Finance Manager
Job Description
Purpose of Role
The School Finance Manager is responsible for the full spectrum of accounting, financial reporting, statutory audit, tax, cashflow and working capital planning and management for the school. This is a pivotal role in delivering high-quality financial analysis and commentary for monthly performance reviews, rolling forecasts and budgeting including monitoring and controlling capital expenditures to align with approved spending plans. This position requires business partnering with the Campus Principal, School Senior Leadership Team (SLT) and Functional Heads and Regional Office.
About Straits International School, Penang
Straits International School, Penang follows the international school curriculum comprising IGCSE and British curriculum, starting at the kindergarten level. With over 500 students, we have gained a reputation for excellence and high standards in education.
We champion a transformative approach to learning that goes beyond the classroom. By igniting our students' curiosity and growing their self-confidence, we empower them to become the next generation of changemakers.
Straits International School, Penang is part of ISP Malaysia, one of the leading education groups in Malaysia that operates Tenby Schools, Asia Pacific Schools and Straits International Schools. The nine school campuses are strategically located in the developed areas of Klang Valley in Selangor, Perak, Penang and Johor.
ISP Malaysia is part of ISP, a global community of over 100 international schools across more than 20 countries.
Key Benefits
- A culture of engagement and trust, where staff contributions are recognised and valued.
- A passionate and motivated team of professionals who put children at the heart of decision-making.
- An embedded commitment to professional development and employee well-being.
- Access to expertise, best practice sharing and learning opportunities across countries and cultures.
- Competitive remuneration.
- School fee discount for children of employees.
- Medical outpatient and insurance benefits.
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 and Health & Safety 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.
- Are financially responsible. We make financial choices carefully based on the needs of the children, students and our schools.
- Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.
For more information visit http://www.internationalschoolspartnership.com
Key Responsibilities
Financial Reporting and Analysis:
- Responsible for the day-to-day activities of finance function of the school (record-to-report, accounts payables, accounts receivables, cashflow, tax compliance and finance business partnering functions)
- Timely and accurate financial and management reporting, in compliance with the applicable governing standards & group reporting requirements.
- Prepare and analysis of the Profit & Loss and Balance Sheet of the School including but not limited to deferred income account, accruals, provisions, reconciliations, revenue recognition, discretionary spending and capital expenditure.
- Review all journal entry postings and ensure accuracy and completeness of the General Ledger and Sub-Ledger accounts.
- Perform month-end review analysis with the Campus Principal and School SLT highlighting variances and facilitating action plans to mitigate gaps to target.
- Present financial reports to Campus Principal, Regional Finance, and other stakeholders.
Statutory Audit & Tax Compliance
- Coordinate and liaise with the external auditors on the annual statutory audit.
- Ensure adherence to Group policies and MFRS/IFRS requirements.
- Attending all statutory audit queries in a timely manner and reviewing proposed Adjusting Journal Entries and Reclassifying Journal Entries.
- Ensuring compliance and timely submission for yearly statutory audit and tax.
Financial Planning and Budgeting
- Collaborate with School SLT to develop annual budgets aligned with educational goals and school strategic plans.
- Provide financial forecasts, projections, and analysis to support Campus Principal / Regional Finance in budgetary control for OPEX and CAPEX.
- To ensure strict adherence and control on all CAPEX spending and policies to approved budget, including facilitating in the preparation of investment paper where applicable.
- Responsible for timely and accurate reporting in line with ISP’s protocols.
Treasury & Insurance
- Ensuring that the school’s cash collection target is achieved and monitor collection progress versus target, accurately report daily cash collection and monthly cash flow projections.
- Ensuring that the school has sufficient funds to meet its financial obligations.
- Ensuring that all the payments to suppliers have been properly reviewed by the finance team prior to payment, exercising clear segregation of duties.
- Ensuring that the school has adequate and valid insurance cover in place for all properties, staff, students and visitors to schools (e.g. parents).
- Ensuring conformance to ISP authorization all times.
Continuous Improvement
- Act as a strategic partner to School SLT and Functional Heads by providing financial insights and recommendations.
- Identify opportunities for process improvement in financial management and reporting.
- Participate in the automation of reporting/forecasting process, enhancement of business processes/ workflows.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Stakeholders
- Internal: Campus Principals, School SLT, School Functional Heads, Regional Office team.
- External: Statutory Auditors, Tax Consultants, Bankers, Company Secretary and Local Regulators (MOE, CCM etc)
Line management
- Direct Report to School Campus Principal and Matrix to the Regional Financial Controller.
- The Finance Business Partner / School Head of Finance may subordinate between 2 - 3 direct reports.
ISP Leadership Competencies
You consistently demonstrate and role-model the ISP Leadership Competencies in all that you do.
Cognitive
- Strategic, commercial and financial acumen
- Understands education sector and what drives success
- Outcome-driven with strong a strong focus on results
- Shares our ambition and goals and champions desired change
- Delivers strategic outcomes by inspiring and motivating their team to work towards shared goals
- Demonstrates financial understanding when making decisions and taking action
- Keeps self and team organised and on track
- Creative Problem Solver
- Tackles challenges in an organized and systematic way and finds solutions
- Sees problems as opportunities to improve and better deliver against organisational priorities
- Creates a safe environment within team to encourage innovation and problem-solving
- Empowers team to apply creativity and flexibility to overcome challenges
- Identifies risks and creates and implements mitigation plans
Interpersonal
- Intentionally connects
- Supports, enables and inspires others to give their best
- Takes time to understand their team and personalise individual experiences
- A skilled identifier of talent who recognises the value of soft skills (emotional intelligence, drive, learnability etc.) as predictors of potential
- Focuses on people development through coaching and mentoring, sharing their experiences and insight
- Recognises and celebrates successes
- Collaborative & Communicative
- Develops and shares our collective vision
- Encourages collaboration and teamwork, making people feel like they are working and succeeding together
- Open-minded; actively listening and seeking and welcoming feedback
- Communicates honestly, transparently and with genuine care and empathy
- Articulates thoughts and ideas clearly and adjusts how they communicate to the person or situation
Self-Leadership
- Amazing learner
- Self-aware, humble and a good listener
- Manages their own personal development, focusing on continuous learning and getting better
- Is open about their own areas for development and encourages their team to be the same
- Builds a team with complementary skillsets to support them in areas where they are not so naturally-suited
- Curious; asks questions, explores and builds on ideas
- Resilient
- Practices self-care and encourages their team to do the same
- Uses inner strength when times are challenging or when working outside of their comfort zone
- Understands their own qualities, skills, emotions and triggers and uses this understanding to remain composed and confident in uncertainty
- Recovers positively from setbacks, using them as an opportunity
Digital
- Technologically literate
- Digital collaborator, who works effectively with technical specialists
- Stays up to date with the latest technology and trends and knows how these can be applied in their role
- Demonstrates an adaptive techmindset, constantly evolving their understanding and application of what is possible using tech
- Assesses the impact of new technologies for their role and the organisation
- Digital data fluent
- Effectively interprets digital data and uses it in decision-making
- Collects, shares and analyses evidence to demonstrate impact, make connections and set improvement targets
- Connects data from different digital sources to design, develop and implement action
- Simplifies complex digital data into clear and understandable information for different audiences
- Uses a mix of digital data, experiences, instinct and context to make decisions
Global
- Values-driven
- Role models the ISP Principles
- Prioritises wellbeing, inclusion and belonging and is caring, considerate and supportive of their team
- Demonstrates a multi-cultural mindset and respects the different values, behaviours, attitudes and practices across cultures
- Seeks different perspectives and integrates diversity of thought from team
- Sustainability-focused
- Considers the environmental and social impact of their decisions and finds ways to minimise these
- Uses their passion and credibility to challenge ways of thinking
- Advocates for policies and practices that support a more sustainable future
- Identifies inefficiencies and wastefulness and prioritises productive and balanced use of resources.
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 postholders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures, including an online due diligence search, references and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years of employment history.
ISP Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender expression, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.
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
and Health & Safety 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.
Are financially responsible. We make financial choices carefully based on the needs of the children, students and our schools.
Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.
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, including an online due diligence search, references and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years’ employment history.
ISP Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender expression, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.