Finance Officer - #2165632

Harris Primary Academy East Dulwich is a happy, welcoming and inclusive school, supporting a rich diversity of families in our area. Our vision - Ambition For All - recognises the importance of the relationship between school and home in children’s development. Parents/carers are welcome as partners in their child’s education and there is a strong parent group who work hard to promote the school, raise funds and support learning.

We provide a vibrant learning environment which nurtures and supports children. Pupils are encouraged to be responsible for their learning, to grow in confidence and become independent. In recognition of the work in this area, the school received UNICEF's Rights Respecting School Award in 2017.

We offer an exciting and engaging curriculum where teachers and pupils work together to ensure high quality learning experiences that enable every pupil to achieve their very best. This includes well-structured lessons, opportunities to learn to play a musical instrument, to use new technologies, to learn outside the classroom through engaging educational visits and to learn away from home through high quality residential trips in Key Stage 2.

Do you have experience with finance management in either a professional or school capacity? Our thriving academy is looking to appoint a dedicated and resourceful individual as Finance Officer to oversee financial duties across Harris Primary Academy East Dulwich.

The actual salary for this role will be £19,772.67 - £20,643.51 (25 hours per week, 40 weeks per year).

Your responsibilities will include:

• Creating purchase orders
• Obtaining authorisation for, coding and posting purchase invoices
• Checking of all deliveries to the Academy, liaising with site staff as to distribution of order
• Raising cheques / BACS for purchase invoices
• Making payments
• Journal entries on accounting system
• Cash / bank reconciliation and reports
• Collecting money from students for educational visits
• Reconciling the petty cash on a monthly basis
• Reconciliation of academy credit card
• Liaison with cost centre budget holders
• Maintenance of Fixed Asset Register
• Academy banking
• Assisting Finance Business Partner in monthly balance sheet reconciliations
• Dealing with incoming and outgoing finance post
• To administer finances in relation to peripatetic music tuition, music subsidies and Food Technology consumable costs
• Raising sales invoices for lettings
• Banking of cash and cheques
• Supporting the Academy in finding ways to raise capital funding
• Creating a business plan for lettings and liaising with the Executive Principal to action
• Supporting any Academy training events that may raise capital
• Giving financial support for any capital spend projects
• Finding ways in which the Academy can get better value for money, through better procurement or other innovative ideas
• Working with Federation Business Partner and Principal in agreeing priorities for expenditure and monitoring the effectiveness of spending and usage of resources to ensure value for money
• Ensuring all matters regarding Academy insurance are dealt with in line with Federation procedures
• Ensuring the academy's financial procedures operate in accordance with statutory guidelines, Academies financial regulations and guidelines set out in the academy's policies and procedures
• Providing statistical information as required by the DCSF, other funding providers and Principal
• Familiarity with all the different funding streams that make up the academy budget and be aware of who has direct responsibility for each one
• Supporting the process of and responding to audit reports and implementation of recommendation
• Reading and understanding the Academies Financial handbook and check the Academies compliance reporting any concerns to the Finance Business Partner and the Principal
• Overseeing all contracts, register at the Academy, ensuring all information is kept up to date
• Monitoring financial and quality issues relating to academy meals contract
• Managing payroll, liaising with EPM as required
• Working with Federation Estates Managers, Projects Team and procurement to check best value for money when the Academy is considering new contracts or services
• Working with FBP when contracts are due for renewal and ascertain value for money and quality of service are in line with expectations
• Communicating any concerns regarding contracts with suppliers as required
• Supporting in any tendering process

We would like to hear from you if you have:

• Qualifications to A level or equivalent
• 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

For a full job description and person specification, please download the Job Pack.

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level.

In addition to the opportunities for career development and progression, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includesour Harris Allowance for teachers on MPS/UPS, an Annual Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme with generous employer contributions, a Wellbeing Cash Plan and many other benefits. Learn more about