulators
• Oversee risk management, internal scrutiny, audit activity, and external regulatory engagement

Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead and develop high-performing finance and governance functions across the Trust
• Build strong, trusted relationships with Members, Trustees, executive and school leaders, and external partners
• Act as a senior ambassador for the Trust with auditors, regulators, and the wider system

About You

We are seeking an inspirational, credible, and values-driven executive leader who brings both deep technical expertise and the ability to think and act strategically. You will be a visible and influential member of the Executive Leadership Team, able to translate complex financial and governance matters into clear insight that supports confident decision-making at Board level.

As a CCAB-qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent), you will bring significant experience operating at Executive or C-suite level, with a strong track record of leading organisational financial strategy and performance within complex environments. You will be highly skilled in advising Boards, providing robust assurance, and ensuring the highest standards of governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance.

Equally important, you will be an exceptional people leader. You will have a proven ability to build, inspire, and develop high-performing teams, creating a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement. You will lead with clarity and authenticity, fostering strong relationships across the organisation and with external stakeholders, and enabling others to perform at their best.

You will demonstrate a clear track record of delivering value for money, driving financial sustainability, and supporting organisational growth and transformation. With outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, you will influence at all levels, acting as a trusted advisor and ambassador for the Trust.

About the Trust

Reach South Academy Trust is a values-led and growing organisation, united by a clear moral purpose: to improve life chances and advance education for all children and young people.

We are a family of 21 academies across the South West, serving learners aged 3 to 19. Our diverse portfolio includes primary, secondary, all-through and technical provision, alongside a strong and integral network of special schools and alternative provision. Our diverse provision enables us to meet a wide range of needs, including specialist and alternative provision.

At the heart of Reach South is a belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive. Guided by our REACH values (Raising the Educational Achievement of Children), we are committed to removing barriers to learning, whether they are social, cultural, physical or cognitive, and ensuring that all pupils are supported to develop the knowledge, skills and attributes they need to succeed in life.

Collaboration is central to our approach. We work in partnership across our schools, and beyond the Trust, to share expertise, build capacity and strengthen outcomes. Schools retain their individual identity while benefiting from the collective strength, accountability and shared ambition of the Trust.

As we continue to grow and evolve, we remain focused on delivering inclusive, high-quality education at scale. Reach South offers a compelling environment for senior leaders who are motivated by purpose — combining professional excellence with a deep commitment to social value, community impact and the success of every learner.

Next Steps

As Director of Finance, you will play a key role in shaping the future strategic direction of Reach South, working closely with the CEO and Executive Team.

If you would like an informal and confidential conversation about the role and the journey ahead, we warmly encourage you to get in touch.

Tom Leverage, CEO would be delighted to arrange a Microsoft Teams discussion, coordinated through Sharon Preston, Trust Administrator.

Email: sharon.preston@reachsouth.org

Telephone: 07889 911198

How to Apply
You can submit your application via the advert page by clicking ‘Apply now’. You will receive updates from our Recruitment team throughout the process.

Application Deadline
Wednesday 10 June 2026 at midnight

Interviews

• Day One: Monday 22 June 2026 – The Springfields Academy, Calne, Wiltshire
• Day Two: Tuesday 23 June 2026 – Salisbury Academy for Inspirational Learning (SAIL), Salisbury

Please note: references will be requested prior to interview for all shortlisted candidates.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Each post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.  

At Reach South, we are committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone feels valued, respected and able to thrive. We believe diversity strengthens our organisation, bringing perspectives that enhance collaboration and outcomes for our pupils.

Join us and you will be part of a Trust that invests in its people, champions equality, and values the contribution everyone brings.