Finance Director

OverviewJob Purpose: The Finance Director leads the school’s financial management and controllership activities, ensuring accuracy, integrity, and strong alignment with strategic priorities. This includes budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, internal controls, compliance, cash flow oversight, and strategic decision support.The role works closely with the School Leadership Team, Regional and Group Finance to provide high-quality financial insights, enable effective decision-making, and ensure long-term financial sustainability. Responsibilities include managing financial statements, statutory accounts, and audits in accordance with internal policies and regulatory requirements (IFRS, and Group standards). A key focus is maintaining robust financial controls, safeguarding assets, driving operational efficiency, and ensuring reliable financial systems, budgeting, forecasting, and processes. The Finance Director also leads cost-optimization initiatives, vendor and contract management, tax compliance, and working-capital management.Job Responsibilities include reporting and audit, financial planning and controls, procurement and contract management, stakeholder management, leadership and collaboration, and process and compliance to ensure high standards of governance and financial integrity.Key ResponsibilitiesLead the month-end close and ensure timely, accurate management accounts, financial statements, and performance reports for the School Leadership Team, Regional Finance, and Group Finance.Oversee statutory accounts in compliance with local GAAP, IFRS, and Group policies, ensuring full regulatory alignment.Manage all internal and external audit processes, including planning, documentation, communication with auditors, and follow-up on findings.Regularly assess and strengthen financial and compliance controls to enhance governance, reduce risk, and ensure the integrity of financial information.Prepare and review key financial reports (month end closing, capex, cash collection, KPIs, variance analyses) to support operational and strategic decision-making.Maintain high standards of documentation, data quality, and process discipline to ensure accuracy, auditability, and operational efficiency.Prepare and lead the school’s budgeting, forecasting, and multi-year financial planning processes, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and proactive identification of risks and opportunities.Analyze financial performance against budget and forecast, identifying risks, opportunities, and required actions to support informed decision-making by the School Leadership Team and Regional Finance.Implement and maintain strong financial controls to safeguard assets, ensure data accuracy, and support compliance with internal policies, Group requirements, and local regulations.Oversee cash-flow planning and working-capital management, ensuring liquidity, efficient resource allocation, and operational continuity.Drive continuous improvement by enhancing financial processes, tools, and reporting capabilities, improving efficiency, reducing manual work, and strengthening internal controls.Oversee procurement and contract management, ensuring transparency, cost-effectiveness, and compliance with Group and Regional policies. Lead negotiations, evaluate vendor performance, and work with Operations and Facilities to ensure purchasing decisions support operational efficiency and long-term financial sustainability.Implement strong procurement controls — including vendor due diligence, approval workflows, and periodic contract reviews — while identifying opportunities to streamline processes, consolidate suppliers, and drive cost optimization without compromising service quality.Stakeholder ManagementBuild strong partnerships with the School Leadership Team, Regional Finance, Group Finance, and budget holders, providing timely and accurate financial insights to support strategic and operational decisions. Act as a trusted advisor to academic, operational, and administrative departments, clearly communicating financial implications, business cases, and cost considerations aligned with school priorities. Liaise professionally with parents, staff, auditors, and external stakeholders on financial matters, ensuring transparency, responsiveness, and a high standard of service. Coordinate required inputs for Group Tax, Legal, and Treasury teams, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and adherence to corporate expectations.Leadership and CollaborationLead, develop, and mentor the Finance team, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and strong service orientation across all financial processes. Oversee AP and AR activities, ensuring efficient execution, strong internal controls, and the adoption of tools and systems that enhance accuracy, efficiency, and customer service. Collaborate closely with Operations, Facilities, and other departments to integrate financial insights into operational decisions and optimize resource utilization across the school. Maintain effective partnerships with Regional Finance, Group Finance, and the Group Real Estate team, ensuring alignment on strategic initiatives, capital projects, and long-term planning.Personal SpecificationsMinimum requirements: Minimum of 8 years of experience in accounting, controllership, or financial leadership, preferably in an educational or service-based organization. Strong experience with statutory compliance in the country, including audits. Solid knowledge and practical experience with IFRS and local-to-IFRS adjustments. Experience in budgeting, forecasting, financial reporting, consolidation, and cash-flow management. Proven ability to implement process improvements, automation, and strong internal controls. Bachelor’s degree in Accounting, Business Administration, Economics, or related field; CRC is a plus. Strong analytical skills and ability to translate complex financial data into clear insights for non-finance stakeholders. Proficiency with financial systems (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics/Navision) and strong Excel/financial modeling skills. Experience in procurement and contract management, including vendor evaluation and negotiation. Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate effectively with academic, operational, and administrative teams. Ability to interact with parents and external stakeholders with clarity, professionalism, and empathy when needed. Strong influencing, negotiation, and relationship-management capabilities. Ability to work under pressure, meet tight deadlines, and maintain accuracy and composure. High level of ownership, integrity, and commitment to continuous improvement. Adaptability, learning agility, and alignment with the values and culture of Nord Anglia Education.Personal AttributesAs Our Team Colleague, Here’s What We ExpectCollaborate with Empathy: You are a team player who shares your knowledge to help colleagues and students learn and grow. You understand the culture, background and needs of others so everybody feels welcomed, included and accepted. You are self-aware – conscious of your impact on people and situations and adapt your behaviour so that you work collaboratively with others.Communicate with Impact: You communicate openly, with transparency and kindness. You influence and encourage people to share their ideas. You make every effort to always understand your audiences to build trust and make a positive impact on students’ lives.Make Considered Decisions: Your decisions are made with the best interests of students, school communities, and the wider organisation in mind. You act with integrity using technology when you can, to generate data and insights that support your decisions.Embrace Change: You are effective at working in changing environments and embracing change, which helps us to improve our schools. You can deal with ambiguity because you are adaptable and motivated to fulfil your responsibilities.Drive Growth: You are entrepreneurial and think strategically. You challenge yourself and others to deliver outstanding commercial performance, which leads to growth and exceptional student experiences.CREATE YOUR FUTURE: We’re Nord Anglia Education, the world’s largest premium international schools organisation. Every day, our teachers and support colleagues help our thousands of students achieve more than they ever imagined possible. Our people are empowered to make a difference in their fields of expertise. Our fast pace of growth requires evolution and change from everyone, giving you the chance to define the role you do in the future.Nord Anglia Education is committed to ensuring the highest possible safeguarding standards in our schools and we expect every employee to share this commitment. We are an equal opportunities employer dedicated to creating a diverse and inclusive workforce. We treat all colleagues fairly based on their skills and qualifications, without discrimination. We value individuals from all backgrounds, including those with different abilities and neurodivergent conditions, as well as those who identify with various protected characteristics.This job description sets out the main duties and responsibilities of this post at the time of drafting. It cannot be read as an exhaustive list.Note: This description retains the original language and content as provided, but has been reformatted to meet formatting standards. #J-18808-Ljbffr