JOB TITLE: Finance Manager
LOCATION: Windsor, Berkshire
REPORTING TO: Business Director
FORMAT: Full time with 6 weeks holiday per year.
INTRODUCTION
The Green Room Foundation is a charity and network of provisions dedicated to helping young people with Special Educational Needs (SEN) develop their full potential. We currently run two schools, a college and a new short term alternative referral project - we refer to these as our provisions. Our most recent Ofsted report (2023) stated that - "Leaders have been successful in their vision to make education at The Green Room School an ‘unmissable’ experience. It is typical for pupils here to talk about the transformational impact this school has had on their lives".
Today, our vibrant community spans three sites, supporting nearly 100 young people aged 11 up to 25. Every student is supported by an Education Health Care Plan (EHCP) as they work towards qualifications, essential life skills, and a future that genuinely fits them, whether that involves college, training, apprenticeships, or the world of work.
Our dedicated staff are the heart of The Green Room, leading with kindness and inspiring curiosity to create a safe, non-judgmental space where students can be brave enough to change for the better.
Our traditions, born in a single original classroom, reinforce this supportive environment: small classes, communal eating and playing, and valuing the power of relationships. The Green Room is a place where you are safe, supported, and ready to adapt to whatever comes next.
INTENT/PURPOSE OF THE ROLE:
The Finance Manager will oversee the daily output and accuracy of our finance team, ensuring processes remain simple, scalable and efficient as we grow. This role will ensure all possible revenue is collected and that our funds are used effectively to support our students' complex needs while maintaining rigorous compliance with charity law and Department for Education (DfE) standards.
This important role ensures our documented process is adhered to in line with our Finance Policy to deliver meticulous bookkeeping, analysis and reporting to the Business Director, delivering well run finances both now and in the future, as our activities develop and change.
This is a full time role with team leadership responsibility for a full time book keeper, and potentially others in the future.
The Green Room Foundation is a lively environment and consequently during term time it is very busy, leaving the traditional school holidays and half terms to prepare finances and administration for the following term.
This role is 40 hours per week, with 6 weeks holiday to be taken across the year.
IMPLEMENTATION & RESPONSIBILITIES:
Working in coordination with our Finance Team, this role includes a variety of financial management tasks indicated below, ensuring all financial controls are in place and are accurate and timely. Forward looking tasks like preparing business case financial data and investment management are also part of the role in conjunction with the Business Director. We process the books for The Swan CIC, a separate organisation with it’s own Xero system, and this role will work with their Directors and the Pub Manager to ensure essential controls are in place.
Financial Controls:
- Checking accounts payable, accounts receivable, bank reconciliations and bank balances is required weekly, and then resolving issues that arise from that.
- Performing checks on ledger postings to ensure all items are categorised correctly and where necessary organising for them to be corrected.
- Reviewing current finance workflows to ensure simplicity and compliance.
- Work with kitchen staff to implement stock control measures to ensure value for money from suppliers.
- Ensuring invoicing is complete, timely and correct.
- Completion of annual fee uplift processes for each council (customer).
- Preparing our price list annually.
- Providing provision budget calculations and payment termly into provision bank accounts.
- Ensuring bank accounts are fully reconciled each week.
- Create financial control systems for new projects initiated by the provisions or ELT.
- Ensure the Business Director is briefed on all significant financial variances, risks, or opportunities prior.
Financial Management and Reporting:
- Analysing the profitability of entrepreneurial events and charitable activities undertaken.
- Gathering data and analysing the financial performance of projects eg Foundation events, trips, building programmes, food purchasing, etc
- Reporting budget vs actual data as required.
- Liaising with accountants to provide them with necessary information for end of year accounts.
- Appointing (via Trustee decision) auditors annually.
- Providing all information required by auditors to complete the audit.
- Ensuring audited accounts are submitted to Companies House and appropriate documentation is submitted to The Charity Commission prior to deadlines.
- Ensure tax returns are submitted correctly and on time (working with Accountants).
- Ensure Gift Aid submissions are submitted in a timely manner.
- Prepare the annual budget document for completion by ELT.
- Extend and complete the cashflow forecast.
- Draft components of the Trustee pack for review by the Business Director.
- Prepare termly financial data and presentation materials for the Business Director.
- Collaborate with the Business Director to prepare business case data
Banking:
- Making payments (including payroll and transfers between accounts)
- Setting up bank accounts and changing signatories as needed.
- Moving funds between current and deposit accounts in line with guidance provided to achieve the best rates of return.
General Duties:
- Team Leadership of Finance Staff
- Providing support for Budget Holders and those managing the provision budgets.
- Processing out of budget requests.
- Quarterly VAT Returns and payments
- Reconciliation of various cost centres
- Taking part in our financial policy and processes review to ensure optimum controls, clarity and simplicity.
Due to the varied nature of this role there may be additional tasks and projects to get involved in as the Foundation develops.
IMPACT
By ensuring clear, timely, accurate process, analysis and reporting deliverables, as well as ensuring revenue maximisation and cost minimisation, this role will support our leaders to enable our organisation to deliver audacious and unmissable education within a financially safe and well run environment. The success of this role is measured by how effectively our resources are deployed to provide high-quality therapeutic and educational interventions, whilst ensuring our charity reserves are in place, and funds are managed to be available for future projects.
KEY SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
We are looking for someone who will take pride in managing our Foundation’s finances, delivering accurate and timely output to our stakeholders.
Previous experience working in the charity sector, ideally in education working in an OFSTED regulated organisation.
This is a busy and highly rewarding role for an individual who is experienced in:
- Financial management (bookkeeping and financial analysis/reconciliation/reporting experience)
- Line management
- Some project management
- Managing and motivating finance teams, and having the ability to offer high support and high challenge in order to ensure excellent performance to goals.
- Procurement and contract management.
- Google Suite
- Xero
- Knowledge of Arbor is an advantage
Key descriptive words for this role are calm, polite, non-judgemental, dependable, punctual, and role model for students and staff.
Core competencies for the role include:
- Relevant qualifications: eg ACCA, CIMA, ACA
- Systems, Processes and Controls: Works to systems/processes and controls to deliver accurate output with useful insight for decision making. Suggest and implement system improvements over time.
- Team Leadership and Accountability: Leads and develops team members with clear, kind communication, sets standards and is accountable.
- Financial Planning & Commercial Thinking: Strong in budgeting, forecasting, and understanding cost/income drivers
- Stakeholder Influence: Works well with others including non-finance colleagues.
- Values-led Thinking: Makes financially sound decisions aligned to pupil outcomes and mission and GRF values
If you're interested in this role please send you CV and a covering letter explaining why to [email protected]
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: From £45,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Life insurance
- Private medical insurance
- Sick pay
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
