Job Description

Purpose of Role

The School Finance Manager acts as the key finance leader for a portfolio of 1–3 schools, partnering closely with School Principals and Regional Leadership Teams to drive financial performance, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth.

Reporting to the Bursar, the School Finance Manager serves as the primary link between schools, Shared Services, and ISP Centres of Excellence. The role combines commercial business partnering with financial performance management and operational support to ensure schools achieve their budget, growth, and profitability objectives.

The School Finance Manager will provide financial insight, challenge, and support to school leaders, enabling informed decision-making while ensuring compliance with ISP financial policies and controls.

ISP Principles

Begin with our children and students. Our children and students are at the heart of what we do. Simply, their success is our success. Wellbeing and safety are both essential for learners and learning. Therefore, we are consistent in identifying potential safeguarding and Health & Safety issues and acting and following up on all concerns appropriately.

Treat everyone with care and respect. We look after one another, embrace similarities and differences and promote the well-being of self and others.

Operate effectively. We focus relentlessly on the things that are most important and will make the most difference. We apply school policies and procedures and embody the shared ideas of our community.

Are financially responsible. We make financial choices carefully based on the needs of the children, students and our schools.

Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.

ISP School Finance Manager Key Responsibilities

Business Partnering and Commercial Support

· Act as trusted finance advisor to the Bursar, School Principal and leadership teams.

· Support school leadership in achieving financial and operational objectives.

· Challenge and support commercial decision-making through financial analysis.

· Identify opportunities to improve profitability and operating performance.

· Support and help drive enrolment and ancillary revenue growth initiatives, ensuring approved P&L accounts are in place for each initiative.

Operational Finance Execution

· Support monthly financial reporting processes across the school, ensuring timeliness, accuracy and relevance.

·Support monthly financial review meetings with the Bursar, school principal and regional finance teams.

· First point of contact for finance shared services for the school.

· First approver for all invoices submitted by the shared service team, ensuring data accuracy (e.g. departments & GL accounts are correctly allocated) and costings are in line with the school budget.

· Support annual budgeting and periodic forecasting processes for the school.

· Support audit requirements where school judgement is required.

· Act as a technical accounting expert, advising on compliance and policy changes.

Cash/Treasury

· Monitor cash collection performance and aged debt.

· Support schools in improving fee collection and reducing bad debt.

· Review cash flow forecasts and identify potential risks.

· Drive working capital improvements.

· Draft fee payment plans in accordance with ISP credit and collections policies for review with the bursar and school principal.

· Provide oversight and challenge to ensure payment arrangements balance family circumstances with appropriate debt recovery controls and liaise with debt recovery agencies.

· Support school leadership with complex parent fee collection matters.

· Monitor adherence to approved payment plans and escalate high-risk cases where appropriate.

· Analyse collection performance and identify opportunities to reduce aged debt and improve cash conversion.

· Coordinate with shared service teams to ensure timely billing is made to parents.

· Act as the primary contact for parents regarding school fees, payment queries and collection matters.

· Liaise with Admissions to monitor agency commissions and student discounts. Maintain accurate records and ensure the school is following the broader discount strategy.

Capital Expenditure

· Ensure the Capex projects are allocated to the correct departments

· Monitor delivery of approved capital expenditure budgets.

Stakeholder Management

· Build strong relationships with school leadership and operational teams.

· Work collaboratively with HR, Admissions, Operations and Shared Services.

· Support integration of acquisitions where required.

Key Skills

• Finance business partnering
• Commercial acumen
• Team leadership
• Stakeholder engagement
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Financial planning
• Performance management
• Cash flow management
• Financial reporting and analysis
• Capital Expenditure projects
• Technology adoption
• Process improvements

Candidate Requirements

Essential Experience

• Professional accounting qualification (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent).
• 5+ years of business partnering or commercial finance experience.
• Experience supporting operational leaders and non-finance stakeholders.
• Experience budgeting, forecasting and financial reporting.

Highly Desirable

• Education sector experience.
• Multi-site business experience.
• Shared Services environment experience.

ISP Commitment to Safeguarding Principles

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including an online due diligence search, references and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years’ employment history. 

ISP Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender expression, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.

ISP Principles

Begin with our children and students. Our children and students are at the heart of what we do. Simply, their success is our success. Wellbeing and safety are both essential for learners and learning. Therefore, we are consistent in identifying potential safeguarding

and Health & Safety issues and acting and following up on all concerns appropriately.

Treat everyone with care and respect. We look after one another, embrace similarities and differences and promote the well-being of self and others.

Operate effectively. We focus relentlessly on the things that are most important and will make the most difference. We apply school policies and procedures and embody the shared ideas of our community.

Are financially responsible. We make financial choices carefully based on the needs of the children, students and our schools.

Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.

ISP Commitment to Safeguarding Principles

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including an online due diligence search, references and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years’ employment history.

ISP Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging

ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender expression, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.