Job Description

Job Type
Support
Job Category
Finance
Employment Basis
Established (salaried)
Location
John Ruskin College - Croydon, East Surrey College - Redhill
Salary Range
73,056.34
Closing Date
10/11/2025
Documents
(PDF, 208.15kb)
(PDF, 156.25kb)
(PDF, 472.18kb)
Director of Finance & MIS
College location: East Surrey College (Redhill) and John Ruskin College (Selsdon)
Salary: 73,056.34
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:45 - 5:00 pm
Interviews : 27th November 2025
Lead with impact. Drive innovation. Shape the future.
Are you a strategic finance leader ready to take your career to the next level? Orbital South Colleges Group is seeking a dynamic and visionary Director of Finance and MIS to lead our financial and data operations across East Surrey College and John Ruskin College.
This is more than a finance role, it's a chance to influence the future of education by ensuring our financial health, driving data-led decision making, and delivering excellence in management information systems.
The role will involve managing a diverse range of funding streams, interpretation of the funding methodology and managing the associated accountability and risk management. The successful post holder will ensure the timely production of key reports, including (but not limited to): Annual strategies for procurement and value for money, projects, payroll, statutory accounts, detailed budget and associated returns and claims. They will also lead on implementing measures to improve efficiency in transaction processing and the effective use of finance systems.
Successful candidates will hold a full accounting qualification (e.g. CIMA / ACCA) and will have substantial knowledge and experience of all aspects of Finance. High level Excel skills are a must and experience of managing a team with a number of direct reports is also essential. Experience within an educational environment is highly desirable.
Key Responsibilities:
Leading all aspects of finance, audit, and regulatory compliance across the College Group
Delivering accurate and timely financial reporting, budgeting, and forecasting
Driving strategic business analysis and performance improvement
Overseeing the MIS function to ensure data integrity and maximise funding opportunities
Collaborating with senior leaders to shape college-wide strategies and change initiatives
The successful candidate must have:

• Accounting qualification (e.g. CIMA / ACCA)
• Experience within an educational background and knowledge of Teacher's pension Scheme
• Knowledge and understanding of the financial and regulatory framework affecting Further Education
• Substantial knowledge of both management and financial accounting
• Excellent IT knowledge, particularly in Microsoft Excel, and developing financial systems reporting
• Experience of producing monthly management accounts and year end statutory accounts and audit documentation
• Maths & English GCSE / Level 2 equivalent

If this sounds like you and you will enjoy working in a forward thinking, friendly, fast paced, changing environment with state of the art facilities, we would love to hear from you. In return, we offer a competitive salary, as well as staff benefits such a choice of two excellent pension schemes, a brilliant holiday package, free onsite parking and access to our fully equipped gym along with discounted in house Spa and Salon treatments.
Closing Date: Monday 10th November 2025*
*Applications will however be shortlisted on a rolling basis and we reserve the right to interview and appoint before this closing date. We therefore encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment. As much as we would love to respond to all applicants, due to the sheer volume of applications we receive we are unable to respond to all unsuccessful candidates.
Please refer to the attached , Person Specification and Competency Framework and apply using the button below.
Orbital South Colleges Group are committed to Equal Opportunities, encouraging applications from all sectors of the community to reflect our diverse student population. We are also committed to PREVENT and Safeguarding the welfare of children and vulnerable adultsand expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Both College Campus' are smoke-free zones.
As part of our pre-employment checks, successful candidates will be required to complete an enhanced DBS, references will be taken and evidence of all qualifications and awards will also be required before commencement of employment. Failure to do so may lead to offers being withdrawn.
Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK as we do not sponsor work permits, and work permits from other organisations are unacceptable as proof of right to work in the UK.

Skills Required