Finance Business Partner

Overview The Finance Business Partner plays a key role in delivering high-quality financial management, reporting, and support across the Trust. Reporting to the Chief Finance Officer, the postholder acts as the finance lead for a group of schools, taking ownership of management accounts, budgets, and forecasts, and providing clear financial insight and challenge to support effective decision-making. The role works closely with headteachers, school leaders, and central teams, acting as a key link between finance and operations, and requires travel across local school sites.

Key responsibilities:

Business partnering and stakeholder support

• Build strong supportive working relationships with headteachers and school leaders • Act as the key finance contact for allocated schools/services • Work collaboratively with central teams (e.g. School Relationship Managers, Operations, Estates) to ensure financial decisions are aligned with operational plans • Provide clear, practical financial advice to support planning and decision-making, and improved outcomes • Support understanding of funding streams and the appropriate and effective use of resources • Challenge assumptions and plans where appropriate • Identify risks, pressures, and opportunities, and propose solutions

Management Accounting & Reporting

• Prepare accurate and timely monthly management accounts for allocated schools with clear commentary • Provide meaningful variance analysis, highlighting key issues, risks, and required actions • Maintain and take ownership of forecasts, ensuring they reflect current information and risks, and work with school leaders to identify and address issues, escalating where appropriate • Complete month-end processes, including accruals, adjustments, and payroll journals • Identify trends and areas for improvement • Ensure schools understand their financial position, key drivers, and emerging risks

Budgeting and planning

• Lead the preparation of annual budgets and multi-year financial plans for allocated schools, ensuring plans are robust and deliverable • Work with headteachers to develop staffing and financial plans that are affordable and sustainable • Identify financial risks and work with school leaders to develop appropriate responses

Financial Oversight & Control

• Ensure schools operate within robust financial controls in line with Trust expectations • Promote compliance with Trust policies, ESFA requirements, and reporting standards • Maintain fixed asset registers for allocated schools, ensuring accuracy and completeness • Liaise with auditors and support statutory and regulatory requirements

Other

• Contribute to improving financial processes, reporting, and consistency across the Trust • Identify efficiencies and value-for-money opportunities