Description

Remotely based in either Portugal, Italy or Poland, requiring 70% of the time traveling, the Regional Finance and Integrations Manager position is responsible for all aspects of onboarding newly acquired schools in the region. The Regional Finance and Integrations Manager will be the main point of contact with business-critical functional teams (HR and Finance) in the acquired schools or will help embed new team members as applicable. Working with Functional Heads in the regional office and will cover multiple areas including:

• Finance – Analyse the business drivers, quality of earnings, quality of assets and future forecasts to identify possible concerns and potential opportunities. Help the school to adopt ISP calendar and processes such as budget, forecast, month end, payroll.
• HR – Analyse and collate staffing documentation for payroll and Group HR systems. Ensure initial compliance with single central registers and overall safeguarding training required for onboarding.
• Systems Integration – Bringing the school onto the Group’s designated MIS & ERP (in conjunction with IT), together with the production of monthly reports as required for student and parent data and reporting purposes.
• Control Environment – Implement the ISP Group Delegation of Authority (DoA) framework as soon as practicable post-closing. 
• Onboarding reporting – Take regional responsibility for the management and regular updating of the Group’s onboarding project management (via Monday.com).  

This role is crucial to the onboarding of the school and ensuring a seamless transition to being part of the ISP group. Post onboarding, the ROM will continue to support the school to become the ‘School of Choice’ in the region, and the effective delivery of the Amazing Learning message that is at the centre of the ISP vision.

In coordination with stakeholders:

• ISP Europe Regional Team (Finance and HR)
• School Leadership Team including the School Principal, and other relevant stakeholders in the acquired schools to make sure they fully understand the work we are doing and why
• Group Onboarding Manager
• Third-Party Vendors

Key Responsibilities

General

• Understanding of new acquisition/greenfield

• Review the investment paper to gain a thorough understanding of the school and the rationale for ISP’s investment
• Review the due diligence reports (financial, legal, labour, property, tax etc), identifying any red flag items that need to be addressed immediately post-closing

• Management of Monday.com (project management tool)

• Arrange training for staff new to the application
• Creation of project boards for new acquisitions from agreed templates
• Tailor the boards with the risks/tasks specific to the acquisition
• Keep abreast of changes within Monday.com to ensure any impact on board management is identified and planned appropriately.

• Support the Regional Managing Director to develop the Onboarding plan by Function, agreeing on the critical areas to be covered in the initial Discovery phase

• Support on regional and divisional onboarding update meetings

• Creating agenda
• Highlighting risks
• Recording minutes and actions
• Updating Monday.com

• Support the functional heads to deliver to those timelines

• Chase up tasks without agreed timelines in place
• Lock timelines once agreed by stakeholders
• Report on actions in danger of or exceeding agreed timelines

• Feedback to Onboarding management

• Ensure consistent data is collected for improvement and reporting purposes
• Propose improvements to the process for consideration by the management team
• Collect, review, and consolidate feedback from stakeholders and report to the onboarding management team

Finance

Reporting, Compliance and Control

• Onboarding the School into the wider ISP network, ensuring policies and procedures are adopted and ISP practices are followed
• Ensure the timely reporting of all monthly and annual financial information.
• Ensure timely and accurate production of month-end numbers and reporting which include Profit and Loss account, Balance Sheet and Cashflow.
• Ensure ISP Group Delegation of Authority framework is implemented as soon as possible. Design internal control systems for all functions in the school to ensure the safeguarding of regional assets and monitor and enforce internal controls.
• Work with regional and group finance & IT functions to ensure the school implements ISP core finance and accounting systems (NetSuite, PBCS) as a priority

Financial Planning and Analysis

• Support the preparation and submission of the first post-acquisition school budget/in-year reforecast
• Review and reconcile initial budget/forecast to investment case model, identifying any differences and reasons behind variances
• Support school to implement ISP standard KPI and performance monitoring reports
• Undertake such other reasonable responsibilities and tasks that may, from time to time, be assigned by the Regional Managing Director and other key stakeholders.

