Finance Manager
The school stands on a magnificent site of 100 acres, but still within walking distance of Edinburgh’s city centre. The historic main building holds the Chapel, Library, the English, Classics and History Departments as well as the Medical Centre and two boarding houses. A large purpose-built teaching block (the Spens Building) houses Art, Modern Languages, Mathematics, Economics, Geography, and Music. The Theatre, Science Laboratories and Dining Hall are adjacent. The Preparatory School and seven further boarding houses (including Craigleith, our U6th House, specifically designed to prepare students for University) are also on the campus. Our sports facilities (including extensive playing fields, two allweather pitches and a private Health Club) are excellent.
Fettes College is a leading HMC co-educational boarding and day school close to the heart of Edinburgh. It has a strong tradition of academic, sporting and cultural excellence underpinned by outstanding pastoral care.
Fettes opened its doors in 1870 and became fully co-educational in 1980: it is now an independent school of some 780 students. There are ~590 students in the Senior School (13-18 years) and ~190 students in the Preparatory School (7-13 years). The academic staff in the College consists of the Head and ~90 members of the Common Room. Our Prep School shares the same site and consists of a further ~30 teaching staff.
As well as our teaching staff we employ over 220 Operational Staff across many departments, including Estates, Security, Housekeeping, Finance, Admissions and Marketing with a pervading sense of community amongst staff, students and parents alike.
• Receive the highest possible quality of education, engaging them in rigorous and relevant opportunities in a dynamic curriculum that creates lifelong learners
• Are encouraged to stretch and challenge themselves
Fettes College will ensure that our students:
• Feel valued and respected as individuals
The Aims of the College
• Value a sense of community
• Are surrounded by inspirational caring staff
• Feel represented and are provided with equal opportunities regardless of gender, identity, sexual orientation, disability, ethnicity or religion.
• Feel safe, have a sense of personal worth, are thoughtful and considerate of the needs of others, while possessing a willingness to take on responsibility
• Develop a sense of self-confidence, integrity, emotional resilience, loyalty, good manners, leadership skills and teamwork
The Vision and Context
Fettes College’s vision and strategy are founded on the four key strands of learning, wellbeing, our people and our community, each of which is integral to the ongoing success and growth of the school. There are many parts to all of these strands, including the design of a curriculum for the future, further broadening our engagement in and with the local community and, of course, our steadfast belief in promoting a full boarding ethos but crucial to each in some way is the improvement and/or development of facilities to allow the vision to be fully realised.
This is therefore an extraordinarily exciting time for Fettes College as it embarks on the delivery of our Head’s new vision for the school, which includes a very significant and ambitious facilities development programme over the next 5 to 7 years through a combination of new debt facilities, internal resources and philanthropy. A recently approved funding facility is now available to support those key projects and one of the responsibilities of the Finance Manager will be to oversee and manage that facility in conjunction with the Bursar. Finally, Fettes College has just concluded a significant restructure of its constitution, originally established as a body corporate under statute in 1870. The new entity, a company limited by guarantee and also a charity, represents a much more modern approach to governance whilst retaining elements of the original Trust scheme under which it was originally created. This, coupled with the need to fully embed a new accounting system, offers an exciting opportunity for the right individual to make a real impact on the operational efficiency and success of Fettes College.
• The timely preparation of monthly management accounts for presentation to the Bursar and Finance Committee;
• Management and leadership of the Finance Department, currently five persons, to ensure it operates efficiently and effectively, and assisting where required, particularly to ensure revenue recovery through appropriate debt collection;
• The timely preparation of monthly departmental operating statements for review with departmental managers;
The Role
Reporting to the Bursar, the Finance Manager is responsible for the Finance Department, managing the financial affairs of Fettes College, it’s two trading subsidiaries and The Fettes Foundation. The Finance Manager will work with senior managers and budget holders throughout the school.
Main Duties and Responsibilities
A hands-on Finance Manager is required for Fettes College, one of Scotland’s leading independent schools.
