Finance Manager - Schools

Job Description

Provide expert financial strategy and insight to shape our services and build a fairer borough

As a Finance Manager at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, you’ll play a vital role in shaping how we deliver services and invest in our community. You’ll combine strategic thinking with hands-on financial management, helping senior leaders make informed, evidence-based decisions that ensure value for money and support our residents.

What you’ll be doing

You’ll act as a trusted partner to School Governors, Senior Schools leaders and Heads of Service, providing high-level financial insight and guidance across your designated service area. Your expertise will help turn strategic priorities into deliverable financial plans, aligning resources with the Council’s vision and ensuring strong financial governance.

You’ll play a leading role in the school’s annual budgeting, monitoring and financial planning process. Working closely with business partners, you’ll support them in identifying savings opportunities, growth pressures and investment priorities – all grounded in robust analysis and evidence.

A key focus of this role is a unique opportunity to deepen your business partnering and financial expertise within a dynamic and complex environment. Managing maintained school’s finances that directly affect the delivery of services to children in the borough, while navigating a high level of stakeholders, grant funding and reporting. You’ll also provide practical, strategic support to schools and stakeholders on all relevant initiatives, from understanding new grant funding, balancing school’s budgets, auditing reporting, developing new processes – ensuring that children and finance sit at the heart of decision-making. If you thrive on excellent business partnering, financial accuracy and supporting our communities, this is the role for you.

You’ll take ownership of budget monitoring, forecasting and year-end reporting, ensuring accuracy and accountability. That means proactively identifying risks, managing pressures and recommending solutions. You’ll also ensure adherence to financial regulations, lead a small team and may deputise for the Senior Finance Manager when required.

For further details, please review the Job Description and Person Specification

What you’ll bring

You’ll be a fully CCAB-qualified accountant with significant experience managing large and complex budgets within a local government or school environment. You’ll bring a solid understanding of financial frameworks, regulations and budgetary controls, alongside a proven ability to influence and guide senior leaders.

Strong analytical and IT skills are essential – you’ll be confident using financial systems and advanced Excel or other analytical tools to interpret complex data and provide actionable insights.

You’ll be a clear and persuasive communicator, capable of presenting complex financial information in a way that inspires confidence and drives decision-making. You’ll also have the confidence to challenge and question existing processes where necessary, helping to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

Why join us

At RBKC, we’re all in – investing in our people, our communities and our future.

You’ll be joining a high-performing, forward-thinking, passionate finance team that’s integral to how the Council operates. As a Finance Manager in the Bi-Borough Children’s Services team you will have a particular focus on supporting and ensuring RBKC schools meet their statutory responsibilities.

Our Finance team is at the centre of transformation, as part of this team, your voice matters; leading the way in embedding smarter, more transparent ways of working.

Team members thrive in a supportive and dynamic environment, where there is a strong emphasis on continuous learning and professional development, innovation and improvement, challenge and a collaborative with a team-oriented approach. We are proud of our fun, diverse and inclusive team culture where all perspectives are valued. This role provides visibility, influence and purpose – it’s an excellent platform for future senior leadership positions.

About us

Kensington and Chelsea is home to diverse communities, thriving businesses and unique local places. Everything we do is focused on supporting our residents, strengthening our approach and creating a fairer borough.

As a competent and caring Council, we take pride in our work every day, ensuring our services are delivered with care and competence. We listen to our residents, act with integrity and work together to build a borough that is greener, safer and fairer for all.

This role truly reflects the ‘We’re all in’ mindset. As a Finance Manager, you’ll get stuck in – whether it’s leading on complex budget discussions, guiding senior stakeholders through financial challenges or finding innovative ways to make our services more efficient. Your expertise and persistence will turn challenges into opportunities, ensuring every pound spent delivers real value for our community.

Interview Details

Interviews will take place week commencing 7th September 2026.

Working Style

You’ll be based in the Borough for 3 days a week, playing a key role in serving the local community. Whether you’re working on the frontline or behind the scenes, you’ll be part of a dedicated team making a real difference to residents’ lives.

Ready to join us?

We’re all in – are you? If you share our values and have the skills to contribute, we’d love to hear from you.

Please apply online explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description

We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning subject to the volume of suitable applicants.

We are committed to promoting equality and respecting diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.

We are committed to fair, transparent, and consistent pay practices. New hires will start at the minimum of the salary range.

Employees receive annual salary increases until they reach the top of the pay scale. In addition, employees will receive any agreed cost of living pay rises.

RBKC will consider requests for flexible working at the point of hire. Please discuss any flexibility you may need with us at interview.