About the role

Due to an internal move we have a great opportunity for a Finance Partner to join our finance team. This role will be based in Loughborough. 

As a Finance Partner in the Trust’s central finance team, you will support non-finance colleagues by providing financial insight, strategic guidance, and support to leaders and decision-makers across the organisation. You will challenge to ensure that spend/investment is aligned to organisational objectives, and will look to drive value for money, and support our goal of long-term financial sustainability for the Trust. 

This role will focus on supporting the Estates & Facilities, and IT teams. You will be responsible for supporting the preparation of financial forecasts for these areas, including capital costs, understanding and communicating cost drivers and reasons for variances to forecasts, assessing value for money, proposing recommendations to improve value for money, and supporting the preparation of financial aspects of business cases to inform expenditure and/or operational decisions.

To be successful in this role you will need to be comfortable working with stakeholders across the organisation, building trusted relationships and communicating financial matters clearly and effectively. This is a great opportunity for someone who wants to drive change and deliver insight across a broad range of areas.

This role is a full-time role but we are happy to consider reduced or flexible hours.

If you would like to find out more about this opportunity, we welcome an informal conversation. Please contact Kate Venables at KVenables@dret.co.uk 

Salary & Benefits

·         SPOT FTE £50,000-£60,000 per annum 

·         Local Government Pension Scheme 

·         Regional networks of Trust colleagues and access to key leaders in Education

·         Commitment to employee Health and Wellbeing including dedicated Employee Assistance Programme

·         Awards and Recognition Scheme

·         Flexible working patterns

·         Benefits Platform : Health & Wellbeing Programme : Cycle to Work Scheme

Who we are looking for

·               Qualified accountant – CIMA/ACCA/ACA

·               Experience as Finance Partner 4+ years (Essential)

·               Experience of assessing processes and controls and consideration of risks.

·               Experience of supporting commercial financial decisions.

·               Experience of month-end/year end close process

·               Experience of presenting financial information in a clear and easy to understand format

·               Knowledge of accounting principles, standards and procedure

Please view the job description and person specification for further info

About The David Ross Education Trust 

The David Ross Education Trust’s mission is to give every child attending one of our schools a world-class education. 

We are a network of unique and diverse academies across the country, committed to delivering a world-class, knowledge-rich education that empowers pupils to reach their fullest potential.  Spanning North Yorkshire, the East Riding of Yorkshire, North-East Lincolnshire, the East Midlands and London, our network of 36 academies serves over 14,600 pupils and employs 2,300 dedicated staff. 

Our family of schools includes 24 primaries, 10 secondaries, an all-through school in London’s Olympic Park, and a special school in Lincolnshire supporting pupils aged 2–19 with a broad range of special educational needs.  As one of only 11 system leaders nationwide, we are recognised for our unwavering commitment to educational excellence, our innovative curriculum, and ability to drive sustained school improvement at scale.  At the heart of our Mission is a deep belief in the transformative power of education.  We are committed to ensuring that every child – regardless of their background – has access to an exceptional academic experience enriched by extensive co-curricular opportunities.  From small rural primaries to large urban secondaries, our academies benefit from the strength of a collaborative, values-driven community, in which expertise is shared, best practices are embedded, and each school retains its distinctive character. 

We broaden the horizons of young people by inspiring students to become their confident, academic best via an education that creates academically gifted, confident, well-rounded young people in the classroom, in the workplace and in their communities.   

We are driven to provide our young people with access to a world-class education and enrichment experiences. Our students benefit from a wealth of opportunities to develop, learn and lead.  From the classroom to cultural visits, sports, music and arts and engaging with our local communities, the rich and varied experiences we create help fuel ambition and unlock potential. The education and experiences we offer equips our young people with the leadership skills, team spirit, resilience and confidence to become outstanding citizens. 

Whatever your role you will contribute towards creating a rich and exciting learning environment that also offers our students an unrivalled package of sporting and cultural enrichment. 

We are incredibly lucky to be able to work alongside outstanding organisations and individuals who are happy to share their expertise and skills in supporting the David Ross Foundation's vision to give children better life chances through access to the best education and support we can give them. 

Apply now 

To complete our on-line application form, please use the ‘apply now’ tab. 

Early applications are advised. We receive high numbers of applications for our roles and therefore have to close the vacancy prior to the closing date in order to review candidates' details against our job criteria before shortlisting or re-opening the vacancy. 

The David Ross Education Trust is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.  

It is our objective to ensure that job applicants and staff are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential. We do not discriminate against any applicants on the basis of any protected characteristics. 

The David Ross Education Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo vetting appropriate to the post, including a social media presence check and Enhanced DBS check. The successful applicant will be expected to adhere to all safeguarding, welfare and health and safety policies and procedures of the Trust. 

All pre-employment checks are in line with "Keeping Children Safe in Education" statutory guidance.