Stamford School
Director of Finance
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Stamford Endowed Schools
Stamford Endowed Schools is a leading HMC independent co-educational day and boarding school educating 1250 children aged 2–18 across three sites in Stamford, Lincolnshire, with a turnover of c£28m and around 500 colleagues.
Independent schools are facing unprecedented challenges following the pandemic and an ever-changing financial landscape. Stamford is searching for a Director of Finance who understands these challenges and uses them as an opportunity to flourish.
Through forward thinking governance and leadership, Stamford is a successful school with an exciting future. With a new Strategic Plan (Towards 2032), an experienced leadership team in place and swiftly improving academic outcomes, Stamford provides an opportunity for an ambitious and creative professional to join a committed and able team.
Given the challenges outlined above, this is a hugely rewarding role for the right candidate who will work within a supportive and reflective senior leadership team.
Role Overview
The Director of Finance is the School's most senior finance executive and a key member of the Senior Executive Team, reporting directly to the Head. The role carries full accountability for finance, together with strategic input across IT, Estates, Operations, Sales, Marketing, HR, and Commercial functions, and direct line management of a finance team of five.
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This is a senior, commercially facing role for a financially astute leader who can operate at both strategic and hands-on level, and who is comfortable presenting financial analysis and strategy directly to the Board of Governors.
Key Responsibilities
- Full ownership of financial and management accounts, budgeting, forecasting and Board-level financial reporting.
- Treasury and banking, including management of the capital structure, covenant compliance and banking relationships.
- Lead liaison with the bank and point of contact for the management of that relationship.
- Payroll, pensions, procurement and capital project financial oversight.
- Development and delivery of financial strategy, including cost-base and revenue restructuring where required to protect long-term viability.
- Leadership and development of the finance team, and broader input into the School's commercial arm and trading subsidiary.
- Regulatory compliance and reporting, and support to the Head and Governing Body on financial strategy and risk.
- Ownership of all discounts, revenue, and costs particularly the charitable requirement of significant bursary allocations.
- Financial advisor to the Strategic Executive Team and the Board.
- Regular, evidence informed and timely strategic input to the Strategic Executive Team and the Board.
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Essential Criteria
- Recognised accountancy qualification (ACA, ACCA or CIMA) or qualified by extensive relevant experience.
- Substantial senior finance leadership experience within a large, complex organisation. Proven experience managing banking relationships, covenants and capital structure.
- Strong Board-level communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex financial issues to nonfinancial stakeholders.
- Experience leading and developing a finance team and leading organisational change.
- Advanced financial modelling, Excel and financial presentations skills.
Desirable Criteria
- Prior experience in the education or charitable sector.
- Experience of ERP and SQL-based management reporting.
- Experience overseeing IT, estates or operations functions alongside finance.
Application Information
The closing date for applications is Friday 2nd October 2026.
Please note that to be considered for this vacancy, all applications must be formally submitted via our website link: https://candidates.every.education/Vacancies/Details?advertKey=7d6a83c2-ff84-43d7-b300-564c0de4f95b
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