Head of Accounts at Broadoaks British School

JOB PURPOSE

• The Head of Accounts provides strategic financial leadership, overseeing all aspects of financial management, budgeting, reporting, and compliance for the school. The role ensures that financial resources are effectively managed to support the school’s vision, long-term sustainability, and growth objectives.
• This position requires a proactive leader who can balance financial discipline with strategic foresight, ensuring transparency, compliance, and efficiency across all financial operations.

OVERVIEW OF THE ROLE

• The Head of Accounts is responsible for developing and implementing robust financial strategies, internal controls, and reporting systems. The role leads the Accounts Department, supports budget holders, ensures compliance with financial regulations, and provides accurate financial insight for decision-making. The role works closely with senior leadership, auditors, banks, regulators, and other stakeholders to ensure sound governance and fiscal integrity across the organisation.

RELATIONSHIPS

• The Head of accounts is appointed by the Director of Schools in consultation with the HOP and HR.
• The Head of Accounts reports directly to the Head of Operations. However, in the absence of the Head of Operations, he/she will report to the Director of School, who will also provide strategic leadership and day-to-day oversight. The Head of Accounts works closely with the Accounts team, Admin team, parents/guardians, external auditors, and collaborates with other finance professionals, banks and government agencies.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Financial Leadership

• Develop and execute financial strategies aligned with the school’s long-term goals and operational plans.
• Advise the Board and Senior Leadership on financial performance, risks, and strategic opportunities.
• Oversee financial forecasting, cash flow management, and investment planning to ensure sustainability.
• Lead the annual budgeting process, ensuring realistic projections and cost efficiency across departments.

Financial Planning, Budgeting & Reporting

• Prepare and manage the school’s consolidated annual budget, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities.
• Generate accurate and timely financial statements and management reports for decision-making.
• Analyze financial trends, variances, and forecasts to provide actionable insights. Present periodic financial performance reports to senior management and the Board.

Financial Governance & Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with IFRS, tax laws, regulatory requirements, and school financial policies.
• Design and monitor internal control systems to safeguard assets and prevent fraud. Coordinate internal and external audits, ensuring timely implementation of audit recommendations.
• Maintain accurate and transparent records of all financial transactions and reconciliations.

Team Leadership & Capacity Building

• Lead, mentor, and develop the Accounts team to build financial and analytical capability.
• Establish clear performance objectives and accountability within the department. Foster a culture of excellence, teamwork, and ethical conduct.
• Build cross-functional collaboration with HR, Procurement, and Administration.

Risk Management & Cost Control

• Identify financial risks and implement strategies to mitigate them.
• Monitor expenditure against budgets to ensure prudent spending.
• Review procurement processes, vendor payments, and contracts for cost efficiency. Ensure strong liquidity management and effective use of funds.

Stakeholder Relations

• Liaise with banks, auditors, tax authorities, and external partners.
• Provide financial analysis and recommendations to support strategic projects and partnerships.
• Collaborate with department heads to ensure accountability in budget utilisation.

Team Leadership and Development:

• Supervise and mentor junior accounting staff, providing training and support.
• Set performance goals, conduct evaluations, and foster a collaborative work environment.
• Ensure the accuracy and efficiency of all accounting tasks and processes.

KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

Financial Accuracy & Reporting

• Ensure 100% accuracy and timeliness of monthly, quarterly, and annual financial reports in compliance with IFRS and internal policies.
• Achieve zero material audit exceptions and full closure of audit recommendations within 30 days of report issuance.
• Maintain full compliance with tax laws, remittances, and statutory filings (target: 100% on schedule, zero penalties).
• Guarantee accuracy and reliability of financial data across all accounting systems and ledgers.

Internal Control and Risk Management

• Implement and maintain an effective internal control framework across all financial and operational areas.
• Ensure 100% completion of monthly reconciliations (bank, payroll, procurement, and fee income) and immediate resolution of discrepancies.
• Proactively identify and mitigate financial risks, ensuring all control lapses are addressed within 10 business days.
• Record and report all financial irregularities, ensuring zero incidents of unresolved control breaches or fraud.

Budget Management

• Lead the preparation and approval of the annual school budget and ensure operational variances remain within ±5%.
• Provide quarterly financial forecasts with actionable insights and scenario analysis for management decision-making.
• Demonstrate evidence of cost optimization initiatives that reduce non-essential expenses by at least 10% annually without compromising quality.
• Ensure budgets are aligned with the school’s strategic priorities, balancing operational, capital, and sustainability goals.

Strategic and Operational Excellence

• Provide data-driven financial analysis to support executive decision-making and long-term planning.
• Ensure timely processing of payments, supplier reconciliations, and revenue collections to maintain optimal cash flow.
• Maintain effective treasury management, ensuring liquidity ratios and reserves are kept within approved thresholds.
• Develop and monitor KPIs for departmental efficiency, ensuring continuous improvement in turnaround times and accuracy.

Leadership & Team Development

• Build and maintain a high-performing finance team, with at least 90% of departmental goals met per appraisal cycle.
• Facilitate quarterly training or mentoring sessions to strengthen technical and analytical skills of team members.
• Promote a culture of accountability, ethical practice, and service excellence across the department.
• Ensure seamless collaboration with HR, Admin, and Academics for shared financial processes and reporting.

Stakeholder Engagement & Governance

• Deliver comprehensive financial updates to the Head of School, Board, and Audit Committee on schedule.
• Maintain positive working relationships with banks, auditors, regulators, and vendors, reflected by favorable audit and stakeholder feedback.
• Lead or support at least two strategic initiatives per year that improve financial governance or operational efficiency.
• Ensure all financial communications with internal and external stakeholders reflect professionalism, accuracy, and transparency.

Overall Success Metrics

• Financial operations fully compliant with regulatory, policy, and audit standards.
• Consistent delivery of timely, accurate, and strategic financial insights.
• Continuous improvement in departmental efficiency, accountability, and stakeholder confidence.
• Clear evidence of alignment between financial management and the school’s long-term strategic goals.

SAFEGUARDING

• Broadoaks British School is committed to the safeguarding and promotion of the welfare of all children and young people in our care. All staff have a key role and responsibility in this area.

QUALIFICATION & EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or related field; Masters degree preferred.
• Professional accounting qualification (e.g., ACA, ACCA, CIMA, ICAN )
• Minimum of 8 –15 years of accounting experience, with at least 4 years in a supervisory or senior role, preferably in an educational or non-profit setting.
• Strong knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and experience with compliance requirements.
• Proficiency in accounting software (e.g., QuickBooks, Sage) and advanced skills in Microsoft Excel.
• Proven experience in Asset Management, Asset Tagging, Accounts reconciliation and Inventory management (consumables)
• Knowledge of financial regulations and laws applicable to schools
• Excellent analytical, organisational, and problem-solving skills.
• High attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present financial information to non-financial stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team, with a high level of professionalism and integrity.