Chief Financial Officer Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership
Posted 20 hours 29 minutes ago by Peridot Partners
Permanent
Full Time
Public Sector Jobs
Kent, Maidstone, United Kingdom, ME141
Job Description
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Chief Financial Officer Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership is seeking a strategic Chief Financial Officer to lead finance, estates, and business operations across its growing family of 32 schools.
As CFO, you will be responsible for ensuring the financial sustainability and resilience of the Trust, advising the CEO, Trust Board, and senior leaders, while also driving forward efficiency, investment, and innovation. You will provide clear strategic oversight of finance and operations, ensuring our resources are aligned to deliver the best possible outcomes for over 10,000 learners across 32 Catholic schools.
We are seeking an exceptional finance leader with strong commercial judgement, the ability to balance strategic vision with operational rigour and a deep commitment to supporting our Catholic ethos and mission.
Who we are Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership (KCSP) is a multi-academy trust created in 2012 at the request of the Archdiocese of Southwark to nurture Catholic education across Kent and Medway. Today, we are a growing family of 32 schools, both primary and secondary, that provide an excellent education for more than 10,000 children and young people.
Our mission is rooted in the Gospel and inspired by Christ's teachings. We place the dignity of each child at the centre of our work, ensuring that every learner is supported to reach their full potential. While our foundation is firmly Catholic, we welcome families of all faiths and none, united in a commitment to outstanding education, inclusion, and care.
Collaboration is at the heart of the Trust's approach. Central teams work closely with headteachers, the Local Governance Committee, and trustees to share expertise, provide targeted support, and maintain consistently high standards across education, safeguarding, and well-being. We are proud of our strong sense of community, where schools learn from one another and staff feel supported and valued.
KCSP is entering an exciting phase of development, balancing our expansion and long-term sustainability with our mission-driven focus, and is seeking a CFO who can provide the financial leadership to ensure that every decision supports both operational effectiveness and moral purpose. With growth on the horizon and a clear strategy for long-term sustainability, we are determined to continue delivering outstanding teaching and learning, underpinned by robust governance and strong stewardship of resources.
This is an opportunity to shape the financial and operational strategy of a growing multi-academy trust serving over 10,000 learners across 32 schools, while supporting its mission to provide an ambitious, faith-rooted education.
As CFO, you will lead the Trust's finance, IT, estates, and business operations, managing a central team and providing strategic oversight across the organisation. You will be the principal financial adviser to the CEO and Board. You will ensure statutory and regulatory compliance while identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency, generate income and invest in educational priorities.
The role requires balancing high-level strategic planning with operational understanding, ensuring both central and school-level finance, procurement and resources are effectively managed.
Your responsibilities will include developing and delivering a financial strategy that supports growth and sustainability, leading the financial planning, forecasting and reporting processes, and overseeing estates and IT to ensure infrastructure meets current and future needs.
You will work closely with school business managers to support their school budgets, build reserves appropriately and continually strengthen financial controls. Managing relationships with the Diocese, Department for Education, ESFA, auditors, and other stakeholders will be central to the role, ensuring financial transparency, probity and confidence in all reporting.
The CFO will also take on the role of Accounting Officer to support the CEO, advising on operational and strategic matters while fostering collaboration across the executive team. You will lead procurement and contract management, ensuring value for money and consistency across the Trust. As a Trust of our size, with some challenging buildings, we have continued ongoing Capital projects, maintenance, and estates planning to manage. These will be undertaken in partnership with the Diocese, balancing limited funding with our strategic priorities.
This role requires a professional who can combine strategic insight with practical financial expertise, leading by example, developing a culture of accountability and collaboration. You will engage closely with headteachers, business managers, and the central team to embed strong financial practices and operational excellence, ensuring the Trust operates efficiently while remaining focused on its mission.
The CFO will make a difference to the lives of children and young people by ensuring KCSP remains financially secure, operationally effective, and true to its Catholic ethos. This is a chance to join a values-driven organisation at a pivotal stage of growth, using financial leadership to support outstanding education, inclusion, and the holistic development of every learner across the Trust.
Who we are looking for We are seeking a finance leader who combines technical expertise, commercial acumen, and strategic vision with a drive to work in an organisation committed to improving the lives of young people and their communities.
You will be a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent) with extensive senior leadership experience, ideally gained in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
Experience in the education, charity, or public sector is welcome but not essential; what matters most is your ability to apply robust financial management, business discipline and commercial thinking to our context.
You will bring:
If you are a strategic thinker with the drive to ensure sustainability, the skills to deliver commercial success, and the passion to align finance with a greater purpose, we would be delighted to hear from you.
We are an inclusive trust and pride ourselves on supporting the communities that we serve through high-quality Catholic education. It is not an essential requirement that the new CFO needs to be of Catholic faith, it is important that you come with a sympathy and understanding of our Trust's commitment to Catholicity.
Peridot Partners and Kent Catholic Schools' Partnershipare committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and our client expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references before any final offer can be made.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
If you would like to know more about this role please contact Eddie Caviezel Cox
I am delighted that you have expressed an interest in the post of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with the Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership (KCSP) and hope that after considering all the information provided, you will make an application.
Our Trust was created in 2012, at the request of the Archdiocese of Southwark, to support and further develop Catholic education in Kent. As of September 2025, we are a family of 32 Catholic schools (and growing) who teach and care for over 10,000 learners across Kent and Medway . click apply for full job details
Chief Financial Officer Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership is seeking a strategic Chief Financial Officer to lead finance, estates, and business operations across its growing family of 32 schools.
