School Finance Officer

Working Days: Flexible – to be agreed with the Trust
Start Date: ASAP – ideally next week

We are recruiting for an experienced Senior Finance Officer to join the Central Finance Team of an established education Trust.

Previous experience working in a school, academy or Multi-Academy Trust finance environment is essential for this position. We are looking for someone who understands the specific financial processes, reporting requirements and procedures within an educational setting and can confidently support schools from the outset.

This is a part-time position working across 2 days per week, with the days flexible to suit the successful candidate and the Trust. 

Working closely with the CFO, the Senior Finance Officer will take a key role in supporting the financial operations across the Trust's schools, ensuring accurate financial records, robust processes and compliance with relevant regulations and Trust policies.

• Supporting the CFO with the effective running of Trust finances.
• Overseeing financial processes and procedures across Trust schools.
• Preparing financial reports for the CFO, Executive Team, Headteachers and Trust Board.
• Supporting schools with their day-to-day finance requirements.
• Assisting with annual school budget setting, budget monitoring and forecasting.
• Preparing and reviewing monthly management accounts.
• Monitoring income and expenditure and ensuring accurate month-end and year-end reporting.
• Supporting salary forecasting and payroll-related financial processes.
• Completing and reviewing financial reconciliations.
• Supporting internal and external audits.
• Assisting with annual statutory accounts and audit evidence.
• Supporting VAT, pension and other statutory returns.
• Developing and improving financial systems and processes across schools.
• Supporting Finance Assistants and school-based Business/Office Managers.
• Ensuring compliance with Trust financial procedures and relevant education-sector requirements.
• Working with Local Authorities and external finance consultants.
• Identifying opportunities to improve financial efficiency and value for money.

The successful candidate must have previous finance experience within a school, academy or Multi-Academy Trust setting.

You will ideally have experience of:

• School/Academy finance systems and processes.
• Budget setting and monitoring within an educational setting.
• Management accounts and financial reporting.
• Forecasting and reforecasting.
• Bank and balance sheet reconciliations.
• Payroll and pension reconciliations.
• VAT and statutory returns.
• Supporting internal/external audits.
• Working with Headteachers, Business Managers and senior Trust colleagues.
• Developing and improving financial processes.
• Working independently and managing your own workload.

As this role will involve supporting schools within an education Trust, the successful candidate will be required to complete the Trust's full safeguarding and pre-employment vetting process.

Candidates must be able to provide:

• Appropriate Enhanced DBS clearance.
• DBS on the Update Service is highly desirable, particularly due to the urgent start date.
• Minimum of two satisfactory employment references covering the previous 24 months.
• Three employment references where the candidate has not previously worked with children.
• Character reference where required due to gaps in employment.
• Full employment history and satisfactory explanations for any gaps.
• Right to Work documentation.
• Completion of all required safeguarding and relevant Trust training.

The Trust is looking to appoint as soon as possible, ideally for a start next week.

Candidates with existing school/academy finance experience who are immediately available and already hold a DBS on the Update Service are particularly encouraged to apply.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced School Finance Officer / Senior Finance Officer / Academy Finance professional.