Sam Bradley graduated from Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, with a First Class BA Hons degree in History and Sociology, and completed further post-graduate study at the University of East Anglia.

In 2014 Sam relocated to Leeds with his wife to begin work in the educational sector. Rather than pursuing his teaching ambitions, Sam chose a career within school business leadership. Whilst working in an outstanding specialist setting, Sam rapidly acquired the skills and knowledge to develop into this role with experience in finance, school-led HR, data and exams coordination, and office management.

In 2017 Sam joined the White Rose Academies Trust as Project Manager and worked closely with the Trust Executive Team. He managed and co-ordinated key projects to drive academy improvement including establishing the framework for an outstanding school improvement partnership that secured over £150k of funding.

In the autumn of 2017, Sam was deployed to Leeds West Academy as Academy Business Manager to support the Principal on all operational and financial aspects of academy management. In his first year of deployment, Sam managed an £8.5 million budget and led a team to introduce effective systems of control ensuring operational and financial efficiencies. The first year of deployment saw Sam reduce overall expenditure and improve the academies financial position whilst ensuring student outcomes continued to improve.

Following Sam’s success in the role of Academy Business Manager at Leeds West Academy, the Trust made the decision to also deploy Sam to provide support as Academy Business Manager at Leeds East Academy. This resulted in an expansion to Sam’s remit to include the strategic business and financial leadership of two large secondary academies and management of over £15 million. Working closely with both Principals, Sam led on the transformation of the operational provisions across the schools ensuring consistently high quality and standards in key services areas such as HR, finance, and estates.

 

In the summer of 2021, Sam was promoted to Trust Business Director. In this role Sam provides executive leadership and strategic oversight on all aspects of  Trust management outside of education and educational policy.  This includes the leading and setting of strategy for an effective business management function within our academies, and also providing strategic direction and coordination of key central services, including:

• Finance, Contract Management and Procurement

• Human Resources

• IT Services

• Estates Management and Health & Safety

• Capital Projects

• Risk Management

• Governance Services and Compliance

• Legal Services

 

As services lead for the White Rose Academies Trust, Sam also works closely with the directors for services across the Luminate Education Group, including finance, HR, ITSS, estates, and capital projects. Through working collaboratively with these services and aligning systems, Sam ensures the academies within the WRAT benefit from the sharing of this expertise and have access to sector leading services and support.

 

Sam has completed the level 7 in School Financial and Operational Leadership with CIPFA/ISBL and is Cert FRA qualified. Sam is also a member of the Institute of School Business Leadership.

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Sam has been the designated CFO for the Trust since April 2022

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