Job Description

Ipswich School

Suffolk
50,000 per year

Job type:

Full Time, Permanent

Start date:

09 October 2025

Apply by:

6 October 2025

Job overview

----------------


FINANCE MANAGER


Full time, permanent, required as soon as possible

THE SCHOOL


Founded during the fourteenth century, Ipswich School is one of the foremost independent schools in East Anglia. It circa 1,000 pupils aged between 3 months and 19 and is co-educational throughout. The most recent Inspection of the Senior School rated it as Excellent in all categories, a judgement of which we are very proud. The School operates a 5-day week, with representative sports played during the week and on Saturdays.





Our trading arm, Ipswich School Enterprises Ltd (ISE), incorporates all of our revenue generating activities (including lettings, room and facility hire, private functions, sporting events and school holiday camps) which fall outside school fee income.





Find out more about us by visiting our website: https://www.ipswich.school.

THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT


The Director of Finance and Operations and her teams are responsible for the non-academic operation of the School. The Finance department is a very busy department in the School and we operate throughout the year. You will join a team of six staff providing financial and administrative support to the Director of Finance and Operations and the School's Senior Management teams.





THE ROLE


We are seeking a Finance Manager to join our Finance department. This is a permanent, full-time role that is essential to the strategic and operational financial management of the School. As a key member of the Operational Management Team, you will report directly to the Director of Finance and Operations and be responsible for the day-to-day financial operations. Your duties will include overseeing all aspects of the School's financial processes, including the preparation of budgets and forecasts, as well as the production of monthly management accounts and statutory accounts. You will also be responsible for ensuring the accuracy and integrity of the School's financial records, managing the annual audit process, and ensuring full compliance with all statutory and regulatory requirements. In addition to these responsibilities, you will be a leader in the department, responsible for line managing the Senior Finance Assistant and developing the team as a whole.

The ideal candidate will be a qualified or near-qualified CCAB accountant with strong leadership skills, knowledge of financial systems, audit, and compliance requirements and proven experience in financial management.





HOURS OF WORK, SALARY AND BENEFITS

This is a permanent post (subject to satisfactory completion of a probationary period lasting 6 months). You will work throughout the year on Mondays - Fridays for a minimum of 37.5 hours per week. Please note the normal core working hours in the Finance team are Mondays - Fridays between 8.00 am - 5.00 pm. The salary will be 50,000 per annum. You will be entitled to 30 days' paid holiday per year, plus public holidays. After 3 months' service and/or in line with workplace pension legislation, you will be entitled to join a defined contribution pension scheme, with 10% employer contributions, and you will receive 3x death in service life cover. If there are pupil vacancies and you have a child or children who are eligible to attend the School who have satisfied the entry criteria as set out in the School's Admissions Policy, and have been awarded a place, you could be entitled to generous fee remission. Salaries are paid monthly in arrears by BACS on the last working day of each month throughout the year. Free lunch is provided in the School Dining Hall during term time when the kitchen is in operation. Staff are able to use the School's swimming pool and fitness gym (in compliance with appropriate rules and regulations). You will have access to Smarthealth, the School's wellbeing app for staff which offers 24/7 GP access and mental health support. We also offer a Cycle to Work Scheme.


CLOSING DATE AND INTERVIEW ARRANGEMENTS


We would encourage you to download an application form and a full job description for this role from our website: https://www.ipswich.school/vacancies or contact the HR team on 01473 408300 or hr@ipswich.school.





Completed application forms should be returned by noon on Monday 6 October 2025. Please mark the envelope Private and Confidential and send to: The Director of HR, Ipswich School, 25 Henley Road, Ipswich, IP1 3SG or email: hr@ipswich.school





Candidates may be contacted or invited to interview prior to the closing date, and we may close this vacancy early if suitable candidates apply. Therefore, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Interviews are expected to be held on Thursday 9 October 2025 Please advise us of any special requirements you may have if you are called for interview. If your special requirements mean that you need to submit this application in a different format, please contact us

PLEASE NOTE


Ipswich School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment. Applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.

About

Ipswich School

----------------------------

Ipswich School

Henley Road, Ipswich
Suffolk
IP1 3SG
United Kingdom

+44 1473 408300

Ipswich School is one of the leading independent schools in the area. It has a long history dating back to at least 1399 and is known for its academic success, without being an educational 'hot house', its extensive sport, drama and music activities and its commitment to the local community.



Pupils at the school come from a really broad range of backgrounds, and this makes the school different to many others in the independent sector. The atmosphere is very positive and pupils really do get on well with each other and with teachers. Behaviour in lessons is first class and teachers are able to focus fully on their teaching and pupils' learning without having to spend time and effort keeping everyone in order.



Those applying for teaching posts in the Senior School will find that class sizes are generally smaller than in the maintained sector, with Lower School classes typically being around 20, Middle School can be a little larger or smaller depending on subjects - but are never larger than 24. A Level classes in the Sixth Form are typically have around 10 - 12 students, with 15 students being the upper limit.



Teachers are well supported by Heads of Department and there is a first-class CPD programme in place which not only provides the latest on class room practice, but also involves a range of optional social events. Additional training is also available for all teachers.



For those looking at Prep School posts they will find wonderful purpose-built classrooms in a state-of-the-art Prep School building, small class sizes - typically around 15 in the Lower Prep and between 18 and 25 in the Upper Prep. They will also find parents are very supportive and keen to develop the potential in their children.



Those applying for support staff posts will feel themselves very much part of a community alongside teaching staff. There is a well-refined CPD programme for, great opportunities for development and a fantastic range of benefits.



There are regular opportunities for all staff to get together socially. Recently staff events include drawing sessions, gin and wine tasting, wreath making at Christmas and a summer BBQ.



Facilities throughout the school are excellent with a brand new Music School, the extensive Ipswich School Sports Centre at nearby Rushmere, a specially-built Prep School and a day nursery - The Lodge.



There is free car parking on site for teachers and support staff (though this can be a little tight at times in the Senior School) and a range of other benefits.



Supporting the community is one of the school's core values. The school has a significant community programme with pupils visiting local care homes giving music and drama performances, pupils growing vegetables and giving them to a local charity, local primary schools taking part in our annual Festival of Music and a large pupil-led termly fundraising programme.



Please have a look at our current vacancies listed here.

Please note that you are wholly responsible for fact checking in respect of the information provided by schools. Please also check for the latest visa and work permit requirements that may apply. Tes is not responsible for the content of advertisements or the policies adopted by advertising schools. Tes asks that all schools follow

Tes' Fair Recruitment Policy

.