- Location: Maidstone
- Closing date: 9 a.m. Wednesday 22nd October
As CFO, you will be responsible for ensuring the financial sustainability and resilience of the Trust, advising the CEO, Trust Board, and senior leaders, while also driving forward efficiency, investment, and innovation. You will provide clear strategic oversight of finance and operations, ensuring our resources are aligned to deliver the best possible outcomes for over 10,000 learners across 32 Catholic schools.
We are seeking an exceptional finance leader with strong commercial judgement, the ability to balance strategic vision with operational rigour and a deep commitment to supporting our Catholic ethos and mission.
Who we are Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership (KCSP) is a multi-academy trust created in 2012 at the request of the Archdiocese of Southwark to nurture Catholic education across Kent and Medway. Today, we are a growing family of 32 schools, both primary and secondary, that provide an excellent education for more than 10,000 children and young people.
Our mission is rooted in the Gospel and inspired by Christ's teachings. We place the dignity of each child at the centre of our work, ensuring that every learner is supported to reach their full potential. While our foundation is firmly Catholic, we welcome families of all faiths and none, united in a commitment to outstanding education, inclusion, and care.
Collaboration is at the heart of the Trust's approach. Central teams work closely with headteachers, the Local Governance Committee, and trustees to share expertise, provide targeted support, and maintain consistently high standards across education, safeguarding, and well-being. We are proud of our strong sense of community, where schools learn from one another and staff feel supported and valued.
KCSP is entering an exciting phase of development, balancing our expansion and long-term sustainability with our mission-driven focus, and is seeking a CFO who can provide the financial leadership to ensure that every decision supports both operational effectiveness and moral purpose. With growth on the horizon and a clear strategy for long-term sustainability, we are determined to continue delivering outstanding teaching and learning, underpinned by robust governance and strong stewardship of resources.
- Knowledge-rich, skills-led learning for all
- Christ at our heart
- Serving everyone in our community
- Partnership of love, ambition, joy and peace
This is an opportunity to shape the financial and operational strategy of a growing multi-academy trust serving over 10,000 learners across 32 schools, while supporting its mission to provide an ambitious, faith-rooted education.
As CFO, you will lead the Trust's finance, IT, estates, and business operations, managing a central team and providing strategic oversight across the organisation. You will be the principal financial adviser to the CEO and Board. You will ensure statutory and regulatory compliance while identifying opportunities to enhance efficiency, generate income and invest in educational priorities.
The role requires balancing high-level strategic planning with operational understanding, ensuring both central and school-level finance, procurement and resources are effectively managed.
Your responsibilities will include developing and delivering a financial strategy that supports growth and sustainability, leading the financial planning, forecasting and reporting processes, and overseeing estates and IT to ensure infrastructure meets current and future needs.
You will work closely with school business managers to support their school budgets, build reserves appropriately and continually strengthen financial controls. Managing relationships with the Diocese, Department for Education, ESFA, auditors, and other stakeholders will be central to the role, ensuring financial transparency, probity and confidence in all reporting.
The CFO will also take on the role of Accounting Officer to support the CEO, advising on operational and strategic matters while fostering collaboration across the executive team. You will lead procurement and contract management, ensuring value for money and consistency across the Trust. As a Trust of our size, with some challenging buildings, we have continued ongoing Capital projects, maintenance, and estates planning to manage. These will be undertaken in partnership with the Diocese, balancing limited funding with our strategic priorities.
This role requires a professional who can combine strategic insight with practical financial expertise, leading by example, developing a culture of accountability and collaboration. You will engage closely with headteachers, business managers, and the central team to embed strong financial practices and operational excellence, ensuring the Trust operates efficiently while remaining focused on its mission.
The CFO will make a difference to the lives of children and young people by ensuring KCSP remains financially secure, operationally effective, and true to its Catholic ethos. This is a chance to join a values-driven organisation at a pivotal stage of growth, using financial leadership to support outstanding education, inclusion, and the holistic development of every learner across the Trust.
Who we are looking for We are seeking a finance leader who combines technical expertise, commercial acumen, and strategic vision with a drive to work in an organisation committed to improving the lives of young people and their communities.
You will be a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent) with extensive senior leadership experience, ideally gained in a complex, multi-stakeholder environment.
Experience in the education, charity, or public sector is welcome but not essential; what matters most is your ability to apply robust financial management, business discipline and commercial thinking to our context.
You will bring:
- A demonstrable track record of shaping and delivering financial strategy in a large or complex organisation.
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire, manage and develop multi-disciplinary teams.
- The ability to combine operational detail with strategic foresight.
- Experience of working with Boards, committees, or governance structures, and the ability to present financial information with clarity and insight.
- Commercial awareness and the ability to identify opportunities for efficiency, investment, and income generation.
- Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders, from school leaders to trustees and external partners.
If you are a strategic thinker with the drive to ensure sustainability, the skills to deliver commercial success, and the passion to align finance with a greater purpose, we would be delighted to hear from you.
We are an inclusive trust and pride ourselves on supporting the communities that we serve through high-quality Catholic education. It is not an essential requirement that the new CFO needs to be of Catholic faith, it is important that you come with a sympathy and understanding of our Trust's commitment to Catholicity.
Peridot Partners and Kent Catholic Schools' Partnershipare committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and our client expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references before any final offer can be made.
For further information about the role or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
If you would like to know more about this role please contact Eddie Caviezel Cox
I am delighted that you have expressed an interest in the post of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) with the Kent Catholic Schools' Partnership (KCSP) and hope that after considering all the information provided, you will make an application.
Our Trust was created in 2012, at the request of the Archdiocese of Southwark, to support and further develop Catholic education in Kent. As of September 2025, we are a family of 32 Catholic schools (and growing) who teach and care for over 10,000 learners across Kent and Medway . click apply for full job details