Chief Financial Officer

Salary: Spine Points 65 – 69 (£94,731 – £106,628) per annum

Full-Time/Part-Time: Full Time

Main Location: Ellesmere Port with travel to all campuses

Our purpose at Cheshire College South & West is to transform students’ futures.  Excellent leadership of our corporate resources is essential to us achieving this and our strategic aims of:

• Being a financially robust College remaining efficient, offering value for money and maintaining a secure cash position.
• Seeking out opportunities and applying for project/grant applications that support the College’s strategic aims.

Our Chief Financial Officer will play a crucial role in this by leading our financial strategy, governance and risk management obligations.  You will be appropriately qualified and experienced in leading a finance function and will be committed to contributing to achieving the strategic aims and ambitions of the College.

If you share our vision to be outstanding in all that we do and you have the drive, passion, enthusiasm to create something special, then Cheshire College South and West is the place for you to progress your career. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strong, positive and inspirational leadership as part of the Executive Leadership Team (ELT)
• Provide clear day-to-day leadership of the finance function.
• Lead on the College’s financial governance and risk management obligations
• Ensure that cash-flow, funds, treasury management and lending arrangements are well managed and controlled.
• To lead on the College’s strategic financial planning, procurement, accounting and financial stability, ensuring a robust framework of financial management and contract compliance
• To oversee the production of the College’s annual statutory accounts, ensuring compliance with accounting standards

Key Person Specification Requirements:

• ACCA/ACA/ACMA/CIPFA qualified Accountant
• Evidence of continuous professional development on strategic issues facing the further education sector.
• Evidence of continuous professional development specific to strategic leadership of corporate services.
• Record of success in a senior financial leadership role in an organisation of significant scale and complexity.
• Prior responsibility for financial control and reporting, to include the consolidation of accounts and Board reporting.
• Excellent inter-personal skills with ability to develop positive working relationships at all levels (internally and externally to College) and to translate ideas into actions.
• Proven and demonstrable experience of critical thinking and the ability to apply this to affect change in a fast-paced environment.
• Emotional intelligence, self-awareness and confidence.
• The leadership qualities necessary to inspire others to embrace and implement plans with energy and enthusiasm.

Please see the Job Description and Person Specification attached for further details.

If you’re interested in this new opportunity, you can apply by sending a completed application form to recruitment@ccsw.ac.uk. Closing date for receipt of applications is 17:00 29 October 2023.

The selection day will take place at the Ellesmere Port Campus on 7 November 2023.

Benefits:

• Access to world-class facilities, the use of cutting-edge technologies and digital platforms;
• Access to new qualifications to support your career in education such as short online courses in the areas below. If you’re interested in learning more about this, please email Helen.Meakin@ccsw.ac.uk.
  • Equality and diversity
  • Information, Advice and Guidance
  • Understanding Safeguarding and Prevent
  • Principles of Customer service
• Competitive salary;
• Pension Scheme;
• 35 days holiday (plus bank holidays);
• Professional Development;
• Onsite Fitness and Childcare Facilities;
• Employee benefit platform;
• Onsite Costa, Café, Shop, Restaurants, Hair and Beauty Salon; and
• Free onsite parking.

If you wish to discuss any aspects of the role prior to making an application, then please email recruitment@ccsw.ac.uk where arrangements will be made for a discussion with the relevant department.  

Cheshire College South and West is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. Successful applicants will be required to provide a DBS Disclosure, Right to Work evidence and original qualification certificates. Online checks will be carried out and references will be sought.

About Us

Cheshire College – South & West is the largest provider of post-16 education in the region, offering exciting opportunities to over 11,000 learners and 1,000 Apprentices, who all have access to world-class facilities as a result of a £160m investment in the latest technology and real working environments, at modern Campuses in Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester.  The College is process of implementing a £30m capital investment programme to ensure learners continue to have access to the best possible resources and environment.

Cheshire College is a dynamic, high quality and financially robust College, which provides learners with the skills, experience and qualifications that will prepare them for their future career or higher-level study, encouraging them to become confident individuals who will make valuable contributions to businesses and the local economy.

There is a fantastic atmosphere at our three Campuses in Crewe, Ellesmere Port and Chester, providing an environment to get involved in exciting activities and an opportunity for learners to make new friends.

The College is proud of its strong links with local Employers such as Bentley Motors, Vauxhall Motors, SP Energy Networks, Ecolab and Unilever to ensure learners have access to work placements and industry professionals as well as ensuring the curriculum offer remains current and relevant to local, regional and national needs.

Ellesmere Port Campus  

Our impressive facilities are the perfect place for learners to meet new friends and be immersed in an environment that is ideal for learning.  As well as our modern classrooms, the Ellesmere Port Campus boasts:

• Construction & Engineering Centre (Refurbished Summer 2022);
• Award-winning restaurant, Academy West (Refurbished Summer 2023);
• Mock aircraft cabin;
• Fitness gym;
• Hair, beauty and barbering salons (Refurbished Summer 2023); and
• Professional theatre.

Crewe Campus

Our impressive facilities are the perfect place for learners to meet new friends and be immersed in an environment that is ideal for learning.  As well as our modern classrooms, the Crewe Campus boasts:

• A multi-purpose sports hall;
• Climbing wall;
• Fitness gym;
• TV and radio studios with specialist equipment;
• Mock aircraft cabin;
• Award-winning restaurant, The Academy;
• Hair, beauty and barbering salons;
• Professional Centre Stage theatre and engineering and construction workshops; and
• New Institute of Technology (Construction beginning 2024).

Chester Campus

Our impressive facilities are the perfect place for learners to meet new friends and be immersed in an environment that is ideal for learning.  As well as our modern classrooms, the Chester Campus boasts:

• Digital Hub (Constructed Summer 2022);
• Impressive Visual Arts Workshops (Refurbished Summer 2022 and 2023);
• Science Laboratories;

Cheshire College South and West is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974. Successful applicants will be required to provide a DBS Disclosure, Right to Work evidence and original qualification certificates. Online checks will be carried out and references will be sought.