Senior Finance Officer

Join a Trust Where People Matter

Ambition Community Trust is seeking an experienced and proactive Senior Finance Officer to join our growing central Finance Team.

This is an exciting opportunity to play an important role in delivering a high-quality finance service across our schools. Working closely with the Head of Finance, Headteachers, budget holders and school-based colleagues, you will provide practical financial support and advice across a range of areas including budgeting, management accounts, financial accounting, payroll, income and funding, financial controls and reporting.

At Ambition Community Trust, relationships are at the heart of everything we do. We believe schools flourish when kindness, inclusion and collaboration are embedded in everyday practice. As a Senior Finance Officer, you will contribute to a positive and supportive workplace culture while helping ensure our schools have effective financial systems and processes in place to support excellent outcomes for children and young people.

This post is based at Castlefield Campus, working alongside the Trust Central teams, with travel to our schools across Greater Manchester as required.

About the Role

Working under the Head of Finance, the key responsibilities of the Senior Finance Officer are:

1. Support the Head of Finance and schools with annual budget preparation, budget monitoring and financial forecasting.
2. Prepare and analyse monthly management accounts, budget monitoring reports and other financial information, highlighting trends, variances and areas requiring attention.
3. Provide day-to-day financial advice and support to Headteachers, budget holders and school-based colleagues, helping them understand their financial position and responsibilities.
4. Maintain accurate financial records, including processing journals, accruals, prepayments and other accounting adjustments, and completing bank reconciliations.
5. Support month-end and year-end processes, investigating discrepancies and ensuring financial information is accurate and up to date.
6. Maintain strong financial controls by reviewing purchase orders, invoices and expenditure, supporting BACS payment processes, monitoring cash flow and maintaining appropriate audit trails.
7. Coordinate and monitor payroll information submitted by schools, checking payroll reports and reconciliations and resolving discrepancies with schools and the payroll provider.
8. Monitor income, grants and other funding, ensuring income is accurately recorded and reconciled, and liaising with local authorities and funding bodies where required.
9. Monitor outstanding debts and support schools with debt recovery, following up differences between expected and actual income.
10. Maintain accurate information within the Trust's finance systems, produce financial reports and analysis, and identify opportunities to improve systems, processes, reporting and data quality.
11. Support compliance with the Trust's Financial Regulations, Scheme of Delegation, Academy Trust Handbook

About You

We are looking for an experienced finance professional who is accurate, organised and committed to providing a high-quality, responsive service to our schools and Trust colleagues.

1. Qualifications: You will be working towards, or be willing to work towards, AAT Level 4. GCSE English and Maths at Grade C/4 or above, or equivalent, are essential, alongside a commitment to relevant continuing professional development. AAT Level 4 or an equivalent relevant finance qualification or experience, and part-qualified or qualified accountant status (ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or ACA), would be desirable.
2. Finance Experience: You will have significant experience working in a finance environment, including budget monitoring, financial reporting, management accounts, reconciliations, journals, accruals and month-end processes. Experience of payroll administration and reconciliation, maintaining effective financial controls, working with financial management systems, and investigating and resolving financial discrepancies is also essential.
3. Knowledge & Technical Skills: You will have a good understanding of accounting and financial management processes, budgeting, forecasting, budget monitoring, financial controls and reconciliations, together with a good understanding of payroll processes. Strong Microsoft Excel skills and experience of using finance or accounting systems are essential. You will be confident analysing financial information, identifying trends and variances, and explaining financial information clearly to non-finance colleagues.
4. Communication & Stakeholder Support: You will have strong communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build positive working relationships and provide clear, practical financial advice and support to colleagues who may not have a finance background.
5. Professional Skills: You will have a high level of accuracy and attention to detail, be well organised and able to manage competing priorities. You will be able to work independently, use your initiative, identify issues and escalate them appropriately, while remaining professional, approachable and customer-focused.
6. Personal Qualities: You will be reliable, flexible and willing to support the wider Finance Team. You will demonstrate integrity and discretion when handling confidential and sensitive information, together with a commitment to continuous improvement and value for money.
7. Desirable Experience: Experience of supporting internal or external audits, working within a school, academy trust or local authority, and knowledge of education funding and grant management would be advantageous. Experience of improving finance systems or processes and an understanding of the Academy Trust Handbook would also be desirable.
8. Safeguarding & Values: You will demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding and the Trust's values, with a willingness to travel between the Trust's schools as required.

Why Join Ambition Community Trust?

At Ambition Community Trust, we are committed to creating environments where both children and adults can thrive. Our values of compassion, collaboration, equity and excellence underpin everything we do, and we are proud to foster a supportive and inclusive culture where colleagues feel valued and empowered to succeed.

By joining our Trust, you'll become part of a strong, experienced and collaborative Finance Team where knowledge is shared, achievements are recognised and colleagues support one another to deliver the best outcomes for our schools.

As a growing Trust, we are committed to investing in our people, offering opportunities to develop your skills, broaden your experience and contribute to the continued improvement of our finance service.

We also recognise the importance of supporting our colleagues' wellbeing. Our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) provides confidential support, including up to 10 counselling sessions, legal and financial advice, and a range of wellbeing resources to support you both personally and professionally.

You will also benefit from membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme, offering generous employer contributions.

If you're looking for a varied and rewarding finance role where you can make a real difference to our schools while developing your career within an ambitious and forward-thinking Trust, we'd love to hear from you.

Safeguarding Statement

Ambition Community Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory pre-employment clearances.

The closing date for applications is 02 November 2026, with interviews expected to take place during the week commencing the following week.

Please note that we reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer, and we positively welcome applications from all candidates regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.