Job Description

Job Introduction

Join Childbase Partnership and be part of something extraordinary.

Role:

Management Accountant.

Location:

Childbase Head Office and Training Academy | Newport Pagnell | MK16 8NJ.

Contract:

Permanent | 37.5 hours/week | 52 weeks/year.

Working pattern:

Shifts between 08:00-17:00 Monday-Friday.

Current hybrid arrangement:

Work two days a week from home, if you'd like to.

Salary:

45,000-50,000 per annum (pro-rata).


We've been delivering childcare excellence since 1989. Within our 43-day nurseries, Head Office, and Training Academy, EduBase, our ethos is simple: we all belong, we all matter, and we all contribute. We believe in 'careers, not jobs', supporting one another to grow and succeed.

Why join us?

Generous annual leave:

25 days paid leave per annum (pro-rata), rising to 28 days with length of service, plus paid bank holidays.

Work-life balance:

Up to a further 20 paid days off each year through our Partnership Reward Days incentive; take your leave or sell the days you accrue, tax-free.

Childcare discount:

75% discount (or 40% grandparent discount) on your fees at any Childbase nursery, from day one.

Exclusive partner benefits:

Long-service rewards, qualification bonuses and retail discounts.

Wellbeing

support

Free tea, coffee and fruit when you are working from our Head Office, mental health and occupational health support, flu jabs, eye care vouchers and a free will-writing service.

About us

We are employee-owned:

Every colleague is a partner with a voice, who helps drive our success; when we do well, we each receive an annual tax-free dividend.

We are number 1:

Ranked top of the Nursery World league tables for our Ofsted outcomes.

We are community

driven

Supporting causes close to our hearts, we've raised more than 3.5 million for charity.

We are environmentally responsible:

Building a greener tomorrow our nurseries all hold Green Flag awards and are powered by 100% renewable energy.

The role

Reporting to the Financial Controller, you'll support the Executive and Operational Teams by providing clear, insightful financial analysis, forecasts, and business modelling. Your work will help shape strategic decisions, optimise performance, and support the sustainable growth of our employee-owned business.

Key responsibilities

Develop and maintain financial models, scenario planning, and profitability analyses. Provide accurate and timely analysis of financial performance (variance and trend reporting). Partner with operations and nursery leadership teams to drive margin improvement and business growth. Lead the annual budget and business planning process, including scenario planning. Prepare insightful reports and presentations for the Executive Team and Board. Identify and monitor KPIs through dashboards to support performance management. Support investment and capital expenditure decisions through robust business case analysis. Assist in integrating and automating financial planning tools and systems. Proactively challenge assumptions and highlight risks or opportunities for improvement.

About you

You'll be a confident communicator who thrives in a collaborative, fast-paced environment and can translate complex financial data into clear, actionable insights.

Essential skills & experience

ACA, ACCA, or CIMA qualified (or part-qualified with strong experience). Proven experience in financial planning, analysis, or commercial finance Strong financial modelling and Excel skills. Experience with investment appraisal (NPV, IRR, payback period). Knowledge of

SAGE Intacct

. Excellent analytical and problem-solving ability with attention to detail. Able to present financial insights clearly to non-finance colleagues. Commercially minded and proactive. Experience partnering across teams and functions.

Desirable skills & experience

Knowledge of

Power BI

, or

Adaptive Insights

. Familiarity with employee-owned business models or social impact reporting. Tax experience.

This highlights some of the key criteria we are looking for, a full person specification is available on request.


We are an inclusive employer and we welcome applicants of all ages and backgrounds. We're committed to FREDIE (fairness, respect, equality, diversity, inclusion, and engagement) and will consider any reasonable adjustments required. If you meet the essential criteria for this role, your application will be automatically shortlisted for review by our Recruitment Team who will determine if an interview is the next step.


Applicants must currently reside within a commutable distance of our Head Office and hold suitable Right to Work in the UK; VISA sponsorship is not available. Safer recruitment checks apply, which include an Enhanced DBS check.