Accountant

Habs has been awarded Independent School of the Year 2025, with Haberdashers' Elstree Schools receiving both the award for Outstanding Educational Partnerships and the overall top accolade of Independent School of the Year 2025. This recognition reflects our long-term commitment to social impact and the deep, sustained collaborations we continue to build with our state sector partners. It is an exciting time to join our community. We are looking for a talented and commercially minded Accountant to join our finance team. This is a broad and rewarding role that goes well beyond traditional accounting, offering the opportunity to combine technical expertise with meaningful analysis and forward-looking financial modelling. Working closely with the Financial Controller and senior leaders, you will play a key role in shaping financial insight across the Schools and associated entities. From delivering high-quality reporting to building robust financial models that inform strategic decisions, your work will have real impact. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working with data, spotting trends, and turning numbers into clear, actionable insight. What you'll be doing You will take ownership of delivering accurate and insightful financial information, including monthly management accounts with clear variance analysis and commentary. Alongside this, you will develop and maintain sophisticated financial models to support budgeting, forecasting and long-term planning. A key part of the role will involve partnering with stakeholders across the organisation, helping them to better understand their budgets, challenge assumptions, and make informed decisions. You will present financial information in a way that is accessible, engaging and useful to non-finance colleagues. You will also support core accounting activities, ensuring strong controls, accurate reconciliations, and well-managed ledgers, while contributing to the preparation of statutory accounts, VAT returns and audit processes. In addition, you will play an important role in improving systems and processes-using your advanced Excel skills to automate reporting, enhance data quality, and drive efficiencies across the finance function.

We are seeking a qualified accountant (ACA, ACCA or CIMA) with strong experience across both management and statutory accounting. You will bring advanced Excel skills and a proven ability to build financial models that support decision-making and scenario planning. Just as important is your mindset. You will be naturally analytical, curious and solutions-focused, with the confidence to engage and influence stakeholders at all levels. You'll enjoy working collaboratively, explaining financial concepts clearly, and adding value beyond the numbers. Experience of the education or charity sector would be an advantage, but is not essential.

• A competitive salary, commensurate with experience
• Private Pension Scheme through Aegon with generous employer contributions
• Additional life insurance cover and income protection
• Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), providing confidential support and advice
• Extensive professional development training opportunities
• Discount on school fees for children attending any of the Elstree Schools (fee remission applied at the time of child joining)
• Free lunch and refreshments
• Free onsite parking and access to travel on the schools extensive coach network
• Free access to state-of-the-art sports facilities including the gym, swimming pool, and fitness classes
• Wellbeing initiatives and programmes, such as yoga, mindfulness sessions, and health checks
• Access to an online GP service, providing quick and convenient healthcare advice
• Access to Vivup, the staff benefits platform, featuring discounts, financial advice, and wellbeing resources
• Cycle-to-Work Scheme and other green travel incentives including Octopus Electric Vehicles