Central Finance Business Partner
Salary: £65,000–£70,000 per annum (dependent on experience and location) + wellbeing cash plan + pension scheme (LGPS) + additional Lift Schools benefits
Hours: 37 hours per week, Hybrid working arrangement with three days per week in the office and two days per week working from home.
Contract: Permanent
Location: EdCity, 1 EdCity Walk, London W12 7TF, or Northern Regional Office, Ormesby Road, Middlesbrough TS3 8RE with occasional travel to EdCity
Drive financial excellence that enables every child to receive an outstanding education.
We are seeking an exceptional and commercially minded Central Finance Business Partner to play a pivotal role in supporting Lift Schools’ central services and wider organisational growth.
This is a high-profile role that sits at the heart of our finance function, partnering with senior leaders, budget holders and executive colleagues to ensure our resources are used effectively, sustainably and in line with our mission. You will provide strategic financial insight, challenge and support across central services while helping to shape the future financial sustainability of one of the country’s leading multi-academy trusts.
Working closely with the Group Planning and Reporting Manager, Regional Finance Business Partners and the wider finance leadership team, you will drive robust financial planning, strengthen financial controls, support income diversification and ensure value for money across our central operations.
This is a unique opportunity to influence decision-making at scale, helping us deliver excellent education to more than 34,000 pupils across our national network of schools.
You’ll be someone who:
We’re looking for a commercially minded finance professional who enjoys partnering with senior leaders, influencing decision-making and driving continuous improvement. You’ll be confident building relationships across a complex organisation and passionate about ensuring resources are used effectively to support excellent outcomes for young people.
You’ll bring:
In this role, you will:
Who is Lift Schools?
We’re a diverse and inclusive network of schools with one clear mission;
to provide an excellent education to every child - in every classroom, every day. And we do this across each of our 59 schools. As with
our students, we want our team to be empowered to do their best work, supported by the best leadership they’ve ever had.
We acknowledge and appreciate the exceptional efforts of everyone here in making this
an incredible organisation.
We offer you:
Ready to apply?
We would love to hear from you.
Candidates wishing to have an informal discussion about the role are invited to contact recruitment@liftschools.org.
Closing date: 8th July 2026
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive an
overwhelming response. All candidates are advised to refer to the job description and person specification before making an application.
Lift Schools are committed to ensuring the highest levels
of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our pupils, and we expect all our people and volunteers to share this commitment. We adopt a fair
and consistent recruitment process which is inline with Keeping Children Safe in Education guidance. This includes online checks for shortlisted
candidates. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching
check.
Lift Schools embraces diversity and
promotes equality of opportunity. Job share, part-time and flexible working opportunities will be considered.
We are a Disability Confident Employer and there is a guaranteed
interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.
Follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram and Linkedin Further details can be
found on our careers page.
Lift Schools is recruiting for Teacher Training placements. Please click here to view the website for further details.
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Lift Schools believes an excellent education is an entitlement for every child, and we do everything in our power to ensure that our schools are making that a reality for every pupil in our care.
Our mission:
We will provide an excellent education for every child, in every classroom, every day.
With excellent leadership and teaching in every school, we will help children go on to lead successful and happy lives.
We will work with others beyond our network to create capacity in the sector to benefit more children and communities.
At Lift Schools, we are serious about personal and professional development.
We know that talent drives performance, we attract dynamic people and we back them to reimagine what’s possible in every classroom, for every child, every day.
Whether you're taking those exciting first steps into the world of teaching or you've worked in the education sector for some time, Lift Schools is a great place to have the biggest impact.
Our work literally changes lives and we know that only happens if we invest in our team.
Initial Teacher Training
Our Initial Teacher Training programme allows prospective teachers to gain their PGCE and QTS alongside acquiring valuable experience working within a classroom.
For a full list of our career opportunities, please visit our website.
Project H - Changing education beyond Lift Schools
Project H is our online community designed to find solutions to address the big challenges in the education sector. Project H shares resources, ideas and insights from staff across our schools and the trust.
Find out more on our Life page.
Our Benefits:
We offer the full suite of Early Career and NPQ programmes as well as our CPD offer which provides opportunities for both teaching and leadership development.
For our full list of benefits, including a great pension, discounted gym membership, salary advances and a travel and leisure scheme, visit our website.
