School and Trust CFO Recruitment in London
EduExec Recruitment recruits Chief Financial Officers, Finance Directors and Directors of Finance and Operations for multi-academy trusts, academies, maintained schools and independent schools across London and the Home Counties. Every search is run personally by Luke Johnson, who has over 20 years in recruitment, the last 12 exclusively in education and the eight before that in finance.
A trust CFO needs a rare combination: the technical depth of a qualified accountant, a real understanding of how academies are funded and regulated, and the credibility to hold their own with a CEO, trustees and an audit and risk committee. The pool of people who genuinely have all three is small, and most of them are settled in post. In my experience, the right appointment almost always comes from direct approach rather than an advert.
The roles I recruit
- Chief Financial Officers in multi-academy trusts
- Finance Directors in trusts, academies and independent schools
- Directors of Finance and Operations
- Deputy CFOs and Heads of Finance ready to step up
The new qualification expectation for larger trusts
The Academy Trust Handbook 2026 has tightened expectations for CFO appointments. Trusts with more than 3,000 pupils recruiting a CFO from 1 October 2026 should specify that candidates are qualified accountants, and the expectation tightens further from 2027.
In practice, that means checking your brief and advert wording before you go to market, and being realistic about the candidate pool it creates. For smaller trusts it isn't a formal requirement, but a recognised accountancy qualification remains a strong advantage, and trustees increasingly expect it.
What I look for
- Technical depth. Statutory accounts, audit, DfE and ESFA returns, and the Academy Trust Handbook.
- Strategic finance. Multi-year forecasting, reserves policy, and modelling growth, mergers and new schools joining the trust.
- Board credibility. Presenting clearly to trustees and the audit and risk committee, and being trusted by the CEO as a genuine partner.
- Leadership. Running a central finance team and supporting finance staff in individual academies, often across several sites.
Candidates from outside education
School and trust experience is always valued at this level, because academy funding, governance and the culture of a trust take time to learn. That said, finance leaders from commercial, public sector or charity backgrounds can bring exactly the scrutiny and forecasting discipline many trusts now need. With 20 years recruiting finance professionals, I can tell you honestly whether a candidate from outside the sector will make the transition, and what support they would need.
How it works
The process is the same for every role: a proper briefing conversation, direct approach to candidates alongside a targeted advert, a screening interview with every candidate before you see them, a short and honest shortlist, and support through to start date. Fees are a percentage of the first year's salary, agreed before the search begins.
Frequently asked questions
What does a trust CFO or Finance Director earn?
It depends on the size and complexity of the trust or school. Typically, Finance Directors and CFOs earn from around £70,000 to six figures, with the largest trusts at the top of that range. I'm happy to give a more accurate range to any trust considering an appointment.
Does a trust CFO need to be a qualified accountant?
For larger trusts, increasingly yes. Under the Academy Trust Handbook 2026, trusts with more than 3,000 pupils recruiting a CFO from 1 October 2026 should specify that candidates are qualified accountants, and the expectation tightens further from 2027. For smaller trusts it isn't a formal requirement, but a recognised accountancy qualification is still a strong advantage.
What's the difference between a CFO and a Director of Finance and Operations?
A CFO usually leads finance across a whole trust, reporting to the CEO and the board. A Director of Finance and Operations typically combines finance with estates, HR and compliance, and is more common in single academies, smaller trusts and independent schools.
Do you recruit finance leaders for independent schools?
Yes. In independent schools the role is often titled Bursar or Finance Director. See my Bursar recruitment page for more.
Talk to me about your vacancy
If you're recruiting a CFO or Finance Director, I'd be very happy to talk it through, formally or informally. Call me on 07359 924773 or email luke.johnson@eduexec-recruitment.com.