Chief Financial Officer

As the next Chief Financial Officer of Stoke on Trent College, you will join our senior leadership team and contribute to the development of our strategic plan for 2026 and beyond. You will oversee all financial and resource management for our growing £28 million institution, which is committed to empowering our diverse community through education and training.

Location: Stoke on Trent, Staffordshire

Salary: c.£110,000 (dependent on experience)

Applications close at 9 a.m. Wednesday 10 September

Who we are:

Located in the heart of the Staffordshire Potteries, Stoke on Trent College has served the communities of the city’s six towns for generations.

We are proud to be a highly successful technical and professional college for the City of Stoke on Trent. Rated ‘Good’ by Ofsted, and with sustained ‘Outstanding’ financial health supported by a growing income of £28m, the College is ambitious for its future and proud of its impact in the City and across Staffordshire.

The College prides itself on putting the learner at the heart of all we do. Our mission is focused on the progression of our learners, both young people and adults, no matter their background or starting point.

With outstanding finances and recent capital investment totalling £18m, we are looking to appoint a new Chief Financial Officer who will build on the successes of the incumbent postholder, who leaves us later in the year.

About the role:

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and qualified finance leader to join the senior leadership team of Stoke on Trent College. The successful candidate will be a key strategic partner to the Principal & Chief Executive Officer and the senior team, bringing financial and commercial insight, strategic thinking, and operational oversight to ensure the College’s continued stability and growth. The Chief Financial Officer will be a team player working effectively with the SLT and executive and, as an SLT member, should be a role model for the College, exemplifying all of the College’s values.

Who we are looking for

To be successful in this role, you will be a qualified accountant with significant financial leadership experience—ideally within education or a complex, publicly funded organisation. We also welcome applications from senior finance professionals from other sectors who can demonstrate the ability to quickly navigate the further education funding and regulatory landscape. You will lead on the College’s financial growth, stability, and resilience, ensuring robust business planning, compliance, and strategic resource management aligned with our ambitions.

As a collaborative and visible leader, you will provide expert financial advice, oversee risk management, procurement, and insurance, and ensure compliance with internal and external reporting requirements, including Managing Public Money. You will work closely with senior colleagues, funding bodies, and regulators, while contributing actively to the Corporation and senior leadership team.

We welcome applications from underrepresented groups and, in return, offer the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on our College, our community, and the future of Stoke-on-Trent.

Peridot Partners and Stoke on Trent College are, together, committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and our client expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references before any final offer can be made.

Please click ‘Apply on website’ to be redirected to the Peridot Partners website, where you can find full details of the job description and register your interest to apply.

Applications for this role close at 9 a.m. Wednesday 10 September