The Chief Finance and Operations Officer works with her team to maintain strategic responsibility for all aspects of Trust finance. Delivering operational rigour and high level direction, the finance team play an integral role in supporting the growth and development of the Trust, ensuring that it remains financially sustainable.

The finance team provide insight into commercial decision making and provide strong financial leadership and guidance to local Finance Managers across our 51 academies, driving excellent value for money and ensuring compliance to the academy financial handbook.

We can support on effective financial management, managing school budgets, securing value for money and other financial requirement.

Our HR team negotiate and consult with national and local Trade Unions on many aspects of how the Trust operates. We have a number of subcommittees formed from our main Joint National Committee (JNC) to focus on specific areas such as HR policy, Health and Safety as well as providing detailed focus on the great successes within our academies. We manage and liaise with trade unions where there is a risk of industrial dispute.

The team provide our academies with guidance, advice and support to suit their needs and provide HR Advisor support on site to help our academies with formal procedures such as capability, grievance and disciplinary processes. They supplement this support by providing regular training to our academies on HR policies and procedures in order to upskill our staff in their understanding and handling of everyday situations and those that are less often experienced.

The HR team support our academies in reviewing their structures regularly to ensure they are meeting the needs of the academy, ensuring there is equal pay for the same work across the Trust and advising and guiding throughout the management of any required change process in consultation with trade unions.

We can offer support and guidance, including full training packages, in: