Financial Planning Analyst

• Salary: Circa £50-55,000
• Location: North West London, (mostly on-site though potential for some hybrid working)
• Job Type: Permanent

An exciting newly created role for a Financial Planning Analyst to support budgeting, forecasting, management reporting and financial analysis across a growing Independent Schools group. This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially aware finance professional who enjoys working with data, improving reporting and supporting decision-making. You will work closely with the Head of Finance, budget holders and operational stakeholders to deliver accurate insight, strengthen forecasting and support performance across the Group.

Day-to-day of the role

• Support the preparation of annual budgets, reforecasts and longer-term financial plans.
• Develop and maintain financial models covering income, staffing costs, expenditure and cash flow.
• Produce monthly and termly management reports, including variance analysis, KPI reporting and financial commentary.
• Support consolidated reporting for senior leadership, highlighting risks, trends and opportunities.
• Analyse the financial and operational performance of individual sites, including income, headcount and expenditure trends.
• Assist with revenue analysis, forecasting assumptions and reporting on key income drivers.
• Work with budget holders and finance colleagues to review submissions and improve the quality and consistency of budget data.
• Contribute to reporting improvements, dashboards, system enhancements, month-end support and audit preparation.

Required skills & qualifications

• Part-qualified accountant (ACCA, CIMA or ACA), or qualified by experience.
• Degree-level education or equivalent relevant experience.
• Previous experience in finance, management accounts, financial analysis or reporting.
• Experience supporting budgeting, forecasting and management reporting processes.
• Strong Excel skills, including pivot tables, lookups and financial modelling.
• Ability to interpret financial data, investigate variances and present findings clearly.
• Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and the ability to manage competing deadlines.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build effective relationships with both finance and non-finance stakeholders.
• Desirable: experience with Power BI, AccountsIQ or similar reporting tools.
• Desirable: experience within education, charity, not-for-profit or other complex multi-site organisations.

Benefits

• Competitive salary package.
• Standard Life Pension
• Opportunity to work in a collaborative and professional finance environment.
• Exposure to strategic financial planning, modelling and senior leadership reporting.
• Ongoing learning and development as the group grows.