Commercial Finance Director, West

PLEASE NOTE THIS ROLE IS FOR INTERNAL CANDIDATES ONLY.

Cognita is a global leader in independent education. Founded in 2004, we are a growing community of 90 schools in 20 countries - in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East - serving more than 100,000 students. Each of our schools are proudly unique, however our collective purpose is to create an environment where everyone can, "Thrive in a rapidly evolving world".

As Commercial Finance Director West, you will be the key commercial finance partner to the Chief Schools Officer West, supporting four regional Cogs across the UK, Southern Spain, Central Europe and the USA. You will provide strategic financial leadership, oversight and challenge, helping to translate business priorities into clear plans, budgets, forecasts and performance targets.

Working closely with senior leaders, including the CFO and COO, you will drive commercial decision-making across areas such as enrolment growth, pricing, workforce efficiency, investment appraisal and operational performance. You will lead the planning and forecasting cycle, oversee financial governance across the region, and ensure robust decision support through insightful analysis and reporting.

Leading the Cog Finance Leads, you will foster a high-performing finance community, promote consistent financial standards and processes, and support leaders in making informed, commercially sound decisions that deliver sustainable growth and long-term value.

We are looking for a commercially minded finance leader with the ability to influence and challenge senior stakeholders, translating complex financial information into clear, actionable insight. You will bring strong experience in financial planning, forecasting, performance management and commercial decision support within a multi-site, international or complex organisational environment.

A strategic thinker with a hands-on approach, you will be comfortable working across areas such as pricing, enrolment, workforce planning, investment appraisal and operational efficiency. You will have a track record of driving performance improvement, strengthening financial governance and supporting business growth through robust analysis and sound financial leadership.

An effective people leader, you will be experienced in developing high-performing finance teams and building strong partnerships with operational leaders. Strong communication skills, commercial acumen and the ability to balance strategic priorities with operational detail will be essential to success in this role.

As this role can be based either in the UK or in Spain, the benefits will be aligned to that country.

Cognita Schools is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check. Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is available on the school website. Details on Recruitment of Ex-Offenders is included within the Application Guidance.

We are an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity and treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of background.