Chief Financial Officer

Horizons Specialist Academy Trust consists of eight academies and one sixth form across Tees Valley, Durham and North Yorkshire, serving approximately 1,000 students with a broad range of special educational needs.

Following the retirement of the current postholder, the Trust is seeking to appoint an exceptional and strategic Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to join the Executive Leadership Team. Based at Abbey Hill Academy, the CFO will play a pivotal role in shaping financial sustainability and supporting the Trust’s long-term strategic direction at an exciting stage of growth, building on strong and stable financial foundations.

Reporting to the Chief Executive and working closely with the Board of Trustees, the CFO will lead all aspects of financial strategy, planning and operations. This includes ensuring robust financial governance, delivering value for money, and enabling high-quality decision-making that supports improved outcomes for pupils.

The CFO will also lead the central finance function and contribute to wider Trust strategy, working collaboratively with senior leaders across education and operations to align financial planning with organisational priorities.

The successful candidate will:

• Be a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or equivalent) with significant senior leadership experience.
• Demonstrate a strong track record of strategic financial leadership within a complex organisation (education or public sector experience desirable but not essential).
• Have experience advising Boards and senior stakeholders, translating financial information into clear strategic insight.
• Ensure strong financial governance and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
• Be an inspirational, collaborative leader with the ability to develop high-performing teams and build effective relationships.
• Bring strong commercial acumen with a focus on efficiency, sustainability and continuous improvement.