Chief Financial Officer

East Kent Colleges Group

Salary: £130,891 per annum

Contract: Permanent, Full-time, 37 hours per week

Location: Kent

Lead Financial Strategy for a Dynamic and Community-Focused Education Group.

Are you an ambitious and strategic finance leader looking to make a lasting impact in the education sector? East Kent Colleges Group, a leading provider of technical and vocational education across East Kent, is seeking a visionary Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to drive financial excellence and sustainability.

At EKC Group, we educate over 12,000 students across our six colleges in Ashford, Broadstairs, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Sheppey, and a Multi-Academy Trust, supported by a dedicated workforce of 1,500+ staff. With an annual turnover of £77 million, we are committed to strengthening communities, inspiring learners, and driving economic and social prosperity.

About the Role

As Chief Financial Officer, you will be a key member of our Group Leadership Board, providing expert counsel to the Chief Executive Officer and guiding financial strategy across both EKC Group and the EKC Schools Trust. Your leadership will ensure our financial health, compliance and commercial growth, supporting the organisation's long-term success.

Key Responsibilities:

Provide strategic financial leadership, ensuring financial resilience and maximising commercial opportunities.
Lead on financial forecasting, budgeting, and reporting, delivering insights that drive informed decision-making.
Ensure compliance with Department for Education financial regulations and best practices.
Oversee the annual audit process, working closely with internal and external auditors.
Drive commercial success, maximising income generation from Group assets and operations.
Play a crucial role in capital investment projects, ensuring financial sustainability and growth.

About You

We seek a qualified accountant (CCAB approved) with significant leadership experience in education finance, ideally within Further Education (FE) or a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT).

You will bring:

Proven expertise in financial planning, forecasting, and reporting with the ability to look into the detail.
Outstanding interpersonal skills, a natural self-starter and enabler who can build strong relationships with key stakeholders
A commercial mindset, identifying and capitalising on new business opportunities.
Strategic vision, with experience leading financial transformation and change management.
A commitment to safeguarding, equality and diversity within education.

Why Join EKC Group?

This is a unique opportunity to shape the financial future of a dynamic, values-driven education provider that transforms lives across East Kent. We offer a collaborative and ambitious environment, where your expertise will directly impact the success of our learners, staff, and communities.

Apply Now

If you are ready to take on this exciting leadership challenge, we would be interested in hearing from you. Apply today and be part of a forward-thinking organisation that champions education, innovation, and social impact.

EKC Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We actively champion diversity and encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Please contact our Will Worthington, our retained partners at Morgan Hunt for further information and to request the candidate pack. All conversations will be held in confidence.

Closing date: Monday 10th March 2025 at 9am.

Morgan Hunt is a multi-award-winning recruitment business for interim, contract and temporary recruitment and acts as an Employment Agency in relation to permanent vacancies. Morgan Hunt is an equal opportunities employer. Job suitability is assessed on merit in accordance with the individual's skills, qualifications and abilities to perform the relevant duties required in a particular role.

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