Caroline Chisholm School is partnering with Robertson Bell on a retained basis to appoint a Chief Finance Officer on a permanent basis. This is a pivotal leadership role within a high-performing and ambitious organisation, offering the opportunity to shape financial strategy, lead transformation, and support the school’s evolution
Caroline Chisholm School is a high-achieving, values-led all-through school with a strong reputation for academic excellence, staff engagement, and community impact. Already operating at a scale and complexity comparable to a multi-academy trust, the organisation is entering an exciting new phase of growth, with plans to expand into primary provision and formally develop as a MAT.
This is a unique opportunity to join a forward-thinking leadership team and play a central role in driving financial sustainability, operational transformation, and long-term strategic growth.
The role
- Partner with the Principal, Trustees and Senior Leadership Team to develop and deliver a long-term financial strategy, supporting the school’s growth ambitions.
- Lead financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and reporting across a complex and evolving organisation, ensuring strong financial control and sustainability.
- Take ownership of a significant transformation agenda, including digital system implementation (Bromcom), contract optimisation, and operational redesign.
- Support with the operational re-design of financial systems providing strategic oversight of major projects such as introduction of Bromcom for financial processes, ensuring robust due diligence, and stakeholder management.
- Act as a key advisor to Trustees, auditors and external stakeholders including the DfE and Local Authority.
- Drive value for money through effective procurement, contract negotiation and cost optimisation initiatives.
- Lead and develop the finance function, fostering a high-performing, collaborative and forward-thinking team culture.
- Support wider organisational leadership, overseeing linked operational areas including IT and educational visits.
- Identify opportunities for income generation, funding and financial innovation to support future growth.
The organisation
Caroline Chisholm School is a school with a strong ethos centred on kindness, curiosity and integrity. With a highly engaged workforce and a 96% positive staff survey rating, the school offers a collaborative and ambitious working environment.
The organisation has successfully navigated recent financial pressures, delivering significant savings while maintaining educational excellence. With a clear financial sustainability plan in place and strong governance support, the school is now well positioned for its next phase of growth.
Alongside this, a major digital and operational transformation programme is underway, modernising systems and infrastructure to support long-term efficiency and scalability.
Essential criteria
- Fully qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA, CIPFA or equivalent)
- Proven experience in a senior financial leadership role within a complex organisation
- Strong track record of leading financial strategy, planning and reporting
- Experience managing multi-million-pound budgets and driving financial sustainability
- Demonstrable experience leading transformation projects (systems, operations or organisational change)
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at Board and executive level
- Commercial mindset, with the ability to identify efficiencies and funding opportunities
- A collaborative and adaptable leadership style, aligned to a values-driven environment
Apply now
If you are a strategic and forward-thinking finance leader looking to make a tangible impact within a high-performing and ambitious organisation, we would love to hear from you. This role requires primarily on-site working during term time, with some flexibility available.
Applications close on the 24th May but will be reviewed on a rolling basis.
Something like this as we see the COO role (already recruited for) being responsible for PFI handback process and procurement of same.
Thank you!
Salary: £35,668 – £39,005 pro rata
Hours: Part-time (21 hours per week)
Contract: Permanent
Location: Home-based (with regular travel across Brentwood Diocese)
About the role
CAFOD is looking for a Community Participation Coordinator to grow engagement across the Catholic community in Brentwood Diocese.
You’ll inspire and support volunteers, build strong relationships with parishes and clergy, and increase participation in CAFOD’s work to tackle poverty and injustice.
Working as part of a regional team, you’ll help deliver plans that drive volunteer engagement, fundraising, and community action.
Key responsibilities
- Deliver participation plans across Brentwood Diocese
- Recruit, support, and retain volunteers
- Build relationships with clergy and key diocesan stakeholders
- Support fundraising, campaigns, and community engagement
- Monitor activity and adapt plans based on insights
About you
- Experience working with and managing volunteers
- Strong relationship-building and communication skills
- Organised, proactive, and able to work independently
- Comfortable using data to track and improve performance
- Committed to the value of volunteering and social justice
Additional information
- Home-based with significant travel (access to a car required)
- Some evening/weekend work (TOIL provided)
- Part of a flexible regional team (occasional wider travel)
The full job description is available on CAFOD's careers page
CAFOD is a welcoming, supportive workplace committed to a safe, inclusive culture where everyone is respected. CAFOD will make reasonable adjustments at every stage of the recruitment process to ensure candidates with disabilities or individual needs are fully supported.
Safeguarding for Children and Vulnerable Adults
CAFOD recognises the personal dignity and rights of children and vulnerable adults, towards whom it has a special responsibility and a duty of care and respect. CAFOD, and all its staff and volunteers, undertake to do all in our power to create a safe environment for children, young people and vulnerable adults and to prevent their physical, sexual or emotional abuse. CAFOD is committed to acting at all times in the best interests of children and vulnerable adults, seeing these interests as paramount. Any candidate offered a job with CAFOD will be expected to adhere to CAFOD’s Safeguarding policy and sign CAFOD’s Code of Behaviour as an appendix to their contract of employment and agree to conduct themselves in accordance with the provisions of these documents. This post involves contact with children and young people and applicants will be subject to specific checks related to safeguarding issues. The post holder is required to present or obtain a Disclosure from the DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service).
All offers of employment will be subject to satisfactory references, and appropriate screening checks can include criminal records and terrorism finance checks. CAFOD also participates in the Inter Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme. In line with this Scheme, we will request information from job applicants’ previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms their understanding of, and consent to, these recruitment procedures.
Registered Charity
101 - 500
CAFOD is the official Catholic aid agency for England and Wales tackling poverty and injustice across the world.