Finance Officer

Main Areas of Responsibility

• Collecting money from parents via parent pay in connection with academy trips, uniforms or other necessary payments
• Issuing electronic order forms to budget holders and then ensuring all orders once complete are processed through the academy’s accounting system
• Obtaining authorisation, coding and posting the purchase invoices
• Posting monthly sales invoices
• Ensuring the collection on all revenue associated with sales invoices in a timely manner
• Raising cheques/BACS for purchase invoices
• Making payments (grants and academy trips etc)
• Entering journals onto the accounting system
• Assist with bank reconciliations
• Reconciling the petty cash on a daily basis
• Monthly payroll and pensions etc.
• To liaise with cost centre budget holders in respect of their monitoring and reporting procedures
• Maintain the fixed asset register, ensure that assets agree to the accounting system
• To be responsible for the academy banking
• Dealing with incoming and outgoing post
• Dealing with queries both internal and external
• Ensuring an appropriate filing system is maintained
• Assisting Business Manager with audit requirements

Managing, monitoring and updating the contract register

• Ensure contract owners are aware of of assigned contracts and supplier performance management
• Ensure a log is kept in the contract register of when the supplier needs to be notified about contract termination and notice period, and communicate to contract owners that this needs to be done
• Ensure Principal is kept informed when a contract is up for renewal
• Renegotiating contracts directly, in liaison with the budget owner, ensuring the terms of reference are adhered to
• Ensure tendering assessments and quotes are retained
• Monitoring PSL to review whether Value for Money is being attained
• Notify Central Procurement Team about projects or other expenditure in excess of £40k* so Central team can assist in managing the formal tender process
• Ensure archiving procedures for expired contracts in place (contracts retention is generally six years after expiry/termination

Disadvantaged Students and Free School Meals

• Ensuring at enrolment that the Sixth Form and the Finance Department team have accurate data on disadvantaged and FSM
• Administering the practical process of bursary payments and ensuring audit requirements are met and disadvantaged students are fairly and equitably treated and supported in the academy’s curriculum provision and teaching delivery
• Checking the protocols and controls are adhered to by the Sixth Form Bursary team
• Making payments (grants and trips etc); and keeping appropriate records
• To be responsible for the  banking and posting of bank receipts
• Dealing with queries
• Ensuring an appropriate filing system is maintained

Qualifications & Experience

• Educated to degree level in a relevant numerate subject
• Knowledge of school finance systems
• Knowledge of a variety of financial recording systems
• Knowledge of the budget setting process
• Understanding of the role and function of external audit
• At least three years’ experience working in a finance department Experience of working within financial controls
• Experience of assisting with budget setting and budget management