Finance Manager – Independent Secondary School,Canterbury

Finance Manager – Independent Secondary School, Canterbury Start Date: As soon as possible Contract: Full-time, Permanent Salary: Paid to scale School information: This is an 11 to 18 well-established, prestigious Independent Secondary School in Canterbury, widely recognised for its outstanding academic standards, rich co-curricular offering and strong pastoral ethos. The school has a long history of excellence and provides an inspiring, intellectually ambitious education for students from diverse backgrounds. The atmosphere across the school is calm, purposeful and respectful, with students displaying curiosity, motivation and pride in their learning. The school offers small class sizes, highly qualified staff and state-of-the-art facilities. The curriculum is broad and academically rigorous, enriched by a vibrant programme of extracurricular activities including performing arts, music, sports, debating, outdoor learning and international exchanges. The school places a strong focus on character development, wellbeing and personal growth, ensuring that students leave as confident, articulate and resilient young adults. Leadership at the school is visionary, approachable and committed to continuous improvement. Staff wellbeing is prioritised, professional development is excellent, and collaboration is deeply embedded into daily practice. Operational systems are efficient, modern and well coordinated, supported by highly skilled administrative, finance and premises teams. Finance Team: The Finance Manager will join a highly respected operations team responsible for maintaining exceptional financial standards across the school. The finance department manages budgeting, invoicing, payroll coordination, procurement, school fees, financial reporting, audit preparation, contract management and long-term financial planning. The Finance Manager plays a pivotal role in ensuring financial sustainability and operational efficiency. Responsibilities include supporting the development of the annual budget, monitoring income and expenditure, producing timely financial reports, managing purchase orders, processing invoices, overseeing credit control, liaising with suppliers, ensuring compliance with accounting practices and supporting the bursarial team. The successful candidate will also support the school’s strategic objectives by providing financial insight to senior leaders, contributing to cost-saving initiatives, analysing financial data, forecasting revenue and ensuring that financial processes are efficient and accurate. This role requires a highly organised, analytical and proactive professional with strong financial expertise and excellent communication skills. You will work closely with the Bursar, School Business Manager, Headteacher and Governors to support high-level decision-making and maintain financial integrity. Requirements • Professional finance qualification (AAT, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent desirable) • Experience working in a finance role within a school or similar organisation • Strong understanding of budgeting, financial reporting and auditing processes • Excellent numerical accuracy and attention to detail • Confident using finance software and Microsoft Excel (pivot tables, formulas, data modelling) • Experience managing invoicing, payroll administration and procurement • Excellent communication skills and ability to work with both finance and non-finance colleagues • Ability to prioritise tasks, meet tight deadlines and manage competing demands • High degree of professionalism, confidentiality and integrity • A strategic mindset with the ability to identify improvements and streamline systems Application To apply, please send your CV as soon as possible.