Tallented is working with a 3 sized MAT in Manchester.

We are representing a three-school Trust in Manchester that is entering a critical phase of financial consolidation and modernization. To navigate a challenging funding environment, the Board requires a highly commercial, turnaround-focused Chief Financial Officer. Your tenure will be defined by three uncompromising focus areas: driving immediate budget improvement, maximizing income generation, and standardizing all accounting procedures across the Trust.

Your first priority will be aggressive budget improvement and stabilization. You will conduct a forensic audit of the current financial landscape across the three academies, identifying historic inefficiencies, overspends, and areas where immediate cost savings can be realized without negatively impacting the educational offer. You will introduce stringent financial controls, implementing Integrated Curriculum Financial Planning (ICFP) to ensure that staffing structures and curriculum design are financially sustainable and deeply aligned with the Trust’s strategic objectives.

Simultaneously, you must look beyond the standard General Annual Grant (GAG) allocation. A major component of your role will be strategic income generation. You will be expected to commercialize the Trust’s assets—optimizing the letting of sports facilities, halls, and community spaces. Furthermore, you will actively identify and bid for capital grants, secure philanthropic funding, and forge mutually beneficial partnerships with local Manchester businesses. Finally, you will lead the technical migration of all three schools onto a single, standardized, cloud-based accounting system. By standardizing accounting procedures, procurement processes, and month-end reporting, you will provide the Board of Trustees with the absolute transparency, real-time data, and flawless compliance required to make confident strategic decisions.

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