Chief Financial Officer

This is an exciting time for the Trust as we realise our ambition to build on our existing outstanding school, Wootton Park School, and develop the Trust to include additional outstanding schools in Northampton and the surrounding areas. Northampton Free School Trust currently comprises of two schools with a third proposed for 2027.

The role:

We are seeking a Chief Financial Officer to take the lead on Trust Finances. The position will report directly to the Chief Executive Officer and will take a seat within the Executive Leadership Team alongside Academy Heads, the Chief Operating Officer and Trust Executive.

The position will enjoy the full support and professional challenge you need to succeed and will report into the full Trust Board and the Finance and Resource committee on a regular basis.

This position will also lead and line manage a finance team, which currently consists of three part-time Finance Assistants and a Finance Manager.

The Trust in its current position on its journey of growth is open to discussing flexibility of hours and an agile working pattern that considers attendance at the Trust/Academy office and use of Teams. It is acknowledged that as the Trust grows, so will the role. Any part-time hours will likely grow incrementally with the needs and demands of the role.

About us:

Our aspirational Trust aims to provide a first-rate learning environment and deliver high levels of academic achievement and personal development for all, while promoting the value of community participation and building a stronger society.

Our first academy in the Trust, Wootton Park School, opened in 2016 with fewer than 20 staff and now employs 200+.

In July 2019, Wootton Park School received our first Ofsted inspection and was judged to be outstanding in every category. Inspectors noted that “The quality of teaching, learning and assessment is of a consistently high quality” and that “Achievement is outstanding in the early years and at key stages 1 and 3.” “Staff morale is exceptionally high” - Ofsted 2019.

Our second school, Overstone Park Primary School, opens in September 2025 with 1 Reception class and will grow year on year.

A third school, Dallington Park School; a secondary school, is proposed to open in September 2027.

Our hope is that our journey models that of Wootton Park School in delivering consistently high-quality outstanding education.

What we are looking for:

We are incredibly excited about our growth journey and continued quest for excellence. We seek an executive who shares this vision with us and is able to lead and develop our Trust to support our academies in delivering outstanding education and ensuring financial rigour.

Our quest for excellence must also be combined with our unwavering commitment to care and support. Therefore, anyone seeking appointment to this role must demonstrate warmth, humour, resilience, and above all, emotional intelligence in order to uphold the values of our Trust.

We can offer you:

1. Professional challenge and development
2. Freedom to innovate and significantly contribute
3. An exciting and conscientious working environment
4. Reprographics and IT support
5. LGPS pension scheme

If you are inspired by this exceptional opportunity to join us at this stage of our journey, we want to hear from you!

We encourage discussion and conversation prior to application. If you wish to discuss the role in more detail, please feel free to contact our CEO, Dan Rosser, directly at info@northamptonfreeschooltrust.co.uk.

Our school is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

In accordance with our statutory obligations under Keeping Children Safe in Education, Northampton Free School Trust is required to conduct an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted candidates, and the offer of a position is subject to receiving satisfactory references and an enhanced DBS Disclosure.

We are an equal opportunities employer.

Please note we do not accept CVs and references will be applied for at the shortlisting stage.

We maintain the right to close the application process early or later if necessary.

Closing Date: Monday 2nd December 2024

Interview Date: w/c 9th December 2024

Candidates should be available to interview in person.