Human Resources

Systems

• Set the school up in Cezanne (ISP HR Management system): support the school in data collection to be completed.  Verify and upload staff data template to Cezanne
• Connect school with Single Sign-On (SSO)

Compliance

• Check payroll is compliant with local tax and employment legislation
• Ensure payroll is signed off with appropriate segregation of duties (i.e. 2 people, separate from those involved in preparing the payroll)
• Review key staff contracts, validate main terms and conditions and identify any anomalies
• Review any current disputes, threatened / current litigation, inquiries or investigations, compensation claims. Cross-check with the due diligence report

Safeguarding

• Facilitate introduction for School SLT to ISP Safeguarding
• Training: Safer recruitment & Designated Safeguard Lead
• Set up Safeguarding systems (including Single Central Register, “SCR”) in conjunction with Group Safeguarding team
• Collate SCR and Criminal Background Check (CBC) data for new school staff

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

The successful candidate will need to have a minimum of five years’ experience in financial and accounting management, together with demonstrable project management skills. They will be a self-starter who uses initiative, can manage a varied workload, is deadline driven and has the commitment to seeing a change process through from start to finish. An ability to travel and spend time in the newly acquired schools is an essential component of the role.

Essentials

• Fluent English is essential, other European languages desirable
• Qualified accountant (chartered or equivalent)
• Strong Project Management skills essential
• Systems integration experience desirable
• Advanced Excel skills
• Excellent communication and influencing skills
• International experience
• Flexibility, multi-tasking mindset and an ability to deal with shifting priorities
• Hands-on approach
• Comfortable managing a variety of financial and non-financial stakeholders
• Experience in the education industry is desirable but not required

About ISP

The International Schools Partnership (ISP) is a growing group of committed colleagues, in financially responsible schools around the world, all of which aim to be the school of choice in their local area. Learning is at the heart of everything we do for our students, colleagues, and parents. We are committed to getting better, all the time.

ISP was founded by an experienced team of committed educationalists and operators who have worked together over many years. Our growing group of private schools located across the globe educates children and students from 2–18 years of age. We have now expanded to over 60 schools that employ over 8,000 staff and deliver multiple curricula to over 50,000 students.

We believe that successful schools are the ones that put learning at the heart of everything they do, always aiming to create rounded individuals that can forge successful careers and lives, in a rapidly changing world. Our goal is to enable our schools to be the leading school of choice in their local area. At ISP we continue to engage with schools around the world that are interested in becoming part of our global group of schools and look forward to welcoming more students and staff to the group.

ISP Principles

Begin with our children and students. Our children and students are at the heart of what we do. Simply, their success is our success. Wellbeing and safety are both essential for learners and learning. Therefore, we are consistent in identifying potential safeguarding issues and acting and following up on all concerns appropriately.

Treat everyone with care and respect. We look after one another, embrace similarities and differences and promote the well-being of self and others.

Operate effectively. We focus relentlessly on the things that are most important and will make the most difference. We apply school policies and procedures and embody the shared ideas of our community.

Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.

ISP Leadership Competencies

You consistently demonstrate and role-model the ISP Leadership Competencies in all that you do.

1. Collaboration. Takes an active part in leading their school or region; is cooperative and a genuine team player, developing positive, supportive relationships with colleagues to solve problems and maximise opportunities.
2. Learning & Getting Better. Continually demonstrates personal commitment and passion for learning and getting better using evidence and feedback; supporting others in their continual learning, development and growth.
3. Innovation Leadership. Is good at creating an environment where ideas for learning initiatives and services are generated and is able to motivate and inspire others through the process of creation through to completion.
4. Outcome driven. Can be counted on to find solutions. Is consistently looking to exceed goals and is focused on KPIs.
5. Resilience. Can deal with setbacks and challenges calmly and effectively.
6. Community Focus. Is committed to meeting and exceeding the needs and expectations of our students and their families.
7. Integrity & Ethical Management. Has the ability to work ethically and with integrity; helps others feel valued; upholds and models the ISP Vision, Purpose and Principles.
8. Leading & Inspiring Others. Supports, encourages and inspires students, colleagues and teams so that they give their best.
9. Understanding People. Is a very good judge of talent, can objectively articulate the strengths and motivations of people inside or outside the organisation.
10. Influencing & Communication. Consistently informs, influences and inspires students, parents and colleagues through timely and effective communication.
11. Agile. Responds and adapts to changing circumstances; manages and solves problems by providing solutions in a climate of ambiguity.
12. Strategic, Commercial & Financial Awareness. Has the ability to apply understanding of the business and industry to improve effectiveness and profitability.
13. Planning & Decision Making. Makes decisions on the best course of action and then plans, organises, prioritises and balances resources to achieve the desired outcome.
14. Diversity & Equity. Has the sensitivity, awareness and skill to understand the values, behaviours, attitudes and practices across cultures that supports all children and adults to learn and work effectively.

ISP Commitment to Safeguarding Principles

ISP is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years’ employment history.