Join Dv8’s Senior Management Team as our Finance Director

Dv8 Sussex is a specialist creative and digital skills provider that supports young people in Sussex with personalised, industry-led training. Heading into our 14th year, our programmes have enabled many thousands of young people into employment, enterprise, volunteering, further and higher education.

Dv8 Sussex offers young people the chance to develop skills in a supportive and ambitious environment where there are continual opportunities to work and think differently. We believe in education that develops skills to think creatively, solve problems, adapt to changes and work outside the box. We aim to be the bridge between education and work; to support young people into successful careers within the Creative Industries and embed a positive, Growth Mindset philosophy that they will take into both work and life.

Finance Director – Who am I?

Working alongside Dv8’s Managing Director, I am an exceptional finance professional and hands-on with finance, I am commercially aware, with excellent IT skills relevant to finance. I an able to managing and analyze business data and able to develop and implement strategies for business development and growth.

Dv8 Sussex. 12 Queen Square, Brighton, BN1 3FD1

Finance Director post outline

The Finance Director will work closely with the Managing Director and will have overall control and responsibility for all financial aspects of company strategy at Dv8. The FD will be expected to analyze figures and implement recommendations to the Senior Team based on these findings, ensuring Dv8 can operate sustainably and profitably ongoing.

Managing a part time book-keeper who will oversee all payments, invoicing and payroll functions, you will lead the finance department at a time of growth for Dv8 as a company and challenges within the education sector itself.

The planning of annual budgets and forecasts within a yearly academic cycle is crucial to enabling the organisation as a whole to flourish. The role of FD will be critical in coordinating company finance across two centres, ensuring heads of department are both involved in setting and managing tight budgets, where the priority will be to ensure funding leads to impact on high quality teaching, learning and outcomes within the centres.

Dv8 holds a lead contract with the Education Funding Agency to delivery 16-19 Study Programmes. This year Dv8 will deliver to 9 Study Programme cohorts in Brighton and 6 in Bexhill totaling around 170 students between two centres in Brighton and Bexhill.

We will also be delivering a range of 14-16 provision, working with a variety of schools in Sussex to offer engaging, creative and employability led programmes for young people at risk of exclusion or not achieving in mainstream education.

Our Work Based Learning team will be delivering both Traineeships and Apprenticeships to approximately 20 trainees and 15 apprentices across Sussex next year.

Dv8 prides itself on offering a real alternative to traditional Further Education for young people who want real world skills and experience to provide them with the right skills and experience to move on into careers in creativity. Our tutors must match high-level teaching and engagement skills with real world industry experience and our courses provide opportunities to develop enterprise and team-work skills as well as meet and work with employers, through client briefs, course projects and work- placements.

This is a challenging role for an experienced Finance professional wants to make a big difference in an organisation with positive values, making an impact in the lives of hundreds of young people every year.

Dv8 Sussex. 12 Queen Square, Brighton, BN1 3FD2

Finance Director Job Description

Salary: £34 – 37k pro rataContract type: Permanent Reporting to: Managing DirectorResponsible For: BookkeeperBased in: Brighton and BexhillClosing Date: Friday 16th September

Key duties associated with the job role:

Form a close working relationship with the MD and Senior Team at Dv8 and play an active role in the Senior Management Team.

Provide leadership to Dv8’s Finance and Accounting Strategy, optimizing our financial performance and strategic position

Producing Monthly Management Accounts for the MD and SMT. Oversee and support the bookkeeper to ensure all weekly, monthly and annual

finance functions are effectively delivered including month end payroll. Work Closely with Dv8’s Accountant to ensure all accounting functions are

effective and robust Contribute fully to the development of company strategy across all areas of the

business, challenging assumptions and decision-making as appropriate and providing financial analysis and guidance on all activities, plans, targets and business drivers.

Ensure that company financial systems are robust, compliant and support current activities and future growth

Lead and develop the Finance Team Manage company policies regarding capital requirements, debt, taxation, VAT,

and Equity as appropriate. Establish a high level of credibility and manage strong working relationships with

funders and contract partners. Set spending and reporting policies and procedures for all departmental heads

to follow Manage and plan the cash flow forecasting.

Essential Skills

1. Be a commercially astute, technically strong, dynamic, insightful and influential leader with the ability to operate at both strategic and operational levels

2. Exceptional Communication skills at all levels3. Strong IT skills, always being ahead of new technologies4. Ability to handle high levels of pressure and critical decision-making

Dv8 Sussex. 12 Queen Square, Brighton, BN1 3FD3

5. Energetic, highly motivated, with an enquiring mind and passion for excellence and innovation in pursuit of business growth and success.

6. Minimum of 3+ years’ experience in a similar role

7. Qualified accountant or working towards.

8. Strong time management skills with the flexibility to handle multiple tasks and deadlines.

9. Self-motivated and resilient

Desirable skills

1. Experience of managing Education sector funding

2. Familiarity with Xero accounting software.

Dv8 training is an equal opportunities employer and positively welcomes applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to safeguarding all learners enrolled on our programmes and appointment of successful applicants will be subject to satisfactory references being obtained, and an enhanced disclosure and barring service (DBS) check.

Dv8 Sussex. 12 Queen Square, Brighton, BN1 3FD4