The role is a varied one, although it does follow the usual annual reporting and regulatory rhythm typically of many businesses and the associated workload and specific duties will take priority. At other times the opportunity will arise to introduce efficiencies and there is an expectation that the role will include the opportunity to work with Senior Managers to review working practices, cost saving opportunities and general improvements to existing systems.
• Compilation of detailed annual budgets for all entities;
• Ensure compliance with numerous financial regulations and deal with external bodies, including the preparation of financial and other returns, particularly OSCR, HM Revenue and Customs and other Government agencies;
• Providing regular guidance and support to each member of the finance team, delegating responsibilities sensitively and appropriately and allowing them the opportunity to develop their experience and expertise for their benefit and that of the school;
• Ensuring appropriate controls are in place to safeguard the assets of the College;
• Managing of utilities contracts, including procurement of electricity, gas/oil and water;
• Management of insurances;
• Responsibility for monitoring and managing the usage of the debt facilities, and issuing drawdown notices as necessary, to maintain appropriate levels of liquidity in the balance sheet;
• Managing the relationship with the College bankers and lenders, currently Bank of Scotland and HSBC;
• Preparation of annual statutory accounts and liaison with external auditors throughout the audit process to eventual sign off by the Board;
• Undertake ad hoc project work when requested;
• Compilation of forecasts including 5 year projections in consultation with the Bursar and Finance Committee;
• A passion for excellence in education.
Person Specification
• Development and enhancement of financial and management reporting systems.
• A chartered accountant with strong technical financial and management accounting skills;
• Excellent IT skills, particularly MS Excel.
• Assist the Bursar with the annual Bursary Renewal Process
• The role of Company Secretary for the College’s subsidiaries and The Fettes Foundation;
• A good communicator with an approachable nature and strong leadership skills;
• Strong analytical and organisation skills and attention to detail;
• Ability to prioritise work, be well organised and efficient and operate to tight deadlines;
Desirable, although not essential, for the post are:
• Experience in a senior financial role;
• Knowledge of charities legislation;
• Excellent Employee Assistance Programme (EAP).
• Life insurance scheme.
• Free parking within the campus grounds. The campus is easily accessed by car and bus; there is a bus stop located outside the campus serving several routes across the city and to rail stations.
• Generous staff discount on school fees (subject to the availability of places at the time of first entry).
• Free lunchtime meals during term time, and at other times when catering is provided, and you are on duty.
TheBenefitsremuneration
• Membership of Westwoods gym and health club which offers a range of excellent fitness and leisure facilities including a 25m swimming pool.
• You will be opted into the Fettes College Non-Teaching Staff Pension Scheme after 3 months service. This scheme is a money purchase one and full details of it and your options will be made available to you prior to your opt-in date.
package will be competitive and will, to an extent, depend on the experience of the successful candidate. The position is a full time one with 6 weeks paid holiday and the hours of work are Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 5 pm with an hour for lunch, but the nature of the role will require additional hours at times. In addition to being part of a great team you will be entitled to a range of benefits that include:
Application Process
An offer of employment will be subject to two satisfactory references being obtained from your referees and a clean report being obtained on you from the Disclosure Scotland PVG Scheme in view of the contact you will have with children during your normal duties. New staff at Fettes join a friendly and supportive team with a vibrant mixture of age and experience. We value every member of staff’s contribution to the life of the school. We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships. We are keen to welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds into our staff body. If you would like a friendly conversation with an employee who identifies as an ethnic minority, please feel free to contact Sara Medel Jiménez (s.medeljimenez@fettes.com) who will be happy to share her experience of Fettes.
The closing date is 12 noon on Sunday, 2nd October 2022, with interviews being held within a fortnight of the closing date. Applications including the details of 2 referees should be made via the Fettes College page on www.TES.com or by email to recruitment@fettes.com. All applicants are asked to provide, as well as a CV, a covering letter setting out how you meet the person specification and what you feel you can bring to this role. The Bursar, Mr Peter Worlledge, is available to have an informal conversation with any potential candidate prior to applying. If this is of interest to you, please contact recruitment@fettes.com to arrange a time to speak with the Bursar.
