Director of Finance and Operations
-
School:
Royal Grammar School -
Location:
Newcastle -
Salary:
The annual salary is commensurate with such a senior role in a school of this size. -
Hours:
See job information pack -
Contractual Status:
Permanent -
Closing Date:
8th Nov 2024
Director of Finance and Operations
The Royal Grammar School, Newcastle
This is an exciting opportunity for an outstanding Director of Finance and Operations (DFO) to join (from April 2025) the leadership of a renowned educational institution and have a genuine impact on its future. The successful applicant will be a strategic thinker and strong communicator with a proven record of successful strategic financial and operational management.
The Board of Governors of the Royal Grammar School in Newcastle (RGS) warmly welcome applicants from a wide range of backgrounds and with varying experience. Applications are particularly encouraged from candidates with strong financial literacy (including VAT legislation) and experience in the preparation and implementation of budgets and financial information, as well as understanding of employment issues and IT expertise. Candidates should have a good understanding of, or willingness to learn about, the educational priorities of a school in its entirety and the responsibilities of a registered charity.
The DFO will be accountable for the strategic financial management of the school and leadership of the internal operational services. They are responsible to the Head, working closely with both the Head and the Senior Deputy Head to set the overall direction of the school. They are also a member of the wider Senior Leadership Team which includes the Head, Senior Deputy Head, Deputy Head (Academic), Deputy Head (Pastoral), Deputy Head (Co-Curricular), Director of External Relations, Director of Partnerships, Head of Sixth Form and Head of Junior School. The DFO will oversee the operational functions of the finance team, HR team, Information and Digital Technology (IDT) team, facilities and estates department and catering. They will lead and support the professional managers responsible for these areas to ensure they deliver towards the strategic plan for their part of school life. The DFO will also work in close cooperation with the Board of Governors, and Trustees of the RGS Educational Trust.
The RGS is a leading, co-educational independent day school for students aged 7 to 18 years. Located in Jesmond in the heart of Newcastle upon Tyne, the school benefits from excellent transport links with students travelling to the RGS from all over the region. As an academically selective day school, the RGS is a thriving place, with over 1,300 students, including more than 250 in the Junior School, which shares the same site as the Senior School. The Sixth Form at the RGS is one of the largest in the independent sector with more than 340 students.
The RGS is a special place, known and respected throughout the whole country as well as the North East and in 2023 it was judged the UK’s Independent School of the Year, as well as consistently topping the North East region’s academic league tables. It is a place where aspirations are high, results are outstanding, and opportunities are endless. Students typically go on to study highly selective courses at the most sought-after universities, but also leave the school realising that life outside the classroom has been equally beneficial. The social impact of the RGS is a key priority, which is delivered by keeping school fees as accessible as possible to maintain a broad social spectrum of pupils, the provision of transformational bursaries to bright young people from some of the most deprived parts of the region, and partnerships with State schools across the North East. The school is preparing to celebrate its Quincentenary in 2025, but despite being the oldest learning institution in the City, the RGS is ambitious about retaining it’s place as a leader of innovative teaching and learning in Newcastle.
Further information on the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle can be found at https://www.rgs.newcastle.sch.uk/.
A candidate brief is available from www.odgers.com/92446.
CVs, covering letters and completed application forms should be sent to Odgers Berndtson by the closing date, 09:00 GMT on Friday 8 November 2024.
The RGS is committed to the safeguarding of children and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff, volunteers and those working in school to share this commitment. The school applies the Government’s Keeping Children Safe in Education Safer Recruitment procedures to all candidates including appropriate pre-interview checks on shortlisted candidates and pre-employment checks pending any offer. More information regarding the checks can be found in our Information for Applicants here, and ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ (September 2024).
Royal Grammar School
In 1525, the Mayor of Newcastle, Thomas Horsley, wrote his will, in which he generously gifted his estate to fund a grammar school. Five centuries later, Horsley’s vision lives on in the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle’s corridors and classrooms, and his philanthropic spirit drives the RGS’s commitment to education.
Few schools can claim a 500-year history. Over the years, the RGS, has continued to flourish as the premier independent school in the North East of England and as one of the country’s leading schools – consistently topping the regional table for academic excellence.
Today, RGS is a fully co-educational school with over 1,300 students aged 7-18 (Years 3 to 13). Its academically selective places are highly sought after. The school has more than 250 students in the Junior School, which shares the same outstanding site as the Senior School. Its Sixth Form is one of the largest in the independent sector, with more than 340 students.
While RGS prides itself on academic excellence, the school is also known for its emphasis on a holistic education. The school’s ‘There’s More to Life’ approach informs its holistic education, which is central to students’ success, health and happiness.
RGS is based in the heart of Newcastle, immediately opposite Jesmond Metro station. The school occupies over 30 acres of land and has state-of-the-art facilities, including five brand new art studios, a new library, a modern Sixth Form Centre, a 25m swimming pool, two Sports Halls, a Performing Arts Centre, outdoor football/rugby pitches at Mooracres, an artificial turf pitch for hockey and the former County Cricket Ground.
Academic Success
RGS is a special place, known and respected throughout the whole country as well as the North East. It’s a place where aspirations are high, results are outstanding, and opportunities are endless. Our students go on to study highly selective courses at the most sought-after universities but also leave the school realising that life outside the classroom has been equally beneficial.
In 2023, RGS was named ‘Independent School of the Year’ overall in The Telegraph Group’s national awards. Most recently, the school was again named North East Independent Secondary School of the Year for Academic Excellence 2025 by The Sunday Times’ Parent Power Schools Guide.
Academically, the school is highly selective. Students are assessed for entry at the key entry points (Y3, Y5, Y7, and a handful at Y9, plus Sixth Form). The biggest entry points are Y3 (60 students), Y7 (c.75 students) and Y12 (c.45 students). Beyond the academics, in Junior School (Y3-6), entry is assessed through activity days, whilst at Y7, students are assessed through online tests and an interaction day. Sixth Form entry is through interview only.
Students sit baseline tests in Y7, Y10, and Y12 – the average GLA CAT score for both the current Y7 and Y12 is 117. We have several students who have the assistance of our dedicated Learning Support Team, which works across Junior and Senior School.
Co-curricular Activities
At RGS, students can choose from over 170 co-curricular activities, ranging from music, drama, and sports to unique options like e-sports and knitting. All students are encouraged to discover what excites and inspires them.
Sport is also a central part of life at RGS, with students actively participating in a variety of activities including hockey, cricket, and basketball, from early morning until late afternoon. RGS views sport as a fundamental vehicle for students to develop lifelong skills, character, resilience – and, above all, a love for daily movement.
While it may seem tricky to balance schoolwork with so many exciting co-curricular and sporting activities, RGS has found that students actively engaged outside the classroom often perform even better academically. Both programmes are designed to help students develop essential life skills, from self-awareness to decision-making and self-organisation.
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