Role purpose

The Senior FP&A Manager – Central Functions is responsible for financial planning, management reporting and strategic insight across central functions and key strategic initiatives.

The role partners closely with the CFO, Head of FP&A, and senior stakeholders to drive high-quality decision-making, ensuring financial plans align with organisational strategy and delivering robust financial oversight of both operational and capital activity.

The role also leads and develops the Finance Business Partner for Trust Office, ensuring high standards of financial control, reporting and business partnering.

Key responsibilities

Strategic Planning & Business Partnering

• Partner with CFO and Head of FP&A to develop robust financial models supporting strategic initiatives
• Lead financial input into business cases, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities and clear articulation of financial risks and opportunities
• Provide end to end financial support across the project life cycle, acting as key business partner advisor to project sponsors and embed into overall GDST planning and reporting

Financial Planning

• Lead all central function budgeting, forecasting and five year planning
• Provide financial support and guidance to budget holders, ensuring plans are robust, aligned to strategy and appropriately challenged
• Prepare all analysis, papers and slide decks in relation to central functions, ensuring clear delivery of key messages, risks and opportunities
• Develop budgeting and forecasting models to improve efficiency, cost control and insights

Financial Reporting & Control

• Lead the monthly close process, including production and review of management accounts for central functions and strategic projects, ensuring accuracy, timeliness and consistency across departments
• Review and challenge financial results, providing clear variance analysis and insight for senior stakeholders and highlighting poor operational performance
• Contribute to Executive and Board reporting, including high quality commentary insights
• Ensure strong financial governance, including oversight of accruals, prepayments and reconciliations
• Support the wider FP&A team with month end deliverables as required

Capital Investment & Projects

• Partner with the Estates team to maintain the capital investment programme, ensuring accurate reporting of expenditure and forecasts
• Partner with the Accounting team to ensure accurate reflection of future spend in the cash flow
• Develop the existing capital appraisal model to ensure consistency and alignment across projects and schools
• Support decision-making through clear analysis of capital investment outcomes and risks, contributing to papers as required

Systems, Data & Continuous Improvement

• Support and advise on the design and implementation of new planning and reporting systems
• Drive continuous improvements in data quality, governance, and integration across systems, supporting in the development of connections between a CPM, DataCloud and dashboards
• Develop scalable and automated reporting solutions, including dashboards for senior stakeholders
• Champion continuous improvement and standardisation of financial processes
• Integration of reporting on core and growth strategic pillars

People & Leadership

• Line manage and develop the Finance Business Partner, setting clear objectives and supporting their professional growth
• Foster a high-performance, business-partnering culture within the finance team
• Provide oversight and direction to ensure high-quality financial reporting, planning and stakeholder support
• Provide coaching and guidance to enhance financial insight, challenge and stakeholder engagement
• Act as a role model for collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement
• Support and deputise for the Head of FP&A as required

Any other duties that may be deemed reasonable from time to time

Key Relationships

• Head of FP&A
• GDST ELT members including CFO
• Regional COO
• Estates Team
• Transformation project teams / PMO
• Accounting Team
• Data Team
• External project managers as required

General Requirements

• Work towards and support the Trust’s vision and current objectives outlined  in the GDST Strategic Development Plan
• Work within the Trust’s health and safety policy to ensure a safe working  environment for staff and visitors
• Work within the GDST’s Diversity Policy to promote equality of opportunity  for all staff, both current and prospective
• Maintain high professional standards of attendance, punctuality,  appearance, conduct and positive, courteous relations with Trust Office  colleagues, school staff, external contacts and visitors
• Engage actively in the performance review process, and training and  development opportunities available
• Adhere to policies as set out in the GDST Council Regulations, Notes of  Guidance and GDST circulars
• Undertake other reasonable duties as requested from time to time

Person Specification

• Qualified accountant (ACA, CIMA or ACCA)
• Extremely proficient in Excel and data modelling with excellent analytical skills
• Excellent skills in Office applications e.g. Word and PowerPoint and fully conversant with accounting software
• A proven track record within FP&A environment and teams
• Strong track record of preparing and analysing management accounts
• Extensive knowledge of Corporate Performance Mgmt (CPM) solutions
• Proficient user in BI tools (incl. PowerBI)and Data Analytics
• Enthusiastic and energised to contribute to GDST vision
• Resilient, flexible and pragmatic
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to present financial information clearly and concisely
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills including the ability to relate well to people on all levels and build good relationships
• Show initiative and be proactive in identifying and resolving issues
• Ability to effectively manage multiple workstreams and deliverables simultaneously, working to tight deadlines and ensuring high quality output
• Committed to high professional standards and providing an excellent service, working flexibly with an approachable manner
• Personal integrity, honesty, enthusiasm and dedication