GORSE Academies Trust
Finance Officer
Grade: SO1-SO2 (SCP 23–28)
Salary: £35,570 - £40,444 pa
Hours: 37 hours per week, all year round
Are you an experienced finance professional looking for an opportunity to develop your accounting and supervisory skills within a high-performing multi-academy trust?
The GORSE Academies Trust is seeking a motivated and organised Finance Officer to join our central finance team. This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in supporting the trust's financial operations, ensuring robust financial controls, accurate accounting processes, and exceptional service delivery across our establishments.
About the Role:
Reporting to the Chief Accountant, you will be responsible for coordinating the trust's day-to-day financial and accounting activities, ensuring financial information is processed, recorded and reported accurately. You will supervise and allocate work to Finance Administrators, maintain compliance with trust Financial Procedures, and provide guidance and support to finance colleagues across the Trust.
Key responsibilities include:
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Supervising and supporting Finance Administrators.
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Ensuring compliance with Financial Procedures and accounting controls.
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Managing bank reconciliations and payment processes.
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Acting as a key point of contact for finance and procedure queries.
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Maintaining accurate financial records and controls.
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Driving continuous improvement within finance processes and systems.
About You:
We are looking for someone who has:
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A recognised accountancy qualification (AAT, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA) or is currently studying towards qualification.
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Experience in a finance, accounting, or financial administration environment.
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Previous supervisory or team leadership experience.
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Strong ICT skills, including advanced Excel and financial management systems.
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Excellent organisational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage competing priorities.
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Strong communication skills and a commitment to delivering excellent customer service.
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Knowledge of academy or school finance would be advantageous but is not essential.
What We Offer You:
As a trust, we want to ensure that professionals at every stage in their career have the opportunity to enjoy expert support and training. We are pleased to offer a generous benefits package to our team – as we work together to create a rewarding future for all including:
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Membership of the local government pension scheme.
- A commitment to continued investment in our professionals, supporting every member of staff throughout their career in the trust.
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Access to an Employee Assistance Programme which provides confidential professional advice and support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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£2k Cycle to work scheme.
About Us:
GORSE has a well-known reputation for changing the deal for children and young adults who come from some of the most impoverished parts of the country. Our central mission is to ensure that we play a significant role in removing the stubborn link between poverty and academic underperformance. Consequently, our students and our professionals are in the vanguard of the national drive which seeks to prove that where teaching is excellent, leadership inspiring and behaviour standards exemplary all children excel regardless of background.
Our 15 trust establishments - which include primary, secondary, and post 16 settings - work together with our central team, LTSH (Leeds Teaching School Hub) and GORSE SCITT (School-Centred Initial Teacher Training), to form a connected network of excellence. This tightknit collaboration enables our students to prosper through strong partnership, where shared expertise, consistent standards and collective ambition ensure exceptional opportunities for all.
To learn more about our work and values, please visit our website at The GORSE Academies Trust
How to Apply:
If you are excited about this opportunity, a recruitment pack and application form can be downloaded from our website at www.tgat.org.uk/jobs . You can also request an application pack or an informal conversation with the recruiting manager via email at [email protected] or by calling 0113 487 8888.
Please note electronic applications should be submitted where possible. CVs will not be accepted.
Closing date for applications: 2 September 2026, 9am
Interviews will take place: 8 September 2026
Start date: to be agreed with successful candidate
We are committed to safeguarding the welfare of children and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to full employment checks, including an enhanced DBS disclosure and barring service check. We promote diversity and aim to establish a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds.
Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK – either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.
Please note that, as a sponsor licence holder, we only provide sponsorship for teacher vacancies.
