Head of Finance – Strategic Leadership Role

About the role

Sellick Partnership is partnering with Co‑op Academies Trust to recruit an experienced Head of Finance for its central finance team. This senior leadership position will shape financial governance, ensure regulatory compliance and support strategic decision‑making across a complex multi‑academy organisation.

Key responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational financial leadership across the Trust.
• Support the Finance Director in delivering the long‑term financial strategy.
• Embed strong financial governance, internal controls and risk management.
• Ensure compliance with the Academies Trust Handbook, ESFA requirements, funding agreements and Trust policies.
• Lead and develop the finance leadership team, including Purchase to Pay, Systems and Treasury functions.
• Oversee cash‑flow forecasting, liquidity planning, reserves, investments and financial sustainability.
• Drive improvement across financial systems, reporting, processes, automation and data quality.
• Support Audit and Finance Committee reporting, statutory reporting, external audit and assurance activity.
• Collaborate with finance and non‑finance stakeholders to enable informed strategic decisions.

Required profile

• Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• Significant post‑qualification experience in a senior finance leadership role.
• Experience in a complex, multi‑entity or regulated environment.
• Strong understanding of financial governance, statutory reporting, audit and financial control.
• Experience of ESFA compliance, Academies Trust governance or equivalent public‑sector accountability frameworks.
• Proven people‑leadership experience, including managing managers and developing teams.
• Ability to improve financial processes, reporting and systems.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills with senior stakeholders, trustees and leaders.
• Commitment to co‑operative values, British Values and the Ways of Being Co‑op.

Required skills