Chief Financial and Operations Officer

Chief Financial and Operations Officer

Salary: Competitive

Working Pattern: Full Time, Permanent

Orchard Hill College is an Outstanding Specialist College (Ofsted, April 2025) offering life-changing learning opportunities to young people and adults with a range of special education needs and/or disabilities. We operate vibrant community-based College Centres across London and Surrey, where committed specialist teams deliver a variety of programmes designed to meet the diverse needs of our students.

Students who study with us have a wide range of needs and require an individualised learning programme that is designed to support and empower them to achieve their aspirations and goals, whilst developing skills to become more independent members of their community and prepare them for adulthood.

This is an exciting chapter for the organisation as we begin to establish a separate governance and executive structure. Within this Senior Executive team, we are seeking an exceptional and values-driven Chief Financial and Operations Officer (CFOO) to join Orchard Hill College at a pivotal stage in our development. Reporting to the CEO, the CFOO will provide strategic leadership across finance, operations, estates, IT, procurement and risk, ensuring the long-term sustainability, resilience and effectiveness of the College. This is a unique opportunity to lead significant organisational transformation, shape Orchard Hill College's future operating model and develop the infrastructure, systems and capability required to support outstanding specialist SEND provision. The successful candidate will combine strong financial and operational leadership with a commitment to improving outcomes for learners with SEND.

Key Responsibilities:

• Provide strategic leadership across finance, operations, estates, IT, procurement and risk, ensuring effective stewardship of College resources and long-term financial sustainability.
• Lead financial planning, budgeting, forecasting and assurance processes, providing robust advice and challenge to the CEO, Executive Team and Board of Trustees.
• Lead organisational transformation and governance separation activities, helping to shape Orchard Hill College's future operating model and operational capability.
• Oversee estates, facilities and digital infrastructure strategies, ensuring high-quality, safe and inclusive environments that support learners with SEND.
• Lead organisational risk management, business continuity and compliance frameworks, ensuring the College meets all statutory, regulatory and governance requirements.

Key Requirements:

• Professionally qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA, CIMA or CIPFA) with significant senior leadership experience in a complex, multi-site organisation.
• Proven track record of strategic financial leadership, including long-term financial planning, audit, compliance and organisational sustainability.
• Significant experience leading operational functions such as estates, facilities, IT, procurement and risk management.
• Demonstrable success leading large-scale organisational change, transformation and service improvement programmes.
• Strong strategic leadership, communication and influencing skills, with experience advising Boards, Trustees and senior stakeholders.

Orchard Hill College is an exciting, forward-thinking organisation, and we offer many benefits to attract and keep our staff, contributing towards maintaining and improving wellbeing, and encouraging our required behaviours, achievements, values, and skills. Below is just a selection of the benefits available to our employees:

Rewards & Benefits:

• Pathways for progression within the college, ensuring you can grow and thrive in a supportive and inclusive environment
• Pension Scheme - you will be enrolled in either the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) or the Teachers' Pension Scheme (TPS), both offering life cover and financial protection for your family
• Salary Sacrifice Schemes (Cycle Scheme, Employee Car Lease Scheme and Home Electronics Scheme)
• Employee Wellbeing - We support employee wellbeing with access to counselling, mental health support, generous leave, flexible working, and enhanced parental leave including Employee Assistance Programme, MyGym Discounts, Corporate Eyecare Scheme and Free Virtual GP Appointments)
• Employee Discounts (Blue Light Card, Costco Membership, Discounts for Teachers, and more)
• Other (Season Ticket Loan and Employee Referral Scheme)

Our Trust:

The College is an Academy sponsor and established Orchard Hill College Academy Trust in 2013 which is home to 13 special schools. Together OHC and OHCAT provide for over 1500 pupils and students with SEN across London, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire. To find out more about us, and what makes us a special place to work please visit our vacancies page.

Working together to transform lives is what we do and across the whole organisation we have a range of experts and practitioners who advocate for children and young people with SEND to ensure they receive the best possible opportunities to achieve their full potential.

As a large specialist education provider we employ over 1500 people across our schools, college and central support team. There is a wide range of job roles available, ranging from teaching and therapy to business support roles and significant career progression opportunities.

It is an exciting time to be part of OHC and we are keen to recruit talented people who can play a key role in realising our mission and who want to make a difference. In return, we offer training and development, competitive pay and benefits in a positive and inclusive working environment.

We are committed to promoting and advancing equality of opportunity by attracting and retaining the most diverse range of learners, staff and partners.

How to Apply:

To apply for this role, please select 'Quick Apply', our Recruitment Business Partner will then be in touch with more details on how to officially apply.

Please note that CV applications cannot be considered .

To ensure a fair opportunity for all applicants, candidates who have applied for this position in the past 6 months will not be considered.

Closing Date: Sunday 22nd November 2026

Interviews will take place on: Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th December 2026

To help us manage applications effectively, we reserve the right to close this vacancy early if sufficient suitable applications are received.

Safeguarding Statement

Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Appointments made will be subject to an Enhanced Disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020.

Orchard Hill College and Academy Trust is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, committed to creating an inclusive and supportive workplace for all.

Work Location: In person